Jenny Lewis, Watson Twins to Perform on Oct. 8

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins at 8 p.m. on Oct. 8 in the Mainstage Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Aug. 18.

A singer and a songwriter from Los Angeles, Lewis has hair the color of a Pacific sunset, a voice as sweet as an ice cream cone and a wit sharper than a razorblade. Most days (and nights) you can find Lewis singing and playing with Rilo Kiley, a quartet whose third album, 2004's "More Adventurous," has charmed and delighted fans and peers worldwide. In 2005 alone Rilo Kiley garnered accolades from musical heroes such as Elvis Costello, countless magazine covers and a spot opening for Coldplay on the their sold-out arena tour. But in the tiny moments between the stage and the studio, and after the photo shoots, Lewis spends time by herself, strumming on her acoustic guitar. And the sound of that time alone is "Rabbit Fur Coat," her first solo album and one of the most bewitching and intoxicating discs of music released in years.

Modeled after the great 'white soul' classics of the past, "Rabbit Fur Coat" finds Lewis reaching out to her far-flung assortment of wildly talented friends (including co-producer M.Ward, Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, Maroon 5's James Valentine and Mickey Madden, and label boss Conor Oberst) while simultaneously coming into her own as an individual performer and storyteller.

Enter the Watson Twins, a set of Kentucky-born sisters with an other-worldly gift to harmonize. The Watson Twins are Chandra and Leigh Watson. Growing up between the beauty of the farmlands and the muddy waters of the Ohio River, the girls found their solace in the diverse music scene of their hometown: Louisville, Kentucky. The smell of honeysuckle and the sound of that rambling city can be heard in their sound, a unique and lush fusion of vocal harmonies, intimate songwriting and beautifully arranged melodies.

The twins moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s and formed Slydell, favorites of the Silverlake, Calif., music scene. While acting as the soulful backup singers of the band, The Watsons were also pursuing their own songwriting. During this time, the girls also performed and recorded with a handful of local L.A. bands.

Tickets for Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins are $20, students $18. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location. Students (of any school) must present valid student ID at the Center Box Office to receive discount.