de(finitly)vendra growling

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a better vibed downtown show, the only one comparable not in IV was No Age and that’s only because you don’t need more than 10 people shouldering each other to enjoy the moment. The night panned out like a lucid dream, it was a night of spoken word caught in a web of clear guitar, of levity and unity between a crowd and it’s master, but most importantly, it was a night to remember.

Devendra Banhart – I feel like a child
Devendra Banhart – This Beard Is For Siobhan
The Growlers – Freedom children

More photos and written review after the jump!

The growlers opened, and though I had never been fluent in their music, I felt a fan outside described it best as, ‘a mix between the Beach Boys and the Doors.’ It was definitely that but hinted at something more, with the garage rock fuzz and distorted voice riding atop a surf-ska emotion that drove it towards making even the tightest legs move… I haven’t seen so many people enjoying themselves for an opening act as I did last night, and that’s not even me being cliche.

Fun Fact: A growler is a 1/2 gallon jug o’ beer.

Devendra’s voice is as playful as his personality and his lyrics, inflecting a sort of earthly levity that’s hard to find anywhere else. And this is all from my interpretation of the show, I haven’t even met the guy yet I feel that I already know him. He’s considerate, reserved (in more of a vibe than an actuality), and funny. His voice jumps around like a jovial child and between songs quips these stories or remarks that draw the crowd closer. For the record, quips is suppose to carry that same jovial connotation. Everything about the show I witnessed last night was light; I did nothing but enjoy being there for the 1:45+ I think he played. He even apologized for accidentally coming off sleazy to a girl earlier that day and remarked on how he hated bottled water while apologizing about drinking from a plastic bottle.