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Written by Ryan Parker Tuesday, 03 June 2008 02:57

 The band, led buy Nick Urata on vocals and guitar, played tunes that seem to blend the feel of my grandparents' era with the beat and the force of a modern rock show. 

Photo: Todd Owyoung 

w/ Basia Bulat

The Pageant, St. Louis

By the time Basia Bulat, the opening band for Devotchka, was done playing, the audience at the Pageant was ready for a good show. Bulat's band of harpsichord, ukulele and violin players more than adequately set the mood. Devotchka took the stage and went into their set of lush, deep-ended songs. Seeing them in person was much like stepping into another time. The band, led buy Nick Urata on vocals and guitar, played tunes that seem to blend the feel of my grandparents' era with the beat and the force of a modern rock show.

Tom Hagerman seems to be the genius behind the elements ofeastern European and Greek sounds that fill out the songs, giving themthe uncanny, universal sounds that they have. He did so by playing a wide variety of instruments that included the violin, accordion, and piano. The rest of the band was filled out by Jeanie Schroder's driving bass lines on the tuba and Shawn King's beat and rhythm on the drums.

The lightning effects added much to the mood of the performance. Often the stage was submerged in deep reds to go along with the passionate, heart aching lyrics and rhythms. The lighting along with the soundtrack-like score made me feel like I was part of some sort of live, interactive movie.

Bulat and her band came out to lend a hand on several songs. This allowed the band to have a five-piece string section, two horns, plus the guitar and drums.The audience was thrilled by the musicianship and creativity not often seen at a small venue show.

For an encore, Devotchka kept with their dramatic flair by showcasing an acrobat performing a classic Corde lisse performance front and center. As the she dazzled the audience with her hangs, flips, knots and drops, the band jammed out a classic Spaghetti Western inspired ditty that went along with the action very well. As the band left for the final time, the audience was full of grins that stretched from ear to ear. They had come to see a band play but instead were witness to a masterpiece. | Ryan Parker