As someone anxiously grappling with how to function in America’s defective political climate, a concert at the High Noon Saloon was, oddly enough, exactly where I needed to be last Saturday.
The 36-year-old singer-songwriter from Brooklyn, N.Y. & the Goddamn Band put on a show that entertained and spread a message of resilience. To the progressive crowd’s delight and their pockets’ detriment, Devine and his supporting acts, Pet Symmetry and Petal, made clear that all monetary tips at the merch table would go to either the American Civil Liberties Union or to Planned Parenthood. I’ve seen many musicians in the past month use concerts as platforms to retaliate post-presidential election, however these bands swapped a despair-tinged dialogue with joy and laughter, making this the best experience yet. They reminded me that even in the face of the most trying times—for the sake of human spirit—we can be discontent but never disillusioned.
The first opener, indie rock band Petal, played to a crowd much sparser than their talent merits. Frontwoman Kiley Lotz’s vocals gushed pure passion, but her presence seemed pinched with doubt, as though she was too far in her own mind to truly let us join her. Pet Symmetry were a punchier act, albeit not for any greater artistic ability; they had the self-assurance needed to achieve fully rounded expression. There was a reassuring, infectious quality of togetherness in their playful, almost boyish banter and loud hoots of self-amusement.
Kevin Devine & the Goddamn Band continued to accent the feeling of intimacy left in Pet Symmetry’s wake when they took the stage. Considering the combination of heavy subjects in many of Devine’s pop rock songs and his lengthy hour-and-a-half set, he was able to maintain an absurdly blithe, humorous atmosphere. Many of the songs on his 2016 album Instigator offer bleak cultural commentary—consider “No Why,” “Freddie Gray Blues” and “Both Ways,” which explore the American people’s vulnerability in the face of our nation’s systemic flaws. These songs call out white privilege, police brutality and racial/gender/religious inequalities. While Devine's music has a history of political expression predating Instigator’s in-your-face social consciousness, even his older works feel more relevant than ever before in the context of current events. His charged performance of “No Time Flat” from his 2005 album Split The Country, Split The Street, lamented the government’s two-party system and sardonically suggested we just “split the country straight in half.”
Devine balanced fun and seriousness better than I would have believed possible, but his flair didn’t end there. He should also be commended for his ability to eradicate the distance between himself and the crowd. At one point, he literally removed the physical distance. During the chorus of “Little Bulldozer,” Devine waved two women up on stage to reenact #TheKevinDance, as seen in the song’s music
video. Devine sang through chokes of laughter shared with everyone privy to the spontaneous moment. As I stood smiling, enjoying the cozy, safe space with my closest friend and strangers alike, I recognized Devine’s show as a juncture of clarity at the turn of an emotionally turbulent year.
