Jens Lekman @ Saint Luke's, Glasgow, 1 Apr
The hushed, melancholic tones of The Dove & The Wolf, along with the sparse decoration of the refurbished church, make for an interesting mood between sets. As with the best Jens Lekman cuts, the atmosphere treads a fine line between the sacred and the profane. It's known that Lekman was ill at his Leeds show two days ago, and cancelled his Manchester show last night, so the excitement is tempered with a certain wariness; hopeful, but realistically cynical.
As Lekman and band arrive it's clear that he is indeed quite sick, and that we'll get a shortened set. Murmurs of discontent or relief that we're getting something, depending on your disposition. Remaining seated for the majority of the show, Lekman's band do their best to inject energy into the samba-influenced songs from Life Will See You Now which make up the majority of the set. The choices are tailored to his diminished vocal range, but he still manages to deliver them with his usual wide-eyed sincerity and enough oomph to get the crowd moving. Gentle vignettes he weaves between songs only engender further sympathy and admiration from the crowd.
A slow, jazzy take on The Opposite of Hallelujah ends the main set, while an acoustic Black Cab makes up the encore (with additional harmony help from The Dove & The Wolf). Both work beautifully and indicate a musical adaptability that has helped turn the show into an enjoyable one under unfortunate circumstances, as opposed to a sub-par performance to fulfill on obligation. As disappointing as a fifty minute set is, the mood is still jubilant as we trudge out; a little Jens magic is undoubtedly better than none.