Devotchka
Date: 17 July 2008
"Devotchka got the whole audience clapping, stamping, singing and skanking before dropping their epic ‘How it Ends' to raucous delight."
Gabriel Green
Thursday night and under a balmy skyline Devotchka are swinging into the ICA with their heady mix of Balkan meets Burlesque via Denver. On a worldwide tour to promote their new album ‘A Mad & Faithful Telling' this was to be the only UK gig so the Devotchka faithful were out in force, packing the bar well before showtime.
Just past nine and the suitably refreshed crowd, both young and old, had moved from bar to theatre ready to play their part in what proved to be a terrific gig. Devotchka stepped on stage and quite simply tore the house down, each member of this four piece shining throughout as they fused Mariachi and Bolero with Slavic and Romani via theremins, sousaphones and much more. Leading the way was Nick Urata on vocals/guitar who had a real swagger in his delivery and rich growling voice which rode over the scorching drum rolls and uptempo percussion provided by Shawn King. Standing to one side of the stage Tom Hagerman on violin, accordian and piano was at the heart of some brilliant moments while Jeanie Schroder and her fairy light adorned sousaphone was a sight to behold and definitely a crowd favourite. Playing a selection of older and more recent songs, including Transliterator, Basso Profundo and Head Honcho, Devotchka got the whole audience clapping, stamping, singing and skanking before dropping their epic ‘How it Ends' to raucous delight. Following this a singalong cover of Sinatra's ‘Somethin' Stupid' as Devotchka switched tempos, instruments and styles with ease, always keeping it lively during the long set.
Duly obliging the chants of ‘last beat' from their fans Devotchka closed with their much acclaimed version of ‘The Last Beat of My Heart' by Siouxsie and the Banshees. After huge cheers and applause the stamping and chanting began again before Devotchka triumphantly re-emerged for an encore. Building the music back up to a frenetic pace as Urata downed a bottle of wine, Devotchka finished the show in brilliant fashion. Judging by the big grins and excited chatter in the bar afterwards it'd be safe to say Devotchka had made a few new fans alongside their already sizeable devotees.
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