Nov 26

Nov 26 Review: Jens Lekman at Revival

On his 2004 tune named after its first two lines, Jens Lekman professed, “If you ever need a stranger / To sing at your wedding / A last minute choice then I am your man.” Little did the Swedish singer/songwriter know that the line would foreshadow a genuine side career as a wedding singer.

Drawing on decades spent performing for strangers on their big days, Lekman teamed up with young adult fiction author David Levithan (Every Day; Boy Meets Boy) to create Songs for Other People's Weddings. The novel — and its companion concept album — arrived in September.

On Nov. 20, Lekman and his band presented the album in full at the South Slope’s new venue, Revival. Journalist Reese Higgins served as the evening’s narrator, reading passages from the book between songs. The hybrid performance highlighted the album’s narrative arc in a way that brought new depth and clarity to the story.

A nod to the first section of the book, Lekman’s backing band was dressed in costumes inspired by individual songs — Isak Hedtjärn (sax/flute/clarinet) as Johnny Mercer’s “Autumn Leaves,” Mattias Rörström (bass) as Spice Girls’ “2 Become 1,” and both Hannah Smallbone (keys/vocals) and Johan Hjalmarsson (drums) as Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy.” With the bald-headed frontman sporting a white suit, they made for a wonderfully unconventional wedding band.

Throughout the performance, the crooning Lekman delivered the familiar blend of humor and heart that’s made him one of the 21st century’s most beloved indie songwriters. Shifting seamlessly between tender ballads (“The First Lovesong”; “You Have One New Message”) and buoyant pop tunes (“Wedding in Brooklyn”; “On a Pier, On the Hudson”), the group traced the emotional journey of the novel’s/album’s protagonists J and V with vivid color and warmth.

Experiencing the album in this context only deepened my appreciation for Songs for Other People’s Weddings. Had the band wrapped up after its completion, I would have left perfectly content. Instead, the small but spirited crowd cheered Lekman and company back onstage for what he dubbed “the afterparty.” Acknowledging the modest turnout but celebrating the room’s energy, he launched into the upbeat fan favorite “The Opposite of Hallelujah.” A few songs later, “How We Met, the Long Version” nearly transformed the space into a full-on dance party.

As the night wound down, Lekman spoke about wanting to share a bit of love and tenderness during these uneasy times in the U.S. “Don’t let anyone stand in your way,” he told the crowd before closing with “A Postcard to Nina.” The audience sang along — especially to the line “Yours truly, Jens Lekman” — creating the evening’s warmest moment.

Then, just as the band exited and the bittersweet sense of a magical night drawing to a close settled over the applauding crowd, Lekman returned alone for one final song, “Your Arms Around Me.” The acoustic rendition of the fan favorite beautifully punctuated a special night that won’t soon be forgotten.

(Photos by Jonny Leather)