Devotchka 5/3/08

I spent time this Saturday with Devotchka, a double affair, if you would. Although, it wasn’t suppose to be a two time hit and quit meet up, but they were just…so…Oy Vey…le sigh.

Wait, let me back step a second…when I received my invite to view them before the rest of the general public, I wasn’t sure who they were. Yes, granted I’ve know the name and I’m most certain I’ve heard them played on the radio…however, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it but my roommate said we should go cause I’d probably-wait-most definitely wet my draws over these blokes.

I had the pleasure of the first encounter at the Triple Door, for a private KEXP concert. Very intimate, comfy and the sound was spot on. I can’t quite find the perfect words to describe the sounds and experience I had with this band; the complete and utter fullness at which their sound produces. From the moment they struck their first note, I had chills and they had my full attention until the end.

(crappy cell phone shot)

So let me jump back one day to Friday, where my friend stated he had an extra ticket for the Saturday night gig; to which I responded: “dude, seriously, I’m going to see them already, I don’t think twice is necessary…” which turned into “well, if you can’t find anyone else to take it, I will” I figured, hey better than sitting at home on a Saturday night; how fucking sad is that?! Um yeah, nice to meet cha.

Ok so skip back up to the part where the private show ended and yes, I indeed have a warm pool of piss in my trousers over the performance I just witnessed (don’t worry, I had on Depends) The minute they walked off that stage, I was on my phone sending this message “OMFG, that ticket is mine and I will fucking shank anyone who says otherwise!”(Hey, I’m a perfect poised daisy of serene lady hood and elegance). He gave me the ticket.

Let me say this, the Triple Door performance was probably one of the most clean sounding performances I can currently remember in my life. So granted, I was a little weary of what Showbox Sodo would do considering I’ve heard bands sound like whale raping there. They sold out the venue, which I distinctly remember telling someone earlier in the week “pffft, they won’t sell that place out, they’re not THAT big” If I had his number, I would’ve apologized for being so incredibly FUCKING wrong. I was a twat (I hope he got in…)

I’m trying to find the right words to put their style into perspective…um, polka, rock , heavy Latin influence, cabaret…yeah, it sounds royally fucked the way I describe, so just go seek them out; you can thank me later when you’re dancing tango with a hot bird to “Undone”. The band members are all incredibly talented, playing more than one instrument a piece. The bassist? A chick-playing stand up, no less; OH and she can rock a tuba! Drummer, the trumpet and who knows what else. The accordion player, violin and piano. The singer’s voice is velvety, like sweet sweet satin sheets on your bare arse.

Back to Sodo. The place was packed, and with ALL types: Goths, hippies, NW snow type dudes, well dressed good looking dudes, weird hobbit like men; you name it. To me, this type of music being this popular in the mainstream is a little surprising. Normally bands like this don’t make it this big…just sayin. They came on to a performer doing some sort of cab style dancing, but I couldn’t tell you what, since it was so fucking packed and I was in the back, at the big kid’s bar area. They proved me wrong about the venue though; they sounded fabulous and had far more energy surging at this gig than the one earlier. The crowd was into it; earthy girls in flowy skirts dancing really fast in circles (they didn’t fall, as much to my hope) people doing salsa, people jumping around, some crazy dude in a green jersey looking like a coked up cross between a river dancer and seizure victim, and just overall men who wouldn’t dance a club, dancing with their girls. Everyone had a blast (except my feet, which by that point had been in heels for 12 hours). They had two encores; the first one had a silk aerialist above the audience; wicked. The second encore was just straight up high impact energy where EVERYONE was moving and dancing.

(example)

I went to bed that night fulfilled to my core and completely moved by the music.