As the nationwide travel restrictions are slowly lifting, we are starting to see our beloved artists from across the pond once again performing here in the UK. While this is excellent news for all American artists, it’s especially good news for Brooklyn-based Cassandra Jenkins, who is currently on her first-ever headline UK tour. One of seven UK shows brings her to The Louisiana in Bristol, a family-owned pub famous in the area for its varied music scene, having hosted the likes of Ben Howard, IDLES, The National, and Dua Lipa, back when they were all lesser-known names.
After releasing her debut EP in 2014 and her subsequent debut album in 2017, Cassandra Jenkins returned with An Overview on Phenomenal Nature in February of this year. As one of the most relaxing and serene albums of the year, its meditative sound was elevated to new heights through this live performance, filling the intimate venue with a collective sense of calm and wonder.
Accompanying Jenkins were her five band members: Michael, Jack, and Justin were on electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums respectively and usually play in the Glasgow-based band, Lylo. Providing the astonishing saxophone/flute sections was Jill Ryan of the Philadelphia-based band, Great Time. Lastly, Gerard Black showed off his talents on the keyboard while also kicking off the night with a short set of songs from his band, BABE. The atmospheric set, which mostly consisted of songs from their 2017 album, Kiss and Tell, combined buzzing synths, heavy bass, and smooth percussion, all helped along by Black’s captivating falsetto singing.
Once the time for Cassandra’s set came, the band silently walked through the crowd and onto the stage, launching straight into the first song. Jenkins chose to open the set with her latest single, ‘American Spirits’, from her upcoming outtakes album (An Overview on) An Overview on Phenomenal Nature, which features alternate versions of the original songs, along with some brand-new material. As the song’s smooth synths began to fill the room with sound, the band readied their instruments, with each musician joining the song’s introduction when they were all set. Jenkins’ delicate vocals then joined the fray, instantly grabbing the room’s attention and setting the calm and serene tone that was to be the theme of the night. The song concludes with a voice mail left for Jenkins from a friend after they spent the night in jail, which Jenkins played by holding her phone up to the microphone while allowing the synth track to play out in the background.
Following this, Jenkins took a moment to reflect on what was undoubtedly one of the most challenging years she’s faced as an artist, expressing that “it’s really cool to be able to play music in a room full of people.” Although it certainly felt a little different to a pre-pandemic show, the masked and fully vaccinated crowd agreed that the return of live music was well worth a few small safety measures. The band then moved into ‘Michelangelo’, the spellbinding opening track of the album. The track’s smooth riffs and danceable percussion instantly got the crowd moving before Lylo’s Michael Marion took on the song’s signature powerful guitar section.
The following few tracks brought the pace down a little, with ‘New Bikini’ and ‘Crosshairs’ allowing the album’s relaxing nature to weave its way through the now-silent crowd as if everyone was eagerly anticipating each and every note. Jenkins even commented on just how quiet the audience was: “y’all are so kind – I can hear myself breathe.” Concluding this little run of songs was ‘Ambiguous Norway’, which recounts the trip Jenkins took following the passing of her friend David Berman (of Silver Jews), who Jenkins has rehearsed with in preparation for his Purple Mountains tour, which sadly never happened. The audience instantly grasped the sombre mood of the track, which was enhanced by this more muted version of the song, emphasising Jenkins’ pained and reflective vocals. The song ended with complete silence, save for Ryan’s slow saxophone solo, with moments of quiet reflection in between notes.
As the extended outro of the previous song seamlessly transitioned into a new key and the other band members joined back in, Jenkins stepped up to the microphone and spoke the opening line: “a security guard stopped me to offer an overview on phenomenal nature,” confirming the arrival of crowd-favourite, ‘Hard Drive’. The song’s mix of singing and spoken word translated perfectly to a live setting, while the jazz-influenced instrumental built up as the song progressed, ending in a bombastic conclusion, with each musician giving everything they had.
For the penultimate song, Jenkins chose to preview an unreleased track. Currently titled ‘Pretty Face’, the track’s gorgeous guitar melodies and gentile percussion would fit perfectly alongside Jenkins’ recent releases, so it may see a full release soon. Rounding off the set was ‘Hailey’, which saw a few changes from the album version. Its slightly more upbeat and groovy tone sat somewhere between the original and ‘Hailey (Premix)’ from the upcoming alternative album.
The serene beauty of An Overview on Phenomenal Nature was precisely what many of us needed upon its release. During the height of lockdown, the opportunity to escape to the sonic landscape she created kept fans coming back for repeated listens. With this live show, Jenkins has created what feels like the natural progression of this experience. Whereas before, she was helping fans escape to another place, now she is helping them return to normality. Her calming sound and relatable lyrics ease the anxiety that both situations bring.
For further tour details visit: https://cassandrajenkins.com/
Photo Credit: Wyndham Boylan-Garnett