[ATTENDED: May 10, 2019] Kevin Devine
I saw Kevin Devine open for Frightened Rabbit back in 2017. I didn’t know his music, but I really enjoyed his solo set. When I heard that he was doing this tour with John K. Samson I was really excited to see him again. I had hoped he’d be with His Goddman Band, but it turned out to be solo again. I kind of assumed it would be with the band because of the new piece of merch (below) which I love but can’t imagine where you’d wear.
But it was excellent to see him not with the Goddamn Band because he was excellent solo.
Devine came out on stage to much applause. He fiddled with the microphone stand and then said, you should be careful with your applause–what if I spend the whole night just tightening the mic stand. Which he proceeded to do for another 40 seconds or so to much laughter until he admitted he couldn’t keep up the joke.
Devine played a song or more from nearly all of his nine albums as well as from his new split singles sets.
He started with the song from his split single with Cavetown, “Only Yourself.” And just like that, I remembered how great a performer Devine is. After playing “Just Stay” in which half the crowd sang along he said that he was never really sure what to do when people sang along. He felt like he came around during the time when people didn’t sing along, so he’s not sure how to react to it. But then he realized that having people show up to a gig is a great thing and having them sing words that you wrote is the ultimate compliment. Plus, we sounded good (it’s true, the room is perfectly designed for a sing along.
So, lots of people sang along to “Instigator.”
Later he told a story about his daughter (who is four). He gave the caveat that he doesn’t usually use his daughter in stage banter. He doesn’t post pictures of her online or anything. But he thought this story was appropriate to the next song–which came from his band Bad Books. He told a very funny lengthy story about his daughter enjoying children’s music and such. And then he played Nirvana’s “Sliver” (Gramma take me home) and she loved it. So he played her “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and when the chorus came in her eyes got really wide and she said how much she liked it. Then asked “why is he yelling about a mosquito?” “He is just whining.” [Incidentally, Devine and friend recorded all of Nevermind to celebrate the 20th anniversary. You can stream it here.]
He brought that up because she asked if he had a band and he said that he did, Bad Books. Then he joked that his daughter was there tonight as he started “You Wouldn’t Have to Ask.”
In total he played three songs from his latest album Instigator, including “No History.”
Then he joked about the split singles he’s been releasing. I had the one from when I saw Petal perform (they did Tom Petty covers). He mocked the name Devinyls saying that when he self released Bubblegum and Bulldozer, his producer said that with a name like Devine, he had to call his label Devinyls. That the idea was just this side of cheesy. And so we now get Devinyl’s split singles.
He had also done one with John K. Samson, and was going to play “I Wrote It Down for You.” When he said that, these girls behind me started singing “I wrote it down for you” in a fast and poppy way (nothing like Devine’s) song. He gave them a quizzical look, seemed like he might ask them a question, and then moved on.
I absolutely loved when he sang “Carnival.” He tends to step away from his mic and sing loudly unmic’d It was great at Union Transfer and it was even better here.
During the wonderful “Cotton Crush” Kevin threw in some of The Front Bottom’s “Beers.” (They also have a split single with him).
He ended the show with “Brother’s Blood.” During this song he stepped away from the mic and sand an entire verse unmic’d. It was intense and powerful and presumably a personal song. Devine sings his voice out. It was very intense.
(This was the second time during the night when I was sure I was recording something but failed, but that’s what memories are for).
It was a terrific set and I have really grown to appreciate his songs more with each show.
Next time I hope to see him with the Goddamn Band.
SETLIST
- Only Yourself √
- Just Stay ¶
- Instigator ⊄
- Longer That I’m Out Here ⊗
- Bubblegum Ô
- You Wouldn’t Have to Ask (Bad Books Song)
- No History ⊄
- Little Bulldozer ∏
- I Wrote It Down for You √
- Carnival β
- I Was Alive Back Then ⊄
- Cotton Crush § (with snippet of “The Beers” by The Front Bottoms)
- Brother’s Blood β
⊗ = Make the Clocks Move (2003)
§ = Split the Country, Split the Streets (2005)
¶ = Put Your Ghost to Rest (2006)
β = Brother’s Blood (2009)
Ô = Bubblegum (2013)
∏ = Bulldozer (2013)
⊄ = Instigator (2016)
√ = Devinyls Splits Vol 2 (2019)
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