First you have the DeVotchKa Strings – a relatively new addition to the band. They consist of a viola and cellist who, when added to band members Tom Hagerman on violin and Jeanie Schroder on the upright bass, form a full string quartet. One of my past complaints with DeVotchKa’s shows is that I can never hear Hagerman’s brilliant violin playing loud enough.  With the additional musicians though, not only do the string parts have more wallop, they have also become infinitely more nuanced and complex.

Next you have the Slavic Sisters doing their high flying scarf dancing – the pint-sized ladies literally did gymnastics while wrapped in a long strand of cloth hanging from First Avenue’s ceiling!  Amazingly, Alexandra and Monnya are able to navigate through space using little more than flicks of their dexterous limbs to keep themselves anchored to the cloth. With the band playing gypsy dirges in the background, to see them perform is akin to being at some kind of Eastern Bloc circus.

That leaves you with the band itself. Peerless. Timeless. Wonderful. Ok, so maybe they aren’t perfect. Lead singer Nick Urata looked more haggard than usual, as if life on the road is disagreeing with him. This would of course be contrary to the band’s overall Gypsy style and amalgamation of various worldly sounds. However Urata did indeed look tired. His voice, though for the most part fantastic, showed some signs of strain. 

A Slavic Sister - Photo by Jon Behm

Still, the beautiful melancholic wail was there. Urata has the unique ability to transport listeners to other worlds when he sings – something about his soulful tenor just stops me in my tracks and makes me re-examine my life. Listening to him sing makes me want to sell my belongings and wander the earth like a starry-eyed mystic.  

As usual, the rest of the band was their stoic, unflappable selves. Hagerman is one of the most dynamic musicians around, playing accordion, piano and violin with an expert’s grace. Schroder handled the big instruments of bass and tuba, to consistent perfection, while Shawn King ruled over his drums and trumpet from the back of the stage. 

Surprisingly the band played more old material than new. While they are currently supporting their recent release: A Mad and Faithful Telling, the majority of their setlist fell within the scope of their last few albums. Old favorites Queen of the Surface Streets and a revamped How it Ends made appearances, as well as some solid work from Telling, like Transliterator and Undone. 

Having received nothing less than pure adoration from the sold out First Avenue crowd, DeVotchka played not one but two encores. When they finally came to the end of the show, string members, Slavic Sisters and the band all grouped on stage for a group bow. A fitting end to a performance that could have very well left us bowing to them, not the other way around.

 
DeVotchKa’s website

DeVotchKa’s Myspace

More photos from the show

Location Info: First Avenue
Artist Info: DeVotchKa

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