Oct 3

Oct 3 Review: Rilo Kiley + The Faint at Asheville Yards

Edwin Arnaudin: It’s been 20 years, nearly to the day, since I saw Rilo Kiley. They opened for Coldplay in Raleigh — I’d never heard of this oddly named support act but my indie-savvy hallmate David Loner lit up when I told him, gave me a quick bio of actors-turned-musicians Jenny Lewis (who?) and Blake Sennett (eh?), then let me rip his copy of More Adventurous. I dug the tunes and gave the customary “I’m familiar with this song” head nod at the show.

In the interim, I’ve become a big fan, primarily through Lewis’ solo work and have seen her perform a handful of times. So getting to see them play live on Sept. 27 at Asheville Yards, now very familiar with their catalog, was a dream come true and an amusing full-circle moment.

I understand you have a little more experience with them and openers The Faint?

Jonny Leather: I first heard The Faint in 2000 through my brother. At the time, buzz was still swirling around their 1999 breakout sophomore album Blank-Wave Arcade. The energetic, synth-heavy punk sound felt like a breath of fresh air after the guitar-saturated ’90s. That record, along with the 2001 follow-up Danse Macabre, ended up soundtracking my college years as I roamed New York City with my Sony Discman cranked all the way up.

At the height of my Faint obsession, I caught them on back-to-back nights — headlining The Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan and North Six in Brooklyn. Out of all the shows I’ve seen, those two stand out like few others. Everything just clicked. Decades later, while so many concert memories have faded, those nights have taken on a near-mythic status in my mind. The strobe lighting was used to perfection, the set was relentless — 40 straight minutes of raw, visceral energy — and then it was over. No encore. Just a hard stop. The Faint lived by the old “leave them wanting more” mantra, something plenty of bands today could stand to revisit.

Around the same time, I was diving deep into Saddle Creek Records, the Omaha, Neb., label that The Faint called home alongside Bright Eyes, Cursive, and Rilo Kiley. I was lucky enough to catch Rilo Kiley in several intimate rooms during their early run, with the highlight being a 2003 Saddle Creek showcase where Bright Eyes, Cursive, Desaparecidos, The Good Life, Azure Ray, and Rilo Kiley all shared the bill. Those bands came across as one large family, and that was most deeply exemplified during Rilo Kiley's performance of the song "With Arms Outstretched," which featured seemingly every one of those bands on stage together singing along.

With memories like those, I couldn’t help but wonder: could these bands possibly live up to the myths my mind has built around them? That's always the crux of the nostalgia tours, isn't it? You're often mining for a feeling from another era, which goes beyond the music. Fortunately, even though my fandom of the bands has waned since its early aughts peak, the nostalgia hit deep during both sets.

Having had around two decades since that Raleigh show in 2005 to build attachments to Rilo Kiley's full catalog, how did the performance measure up to expectations? Are there songs that you gained a newfound love for?

Edwin: I think the secret to their set working is that Lewis has been operating at such a high level for so long. The bulk of Rilo Kiley songs run through her, and with Lewis delivering per usual, it was a great success. The big question mark heading into Saturday night was whether her bandmates could keep up, and it was clear from the start that they could. I have no idea what Lewis’ fellow artists have been up to since their last pre-2025 show at LA’s Greek Theatre in June 2008 (wait, what?) but they’ve clearly either kept their skills sharp outside of the spotlight or are simply geniuses who can pick right back up where they left off 17 years later.

As for gaining a newfound love for any of Rilo Kiley’s songs, the honest answer is, “Yes — all of them.” In late summer 2005, I truly was a novice who just so happened to luck into hearing their latest album once prior to seeing them live. Other than the still riveting “Portions for Foxes,” I don’t recall what they played way back then, but that one’s always a jam. And I was especially thrilled to see a full-band performance of the gorgeous “Silver Lining” (which I’ve had the good fortune of witnessing Lewis play multiple times with her own bands, including acoustic solo shortly after the release of the underrated final RK album, Under the Blacklight) and the soft/loud balance of “A Better Son/Daughter.”

So, the overall effect was akin to my Rilo Kiley Greatest Hits mix CD getting played — with the exception of a few selections, including the #1 dance hit “Smoke Detector” (don’t pretend you’re not doing the moves right now!). Indeed, my bar was subterranean and they cleared it, so I’m more interested in hearing about your expectations and how it all stacked up.

Jonny: I agree with you about Lewis’ extraordinary solo career keeping her sharp for these reunion shows. Even back in 2001, it was clear she was a star. I’m not entirely sure what the rest of the band was up to during the hiatus — aside from drummer Jason Boesel’s stint with Conor Oberst — but they all seemed more than ready for the big stage.

Since the last time I saw the band was in 2003, I’d never heard them play anything off More Adventurous — arguably their best album — so it was a thrill to finally hear grand live versions of “I Never,” “Portions for Foxes,” and “It’s a Hit.” Opening with “The Execution of All Things” provided an instant dose of nostalgia that took me back to those early shows. The setlist was near-perfect, filled with the band’s best work, though I was surprised the only song from Take Offs and Landings was the closer, “Pictures of Success.” Back in the day, “Always” and “Science vs. Romance” were reliable set highlights, and while I would’ve loved to hear them, I honestly don’t know what I’d cut to make room.

As for The Faint, despite being one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen, I was admittedly wary of catching them in an outdoor, daylight slot. Their darker, heavier material doesn’t exactly scream “sunshine,” and without Todd Fink’s trademark visual projections, the vibe felt a little off. On top of that, Fink’s leg brace kept his movement limited. Still, he managed to bounce around during the most propulsive songs, while guitarist Dapose shredded relentlessly from start to finish. Once the sun dipped and the stage lights took over, the band tapped into its classic Danse Macabre material and hit its stride — closing out strong, if a bit too soon.

(Photos by Jonny Leather)