Blake Sennett

**Blake Sennett Swendson** (born September 22, 1973) is an American musician and actor who served as the lead guitarist for Rilo Kiley, as well as the lead singer/lead guitarist for his alt-rock side project the Elected.

## Life and Career

Blake was born in San Diego, California. He attended La Jolla High School with his future Rilo Kiley bandmate Pierre de Reeder and graduated in 1991. He met Rilo Kiley bandmate Jenny Lewis through Tara Subkoff in 1993. In the early to mid-1990s, under his stage name Blake Soper, he played supporting roles in *Salute Your Shorts* and *Boy Meets World*. After *Salute Your Shorts* was canceled and his role on *Boy Meets World* was written off, Sennett switched gears and began to focus on music. He and Jenny formed Rilo Kiley in 1998 and dated for several years, until ending their relationship after the release of *The Execution of All Things* in 2002. Rilo Kiley gave their final performance in 2008, and the band's break-up was officially confirmed in 2014.

Blake and Jenny remain friends to this day, and he joined her band on stage for two shows at Coachella in 2015, and the two of them contributed a performance to the Rock-n-Relief live stream in 2021.

## Recordings

* Fer Dave
* Sandbox Sessions 5/2/98
* Rilo Kiley (a.k.a. The Initial Friend)

## Performances

Dates marked "*presumed*" have no photographic or anecdotal confirmation of his appearance at that show.

c. 1997
* The Masquers Club - Jenny and Blake poetry set

1998
* **January** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - first Rilo Kiley performance
* **February 6** - Los Angeles, California - Highland Grounds - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **March 9** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **April 16** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **May 16** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **May 26** - Los Angeles, California - Dragonfly - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **June 11** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **July 2** - Los Angeles, California - Opium Den - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **July 6** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **July 13** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **July 20** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **July 22** - Los Angeles, California - Opium Den - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **July 27** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **August 19** - Los Angeles, California - Opium Den - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **August 25** - Los Angeles, California - Dragonfly - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **September 19** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **September 30** - Los Angeles, California - Opium Den - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **October 13** - Los Angeles, California - Dragonfly - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **November 12** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)

1999
* **January 26** - Los Angeles, California - Dragonfly - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **February 15** - Los Angeles, California - Opium Den - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **March 12** - Austin, Texas - The Mercury - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **April 9** - Goleta, California - Mercury Lounge - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **June 22** - Los Angeles, California - Dragonfly - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **July 22** - San Diego, California - The Casbah - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **Summer** - Hawaii - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **September 21** - Los Angeles, California - Dragonfly - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **October 2** - Portland, Oregon - Tonic Lounge - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **November 12** - San Francisco, California - Transmission Theater - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)

2000
* **February 8** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **March 7** - Los Angeles, California - Dragonfly - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **March 16** - Los Angeles, California - Spaceland - Rilo Kiley (*presumed*)
* **April 17** - Los Angeles, California - Goldfingers