Devendra Banhart @ 9:30 Club
Devendra Banhart played to a half-full 9:30 Club on Wednesday night, achieving occasional moments of brilliance, but generally failing to create the spirited vibe that often energizes his live shows. Indeed, it was the night before Thanksgiving, but performers and audience alike seemed already mired in a tryptophan-induced state of torpor. As if in acknowledgment that the slightest distraction might prove critical in such an anemic environment, photographers were relegated to the margins of the venue, though this arguably succeeded only in ensuring that there would be scant visual evidence of the evening’s somewhat lackluster proceedings.
That said, the hirsute avant-folk singer-songwriter did deliver a few musical highlights, mostly when he played songs from his major-label debut, What Will We Be. Three songs into the set came a lively rendition of the lilting pop gem “Baby,” with its goofy puppy-love lyrics and pretty guitar melodies. “Angelika” began as a delicate acoustic ballad before swerving into Tropicalia-inflected grooves and incantations, while “16th and Valencia, Roxy Music” evocatively conjured a typically strange San Francisco night despite a slightly languid, slowed-down arrangement. Banhart’s four-piece backing band, The Grogs, provided commendable, understated support through most of the concert, though the show’s momentum waned considerably when the frontman generously allowed the musicians to perform a few of their own songs. A couple of lengthy instrumental jams towards the end of the set also tested patience. At some of his performances, Banhart has been known to invite fans on-stage for impromptu dance parties, but by the conclusion of Wednesday’s 90-minute set, the sparse crowd’s flagging attention left little need or opportunity to do so.