Devotchka – Scala, London 09/04/08

Denver four piece Devotchka rolled into London as part of their current European tour and presented their usual full-blooded eclectic mix of (amongst others) Romany, Greek, Polka, Latino and Mariachi stylings with American punk and folk roots. A heady brew that is absolutely addictive in a live setting. Their latest album A Mad And Faithful Telling has brought them back less than a year after the delayed release here of US breakthrough How It Ends from 2006 – you may have heard several tracks from the soundtrack of the ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ movie even if you don’t recognise Devotchka outright.

However, the cracked but tuneful husky voice of US singer-songwriter Dawn Kinnard started the evening. A slightly out-there Stevie Nicks persona and deeply personal songs performed with quirky conviction had a chatty audience wanting more by the end of her set, which was nicely enhanced by a sole keyboard accompaniment to her acoustic guitar. Her debut album The Courtesy Fall is out next week. Those songs with a slightly jazzy/cabaret more disjointed feel concentrate on the lyrics and her emotional delivery. At least half a dozen others were very good indeed – more immediately accessible with hooks and melodies that lingered. A more battered and world weary Stephanie Dosen perhaps. Someone to look out for.

And so on to Devotchka, who can swing between drunken Mexican fiesta, drunken Balkan wedding, and drunken crooning of declarations of undying love – though singer Nick Urata was more restrained in his wine guzzling and properly shaved compared to last year. The grandchild of an arranged marriage between a Sicilian and gypsy, no one quite whistles or howls as passionately, and you want bouzouki feedback and eerie theremin? – you got it. It’s always remarkable to me that their recordings can be recreated with only three other band members – all comparatively staid (and classically trained) compared to the heart-on-his-sleeve Urata. Tom Hagerman is master of crying violin and swirling accordion, Shawn King drives songs on with his straight-backed south-west style crisp drumming and trumpet (sometimes at the same time), and Jeannie Schroder switches between upright bass and her decorated sousaphone, plus provides occasional backing vocals. She was previously in an American Civil War recreationist band. The weird back-history continues: Devotchka began as the touring band for a burlesque troupe that featured Dita von Teese. Some of that exotic hedonism infuses their performance, especially in their storming take on the Velvet Underground’s ‘Venus in Furs’ – always a highlight for me. Most recognised offering ‘How It Ends’ was greeted with reverence as soon as the keyboards started, and from about half way through the show universal partying was in effect, Urata commenting at one point that it was difficult to sing the following sad song because he was having such a wail of a time. They are indeed a guaranteed good night out, simple as that, indeed one of my favourite live bands right now. Other recommended recordings are Una Volta and the covers EP Curse Your Little Heart. Don’t miss out on them.