Following Cursive on the main stage, the audience stuck around to secure their spot for Rilo Kiley, and soon afterward, Jimmy Eat World. The audience was, as expected, old heads, probably taking a few days off from their corporate jobs to see the reunion of one of the greats.
Rilo Kiley is a hit
Sunday was the final day of Best Friends Forever Fest, and it was also the lineup I had been awaiting all weekend. As I stood at the barricade for Wednesday’s set, I was already plotting for Rilo Kiley. The sun had gone down as I rushed over to the main stage to see the band once again. The flashing lights, the polka dot dress, the changing of formations, everything was as it should have been.
Rilo Kiley’s first release was the 1999 self-titled debut EP. They’ve proved timeless charm as they’ve grown a following of Gen X, Millennials and now a Gen Z fanbase. The themes in their music are twangy, twinkly and incredibly personal. Almost as though the lyrics are ripped from Lewis’s diary, the band opens up to their fanbase with open arms. It’s raw and intentional, but also catchy.
The band is comprised of members Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Jason Boesel and Pierre de Reeder. 2007 was their final studio release titled “Under The Black Light” before they went on a brief hiatus in 2010. An archives album titled “Rkives” followed this in 2013, and a stage performance in 2015 where Lewis and Sennett performed “Portions for Foxes” at Coachella. Fast forward to early this year, and the band announced a reunion tour. Fans, including Utahns, after the Kilby Block Party lineup was announced, thought they’d never get back together. And yet, here they were on stage, performing as if they never left each other. It was a night of nostalgia for many, and it felt as though time had stopped.
I would sell my baseball cards to see them play again
Earlier that afternoon, Tiger Bike said, “Sobbing is an acceptable response,” and while I wasn’t sobbing during the SLC band’s set, tears were streaming down my cheeks by the first note played of “It’s a Hit.” I felt a weight come off of me as lead vocalist, Jenny Lewis, belted through songs from the band’s most popular albums “More Adventurous” and “The Execution of All Things.” I had only discovered the band earlier this year, but they’ve become an important figure in my musical rotation.
I found myself singing along to songs “I Never” and “Does He Love You?” which are some of Lewis’s best ballads. Through my glassy-eyed vision, I noticed other audience members singing along and waving their arms in the air. Especially during “With Arms Outstretched.” It was like we had no control over our own bodies and just let the band take us along with them. I recall sitting on the gravel for an hour ahead of their set At Kilby Block Party, and it was incredible even then. This time was just the same, but on a patch of grass, sipping and reminiscing on the weekend at Best Friends Forever Fest. I just wish their set this time had lasted longer.
The final performance of their North American Tour is this Saturday, October 18, in their hometown, Los Angeles. You can find out more about the band here.