Live footage of DeVotchKa at Spiegeltent in Manhattan. Nick Urata amazes with a theremin solo.
DeVotchKa is a Colorado-based band combining traditional folk influences from South America, Greece, Eastern Europe and most places in between with punk and rock sounds. Traditional instruments such as the bouzouki play alongside a singer who plays electric guitar when he's not waving his hand in the air to manipulate a theremin. The band has received more attention since providing the soundtrack for Little Miss Sunshine last year.
Create Digital Music points to this live video from Spiegeltent in Manhattan two weeks ago. It features an impressive theremin solo from singer/guitarist/trumpeter/etc. Nick Urata. DeVotchKa's website bio says the theremin is homemade, though this may be a different one. CDM's Peter Kirn wryly points to this video as evidence the theremin can be used for something other than the original Star Trek theme. It has apparently gained popularity outside of fans of old sci-fi. The interesting thing is that the combination of traditional and modern sounds works. Not only that, it sounds quite good.
DeVotchKa are currently touring Europe and the UK to promote the European release of their most recent album, the much-praised How it Ends.
