Devendra Banhart @ Institute of Contemporary Art 9/18

Photography by Nikki Lipner

Review by Hannah Behringer

In a world where the internet has taken over our lives and ChatGPT runs rampant, Devendra Banhart, a Venezuelan-American singer-songwriter and artist, brings a pure human soul to his music. Devendra has been creating music for over 25 years, earning international critical acclaim. With his show at the Institute of Contemporary Art, he supported the release of his “Cripple Crow 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.” Not only does this album include remastered songs, but it also features previously unreleased songs too.  Devendra’s set brought out his humor, artistry, and even included a mention of ChatGPT.

The night started with opener Kath Boss and David Shapiro, with two guitars, two glasses of water, and a belt of harmonicas. Kath had toured with Devendra back in the spring on the West Coast and now has joined him again on the East Coast. They opened with Kath’s song “Just Can’t Handle It,” a title deeply resonant with the stressors of human life. The calling back and forth of the guitars paved the way for the storytelling in the lyrics to shine.

Kath and David had some quips back and forth—including some banter about a certain type of brownie—that made the audience laugh and really set them up for the intimacy of the night ahead.

Devendra started his set with just a single pluck of his guitar. The sound bounced off the walls of the ICA straight into the hearts of the audience. That single pluck set the tone of the night. There was so much anticipation for what was to come next, including which songs he would play from his years of musicianship. Devendra said that the plan was to go through the songs chronologically from when they were released. The first song, “A Sight to Behold” (originally released in June 2004), took us on a journey, with the droning of the guitar and the instances of the vibrato in Devendra’s vocals. This delightfully carried on throughout the show.

At the beginning of his set, Devendra said, “Let’s try something new and have a nice night.” That’s what we did. We laughed, we yelled, and some quietly sang along to the songs under their breath. At one point, Devendra said, “If you thought I was going to tell a joke, I wasn’t.” This human and vulnerable moment is what Devendra threaded through his show, balancing entertainment and how it can be both torturous and amusing for the artist to perform.

What’s intriguing about Devendra’s music is the journey it takes you on. He played “Little Yellow Spider,” which comments on the mysteries of the world through humor and the way animals live. This was one of my favorites of the night. A close second was when he played “Carmensita” where his Spanish lyrics used animal imagery to describe a passionate relationship. Before “Carmensita,” he opened the floor to requests, including his songs like “Rosa,” “Shabop Shalom,” and other songs not written by him, like Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend,” which he attempted in a very positive fashion.

The show wasn’t just a reminder of solidifying Devendra’s artistry, but also a reminder that we know he is still growing, too. He would check his phone to see what song was next on the setlist, introduce us to the Boston joke-telling skills of ChatGPT, and sometimes purposefully change the lyrics to get a good laugh, with the ad lib of “Pearl Sac.” Devendra’s been in the music industry for over 25 years, and he’s got more music on the way. With the introspective look at his music, the state of the music industry, and the intimacy of his concert, it was a night to remember.