Jennings shows success, smiles

Britt Johnsen

"You guys are so fun. Thank you," a humble Mason Jennings said amid a goose bump-giving, excitement-stirring performance Friday night at Pioneer Place on Fifth.

Selling out two shows, one at 7 p.m. and one at 9:30 p.m., Pioneer Place on Fifth was proud to have this singer-songwriter play the venue.

Recording and scrapping four times until entire satisfaction, Jennings finally released his first album. Comprised mainly of Jennings and his guitar, this self-titled, self-produced and self-released album gained just the recognition and success he had hoped for, and it wasn't long before he was regularly playing the 400 Bar in Minneapolis. It was there that he gained his fan base, and began working with a band for his second album. Jennings unfortunately contracted mononucleosis and was forced to take off six months from recording and performing.

Jennings' new release, "Century Spring," was released only a few weeks ago, and his third effort continues the snowballing success and recognition that he deserves.

The crowd was astir Friday night with excitement. People filled the room and the small auditorium was abuzz with incessant chatter and restless anticipation.

The Mason Jennings Band piled onstage a bit after 7 p.m., and the lanky bass player made his first sarcastic remark about the bookcase behind that held books such as "Erroneous Zones" and others.

Then Jennings, without hesitation, but a humble smile, began his first song, "Sorry Signs on Cash Machines," and the audience was swept off its feet. The next song was "Butterfly," and took everyone back to his first album, as they bobbed their heads and tapped their feet, singing along with glee on their faces.

The third song, "Bullet," was a song that continued the joyful energy that was so clearly omnipresent.

The fourth song took people back to the first album with its last song, "Darkness Between the Fireflies," and then to his latest album with "Century Spring" as his fifth song.

It was then time for his sixth song, and for material from his second release. "Ballad for My One True Love" was just that song. The band continued with the perfect set of old and new songs, and the crowd loved every moment of it. Even rare and unreleased material was played.

Jennings calmed things down with a musical soliloquy as the lights lulled. Among the ballads he played for this aspect of the show was the tranquil and chilling "Adrian."

The crowd and the band enjoyed the performance, and appropriately enough, the first encore song was "Living in the Moment." The smile on his face and the smiles on the faces of the audience told the story of that night quite well as Jennings soared with lyrics like "living in the moment with the friends I love."

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Britt Johnsen can be reached at: [email protected]

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