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| Olivia Jean - Photo by Greg Cocks |
Armed with black lipstick, black dangerous high heels, and a black
Gretsch guitar,
Olivia Jean played her first headlining show in Denver on Wednesday. With a bare bone crew,
Olivia Jean manned her own merch table as the diverse crowd entered the intimate
Moon Room. The concertgoers were a mixture of unnaturally dark haired fellow Goth rockers, friends of the opening bands, and one pony-tailed homeless looking guy in sweatpants. After offering to buy
Olivia Jean an adult beverage, we learned she doesn't consume alcohol. But
Olivia Jean confessed her vice is
Redbull (her tour bus is loaded with it).
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Olivia Jean with her band - Photos by
The Rock and Roll Princess |
After joining
Jack White's Thirdman Records when she was nineteen,
Olivia Jean has proven to be a multi-faceted artist. She fronted the Goth girl garage band
The Black Belles, played guitar with
Kate Pierson from
The B-52's (even styled Pierson's hair for a photo shoot), and performed with
Jack White (on stage and in the studio).
Olivia Jean also acted in
HBO's True Detective series staring
Woody Harrelson and
Matthew McConaughey as … a singer. Now performing as a solo act,
Olivia Jean has proven to be unstoppable musical force.
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| Olivia Jean |
After changing from a leopard print blouse with a black leather jacket ensemble into a 1960's inspired red dress,
Olivia Jean took the stage with a rock and roll attitude. She led her band through several
The Black Belles songs including the
Dick Dale surf guitar
inspired
The Wrong Door and a spooky dance song
The Tease. Olivia Jean played an obscure cover song entitled
Orange that she was obsessed with as a child.
Olivia Jean mesmerized the crowd with her own song
Haunt Me (the first tune she wrote on an acoustic guitar). Her signature track
Reminisce (
Olivia Jean played every instrument on the recording) was definitely the highlight. New material
Garage Bat and
Can U Help Me previewed her yet to be finished sophomore album. After the show,
Olivia Jean stated she would return to the studio after
Jack White ends his current tour (White took her producer with him on the road).
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| Hallie Spoor |
Denver folk singer
Hallie Spoor and her band performed a very non-Goth type of music before
Olivia Jean took over the
Moon Room. Sadly,
Ben Van Horne, who played bass for them, lost his life a few weeks ago. In his memory, the band donated their share of ticket sales to Van Horne's favorite charity
Youth on Record. The organization had representation at the show allowing audience members to give even more to the worthy cause. Their playing of the title track to Spoor's debut album
The Brave Ones and
Sheryl Crowe's If It Makes You Happy would of made Van Horne proud.
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| Jesse RS |
Morphine (the 1990's band with the baritone sax
not the drug) was played over the house speakers when the band
Jesse RS was setting up. It was the perfect preview of what was about to happen. Lead singer
Jesse Soward took his band through songs that left space for long jams. The improvisational elements were heightened when
Chris Whiteley played multiple saxophones (at one point at the same time).
See you at the next show. I'll be drinking
Redbull and avoiding the guy in the sweatpants.
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