Welcome to Jenny Don’t and the Spurs’ Vintage Spectacular
This Portland-based gang harnesses the sound and style of blues, rock, and country that came before through a modern Americana lens.
By B. Simm
- Published on
Jenny Don’t and the Spurs are an American rock ‘n’ roll band based in Portland but rooted deeply in Memphis, rockabilly, Nashville, the barn burner brassy that sprung alive in Patsy Cline, the L.A. punk that spawned The Blasters, Exene Cervenka and John Doe, and the unruly Reverend Horton Heat from the state of Texas.
They come from a long lineage of Americana that resonates today with performers like Charlie Crockett, an unstoppable performer who the Spurs recently opened for on a tour through the southwest states. “A lot of people don’t care about the opening band,” says Jenny. “But all the shows were sold out. The crowd was there early, and a lot of them had done their research. When we got on stage, they were calling out songs and singing the words. Very surprising and very cool. Everybody walked away with Spurs’ merch.”
In June 2024 the Spurs released their fifth album, Broken Hearted Blue. Earlier recordings had an edgy, stripped down feel to them, which pushed out a gripping intensity coming right at you. This time the Spurs have dialled in a higher fidelity that opens up, letting the twang ring out and the guitars roar as the drums breath and boom while bassist Kelly Halliburton pushes it with a driving pulse. Jenny’s voice is a speciality item, fluctuating between serene, seductive — a seering force. Altogether, the Spurs’ vintage soundscape is amped up; sonic overdrive in vivid technicolour.
And they look good too. Jenny started to design her own stage outfits striving for those glamorous gone-by days when Nudie suits in the 70s were all the rage. Her creative stage wear now adorns the rest of the band.
“I’d get bored watching a band when they look like they could all be my dad’s friends,” laughs Jenny. “I’d rather go to a show and know they’re the band. Like when they walk in, they look like a gang. You know, that must be the band.”
Catch Jenny Don’t and the Spurs on Friday, Aug. 9 at the Wise Hall in Vancouver, BC | TICKETS & INFO
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