I saw Devendra Barnhart play last night at the Roxy in Boston. Unlike Spangley, I don't get to see much live music these days.
I enjoyed the show overall. Devendra's music is very beautiful at times and has been labeled "freak folk". To me it was somewhat like putting Bob Dylan and The Doors in a blender. His voice has such character I only wish that the acoustics had been different to make it easier to hear his lyrics. More acoustic and less of the high energy, loud guitars would have suited my tastes better.
His lyrics tend towards the poetic . . . there was an interview with a poet on TV tonight who said he was teaching a class and a student asked:
"What is the purpose of poetry?" A young woman in the front raised her hand and when called on responded simply . . .
"To remind us of our humanity . . . "