DEVOTCHKA

Not just gypsy music

By KRISTEN HUMBERT

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DeVotchKa went from being the backup band for Dita Von Tesse's national burlesque tour to garnering a Grammy nod for their score of the 2006 indie-hit Little Miss Sunshine. Their new album, A Mad & Faithful Telling, continues to ride the gypsy-folk wave, but Shawn King (percussion/trumpet) wants to give DeVotchKa's audience more melodic credit.

"There's a good chance that Americans are just picking up on what they already know in European clubs," says King, "which is that people want dance music with interesting melodies. I wouldn't call our band Gypsy music, but we do use Old World instruments and try to embrace the nostalgic melodies when they come."

But don't let the phrases "Old World" and "nostalgic melodies"—or the band's preference for the tuba and the accordion—mislead you. DeVotchKa puts on quite the rockin' show. "When we played TT the Bear's, the crowd was downright explosive, and we wound up breaking a bunch of the club's gear," says King.

And, Red Sox fans, you may have these native Denverans to thank for last year's World Series win. "During the World Series we had a gig and we kept thinking it would hurt the turnout. The day came, and still our fans came out to see us. We had a great show that night and the Rockies lost. I think we stole their winning mojo," says King. Mojo-stealers or not, King doesn't seem too distraught over the loss—rather, he appears quite diplomatic.

"Boston's been good to us, come to think of it," he says.

We like you too.

DEVOTCHKA

W/ BASIA BULAT, FANCY TRASH

SAT. 5.18

PARADISE

967 COMM. AVE.

BOSTON

617.562.8820

7PM/18+/$19.50

THEDISE.COM