Lewis's musical careeris certainly not an act

Watching Juliette Lewis pose and writhe onstage in a sinfully tight red and blue body suit with her band the Licks on Thursday night at Axis, it was hard not to imagine her delivering a perfectly executed film performance as an up-and-coming rock 'n' roller.

The moves of the actress-turned-singer, an Iggy Pop-style combination of dancing and thrashing, seemed studied at times, yet it was clear her intent was genuine. The novice rocker certainly has the goods to conquer the stage, thanks to her strong, supple voice -- which evoked Janis Joplin by way of the Distillers' front woman Brody Dalle -- and her sheer brass as a performer. She was also well supported by her hard-hitting, four-piece backing band, driven by the powerhouse percussion of former Hole drummer Patty Schemel.

But Lewis and her band are clearly still honing their chops. So far, they have released only a five-song EP, and their set was remarkably short -- just eight original songs and a cover. The songs largely stuck to a foundation of heavy guitar riffs delivered in a straight-ahead pop-punk barrage, and at times they lacked distinction.

Still, Lewis launched a formidable assault, from her muscle-flexing, in-your-face posture at the start of set opener ''Hey You Hey Man" to her sultry, spoken-word come-on during the strutting ''20 Year Old Lover." She clearly relished getting sweaty and loud and provocative, which she was, not only with her sexually charged stage antics but with the politically minded power of songs such as ''American Boy," which she delivered with satirical fury.

While politics and personal freedom were clearly on Lewis's mind throughout the set, the band's encore performance was all about rock 'n' roll, as it delivered a punked-up performance of the Van Halen song ''Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."