Gig Review: Jeffrey Lewis & the Voltage
6th September ’25 –The Marrs Bar, Worcester
“Jeffrey Lewis? Jeffrey Lewis, is playing the Marrs Bar in Worcester?” An artist from New York, so good, I had to ask twice…
On the night, the obligatory merch’ stall was pinned down by the artist’s vast catalogue of vinyl, cds, comics, stickers, t-shirts, tote-bags and tour-zines, a ramshackle totem of financial necessity.
For Jeffrey Lewis, the 52 year old anti-folk-singer-songwriter from the Big Apple, the desire to write and perform is beyond a necessity. As he declared unguarded in one song during the evening –“I want to be an artist!” – clearly his need to perform is an imperative. The D.I.Y. ethic was underlined in his heavily- patched jeans, heavily-stickered acoustic guitar, homemade pick-up and purposeful gaze. “This machine kills fashion.”
However, do not underestimate the “home-made” creative results; the songs are gloriously polished vignettes of social commentary, observations from the sofa from a viewpoint that is both personal and worldly. Furthermore, these songs are lyrical nuggets proffered by a flaneur used to “staring through shit-stained glass”. Of course, we never forget the inherent humour throughout songs.
“Scowling Crackhead Ian,” introduced the “evil kid from the 80s” who still lives locally to Lewis. Having tainted Lewis’ childhood, the “foul human being” still haunts his adulthood, as “Ian” prowls toxically around the locale. We still managed to find some humour in the song as Lewis delivered the song with all the gusto of the Proclaimers or James Brown.
How many of us use vinyl records as a muse? The knowing confessional “LPs” explored the “disease” of vinyl addiction. The watching crowd seemed to know all about this affliction. Lewis’ lyricalconfessional about his records was as recognisable as his voice. My newly acquired vinyl copy of 2019’s “Bad Wiring,” resided covetously in my record-bag as I looked on…
At times, Lewis’ lyrics read like a tsunami of staccato volleys reminiscent of early Manics and Crass .
Having previously produced a whole album of Crass songs we were treated to a version of “Punk is Dead”…“and you have never heard it played like this before.” Accordingly, in the careful hands of Mallory Feuer (violin, keys), Valerie Marchesi (bass) and Brent Cole (drums) the song politely underlined the fact: Punk is most certainly not dead!
Jeffrey Lewis’ gimlet eyes are deadly…one song captured a relationship where only one side was analysing the world around them. Another prized a relationship where one was happy and content to fall asleep before the film had ended. Moreover, the tale of the neighbour screaming into the night was woven into a song about a “quiet old coot,” until the night time. This is storytelling from a raconteur whose senses are heightened by life itself.
As a multi-dimensional creative Jeffrey Lewis’ artwork as a cartoonist was incorporated into his band’s performance. As he turned the pages of his “budget movies,” while balancing on a stool, the story of the great American novel – the Great Gatsby – was musically narrated. Beyond surreal. Later on in the evening, around the (Band)camp-fire the storyteller amused us with his retelling of Star Wars. Thus ensuring, “we had our monies worth”…
There is no fist-pumping, or physical mosh pit, or finger-jabbing or animated pogoing at Jeffrey Lewis’ gigs. Instead the vulnerable, considered and informed audience proffer appreciative applause, a polite conversation at the merch’ stall or a grateful smile. After a recent political conference, it is clear the party in question would do well to study sociology at first hand, and thus educate themselves to their rich and diverse society. Jeffrey Lewis and his band The Voltage have and they, much like their audience, really have benefited from the experience.
By: Swilgate Scuttler