On March 19th, myself and new addition to PropertyOfZack, Emily Coch, were lucky enough to attend a solo performance by Kevin Devine at The City Winery in New York City. Emily will be writing show and album reviews in the future for PropertyOfZack. Enjoy.

Kevin Devine took the stage at The City Winery at 10pm, looking comfortable but unusually formal in a black suit and dress shoes. The City Winery is a different venue for Devine: a large, airy, wooden-walled bar and restaurant that is a hot spot for New York City’s yuppie crowd, and Devine dressed up for the occasion. Before his set, he manned the merchandise table at the door of the bar and chuckled, “I feel so funny selling t-shirts in this suit,” while handing a gray concert shirt to a pair of women for whom he gladly signed CDs as well.

The hour-long set was a quintessential acoustic show, stripped down to just Devine and his guitar. He opened with a new song, setting the tone with clear vocals and stepping away from the microphone to belt lyrics, filling the space even without amplification. He played right into “Brooklyn Boy”, finger-picking the chords to dance without the support of the Goddamn Band, although player Brian Bonz was in the audience enjoying Devine’s solo show.

Even among the ambling waiters delivering $18 burgers and red wine, Devine commanded attention. “I love you Kevin,” sang a young shaggy-haired boy in the audience. “Hi, who are you? What, are you that snowboarder?” Devine asked back. The crowd was engaged and feeding off of Devine’s conversational tone, calling out song titles. “Yeah, sure, whatever. There’s no set list tonight.” he nodded back along, visibly glad for the enthusiastic interaction.

Devine broke into “Another Bag of Bones” which was an energized, driven expulsion of pristine vocals and fantastic guitar playing. The song was powerful in person: live and without the Band, “Another Bag of Bones” is even more of a marathon of words and tunes, and the audience could see Devine sweating and moving with his song and stretching his mouth to give way to his voice.

That’s how the show was. Each song was punctuated by Devine’s emotion, spirit, and sheer muscianship. If Devine is real and telling on his records, he is beyond authentic live. “Brother’s Blood” was a genuine exploration of talent, beginning raw and clean with Devine crooning lyrics, eyes closed and softly picking. As the song progressed, he moved away from the microphone and stood, bent over his guitar, yelling out his lyrics in perfect key, each line accompanied by a single strum. Backed away from the spotlight, Devine was a man and a guitar brining his story and thoughts and bearing his soul, especially during “No Time Flat,” a loud anti-war song in which Devine questions himself and the so-called effect of his song writing.

The slower pieces were equally encapsulating, notably the cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel No. 2.” Devine’s signature soft voice rang out sweetly and ironically, “I don’t think about you anymore,” and he smiled faintly as he sweetly as he sang “loved you the best,” always intricately immersed in the music he plays. Devine also played a new, guitar-centric and powerful song “You Wouldn’t Have to Ask,” which he first played live in Germany on his just-finished European tour. “Just Stay” and “I Could Be With Anyone” were spirited sing-alongs that each had an added dynamic live, especially during the ending woah’s of “Just Stay.” Devine dedicated a touching, quiet version of “You’ll Only End Up Joining Them” to a friend that is more chilling and heartfelt than the original on Put Your Ghost to Rest.

Devine tapped an audience member at a table close to the stage and asked for the time. “I’m about at the end of my set,” he announced, only to be met with last-minute bellowed song requests. “For those of you who don’t know me here,” he said to the diners sitting in the back of the Winery, “I’m Kevin Devine and these are song titles these people are calling out to me. They’re not just cursing me.”

Devine closed the show with a crowd-pleasing “Ballgame.” The audience echoed along the first verse and chorus while Devine’s voice sailed above and his guitar punctuated each line. He thanked the audience and venue profusely, leaving the stage smiling and sweaty.

Set list:
New Song (1.14.10)
Brooklyn Boy
A Flatline Blur
Another Bag of Bones
No Time Flat
Keep Ringing Your Bell
I Could Be With Anyone
Brother’s Blood
You Wouldn’t Have to Ask
Chelsea Hotel  No. 2. (cover of Leonard Cohen)
Just Stay
You’ll Only End Up Joining Them
Ballgame

*This review was composed by Emily Coch