Photos by Gordon Elgart
E*MO*TION by Carly Rae Jepsen is an extremely rare record. It’s simply perfect. It landed at #2 on our list of greatest records of the 2010s, and if we re-evaluated that list, it likely would be #1 five years removed from the last decade. When Jepsen announced that she was going to do one show in 2025, and it would be playing that seminal record in full, I decided it was best to make sure I was there.
It was a strange experience, walking into this venue. The bar was deserted, and the strict 2-ticket limit per person meant nearly everyone was paired off, so one person handled merch while the other grabbed a spot. Everything seemed so very efficient- I kept turning around, and it seemed people stopped trickling in about 20 minutes after doors. This wasn’t an LA, “I’m gonna walk in 5 minutes before the band goes on” kinda crowd. Every single person in the room was amped to be there. But, also, incredibly kind and respectful? It was such a lovely and warm feeling, long before Jepsen and the band took the stage.
The show started as one would expect, with longtime sax and keys player Jared Manierka first playing delicate keyboard trills before jumping into the epic saxophone riff that begins “Run Away With Me.” Each band member came on stage one at a time, and, unlike most pop shows, it didn’t feel like we were watching Carly Rae Jepsen with an anonymous backup band. This felt like a proper rock band.
We got every single cut off the 17-track deluxe edition of E*MO*TION from start to end. This meant we got the first performance of the dark and trippy “LA Hallucinations” since 2016, and the first live performance EVER of “Black Heart” and “Never Get to Hold You.” (I really hope “Black Heart sticks around!). The audience was often louder than Carly, singing along and helping out during the rare moments Jepsen missed a lyric. And, when the album “ended,” Jepsen moved onto b-sides from the era, debuting the lost cut “More,” and playing other fan favorite oddities like “Store” and “First Time.” By the time she played her sole non-E*MO*TION-era cut, “Call Me Maybe,” we were already a sweat-soaked, dancey mess. Of course, “Call Me Maybe” in a room full of superfans? It would’ve been fine if she skipped it, but she didn’t, and it was the kinda moment where it felt like your heart was filling with the pure essence of joy, and I’ve never felt more in sync with a room full of strangers in my life.
The show ended with Jepsen taking full advantage of Troubadour’s C-Shaped stage, performing the anthem, “Cut To The Feeling,” jumping between the thrusts. At the same time, audience members handed her inflatable swords to dance with. The closest thing to a disappointment was that, after 24 songs and nearly two hours, we did not get an encore. The audience stayed behind, hopeful, but alas, it did not happen. But maybe more would’ve been too much? It was a magical night. Simply perfection.
E*MO*TION 10th Anniversary Edition is hitting stores October 17th, including the vinyl debut of “Cut To The Feeling” as well as four “new” songs from the E*MO*TION sessions. Preorder/presave here.
