Devendra Banhart at The Gothic Theatre, Englewood (05/05/13)

Read More Devendra Banhart Back in 2004, Acid-folk god Devendra Banhart compiled a collection of folk music for some magazine. Much like Nostradamus before him, he managed to predict some of the leading lights of modern folk music … Devendra Banhart kicked off his US/Canadian tour in Colorado last weekend, performing his second stop at Englewood’s Gothic Theatre. Touring in promotion of his 8th full-length album, Mala, Banhart will spend the next two months on the road. Heavily influenced by his Venezuelan upbringing, Banhart weaves psych-folk music that slips back and forth between English and Spanish. Channeling a mash-up of T. Rex and Jim Morrison, this lyrical Don Juan produces an array of songs that are both playful and heart palpitating. Banhart assumed the stage solo and began his set with five songs from previous albums: “A Sight to Behold”, “The Body Breaks”, “Little Yellow Spider”, “At the Hop” and “Hey Mama Wolf” (which hosted a long pause that coaxed the audience to howl in unison). Banhart displayed a combination of nervousness and glee at the beginning of his set, which he quantified by explaining, “I’m playing knowing my mother is here; where’s my mom?” Scanning the entire venue, the crowd watched as a joyous and proud mother stood up on a chair and waved vigorously from the back of the audience. Banhart’s band joined him for his sixth set number and first song off Mala (“Golden Girls” followed by “Für Hildegard von Bingen”). Purring through his lyrics, Banhart makes for an alluring presence which sent many spectators to loudly proclaim their undying love. Banhart played nearly twenty songs, dabbling in both past and present gems, which included: “Shabop Shalom”, “Bad Girl”, and “Never Seen Such Good Things”. Banhart closed out his encore performance with Crippled Crow hit “I Feel Just Like a Child” and graciously thanked the crowd, “Gracias! Gracias!” If you have an opportunity to see Banhart at one of his many upcoming shows, you too will be giving thanks. 05/09/13 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern 05/11/13 Santa Barbara, CA Soho Restaurant 05/12/13 Pioneertown, CA Pappy And Harriet's 05/14/13 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory 05/16/13 Los Angeles, CA The Fonda 05/18/13 Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theatre 05/19/13 Napa, CA Uptown Theatre Napa 05/21/13 San Francisco, CA Regency Ballroom 05/23/13 Portland, OR McMenamins Crystal 05/25/13 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre 05/26/13 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom 05/30/13 Minneapolis, MN Mill City Nights 05/31/13 Chicago, IL Park West 06/01/13 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall 06/03/13 Toronto, ON The Danforth Music Hall 06/05/13 Montreal, QC Virgin Mobile Corona 06/07/13 Boston, MA Wilbur Theatre 06/08/13 Washington, DC Sixth & I Historic 06/10/13 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer 06/12/13 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer 06/28/13 Brighton, UK Old Market Theatre 07/04/13 Munich, Germany Muffathalle 07/06/13 Gdynia, Poland Festival Grounds 07/11/13 Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso 07/13/13 Paris, France Trianon 07/14/13 Switzerland Montreux Jazz Lab 07/17/13 Manchester, United Kingdom The Ritz 07/18/13 London, United Kingdom Barbican Centre 07/19/13 Dour, Belgium Festival Grounds 07/25/13 Lucca, Italy Piazza Napoleone 07/26/13 Rome, Italy Ippodromo Delle 08/02/13 Oporto, Portugal Casa da Musica 08/03/13 Lisbon, Portugal Centro Cultural de Belem Devendra Banhart at The Gothic Theatre, Englewood (05/05/13) kira ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ devendrabanhart.com