The last time I saw Jenny Owen Youngs was in 2007 opening for Vienna Teng. Then, it was just her and an acoustic guitar as she performed selections from her debut, Batten the Hatches, and amused the audience with her witty banter. Even then, her confident performance, songs and personality seemed far larger than her stripped down performance. Even speaking to her that night, her personality and charisma was immediate and engaging. The Jenny Owen Youngs of 2012, however, is whole different beast. Everything that drew me to her the first time is still intact but, now, it has a thicker, rock edge and presented through a singer that has evolved with an increasing level of musical cool and confidence with each release. At Schubas last night, Youngs performed an energetic set of career highlights for a nearly packed audience that further enforced her emergence as a confident and charismatic singer, songwriter and performer.
