Devendra Banhart
Showbox, Seattle, WA
01.23.17
The fantasy and romance of Devendra Banhart are a marvel of hipster accessibility known to few others. Over the last fourteen years since his debut, Banhart has been an arbiter of freak-folk charm, a forerunner of bearded yodelers, and an imitable model for a plethora of free-associative, boho artists. It’s really no wonder at all that on the opening night of his North American tour in support of his ninth album, Ape in Pink Marble, Seattle’s Showbox crowd is at capacity.
The 35-year-old Venezualan-American artist has returned to the scene after a three-year hiatus, with work that is mellow and dark, at times self-indulgent, yet inviting. In person, Banhart’s character fits right in with his swooning, psychedelic oeuvre. The show opens with members of his band delivering their own work – loopy bedroom ballads and stripped down, intimate electronics – to early fans. At the end, longtime collaborator Josiah Steinbrick entertains with, “Enjoy the rest of the show. We’re gonna be playing all the best of unpopular pop music.” And there might be no more accurate description, except for the fact that Banhart is undeniably popular, if based solely on the devoted fans in the room.
Clad in everything from pink satin Victoria’s Secret bomber jackets to striped Baja hoodies, the crowd comes in close when Banhart takes the stage. He roams from corner to corner saying hello, looking ever the natural showman, before grabbing the mic with both hands. The set kicks off with “Saturday Night,” a moody, catchy pop tune that has the crowd in the palm of his hands right off the bat.
As couples sway together, practically spooning, Banhart works his way through a lengthy set, much of which the crowd sings along to. From the Afro-funk of “Mara” to the first single off Mala, his lauded 2013 release, “Für Hildegard Von Bingen.” Banhart is wistful and animated like an avant-garde Spanish lounge singer. It is undeniably magnetic. For “Mi Negrita,” a flag is draped over his shoulders as he serenades the room in Spanish, and they swoon and shout with excitement.
While some might find Banhart’s work – and persona – to be complicated, or pretentiously off-putting, his live show is quite welcoming. Perhaps it’s that he has mellowed over the years, perhaps it’s that those in his wake have so expanded the genre that it is inherently more familiar. Regardless, Banhart’s fans are plenty, his sound and persona genuinely charming, and his show a pleasure.
The 31-date tour continues through April 1st in New York. Find tickets HERE.
Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Phillip Johnson
Devendra Banhart
