As I stepped into the classy El Rey Theatre once more this week, I couldn’t help but think of how different it would be from my Balkan Beat Box experience. Upon arrival for a DeVotchKa show, I was anticipating looking at a different type of crowd. However, I found similarities more than differences. For The El Rey, the volume of concert goers never seems to dwindle. No matter what night it is, if it’s a good show, especially one so highly expected to be as DeVotchKa, the crowd will spill past the bar.

Gaining most of their mainstream popularity from scoring the film, Little Miss Sunshine, DeVotchKa had finally been able to reach the masses with their unique take on American punk and folk roots. This four piece band, however, goes far beyond what’s expected of a rock band. Exhibiting their credibility, all multi-instrumentalists flourish together as they weave in and out of Greek, Mariachi, and Slavic notes. I wondered, will Los Angeles embrace them tonight as much as world music lovers or those so called sophiticated hipsters? I was about to find out.

As always, there is an opening act and they always go on a whole hour after you get there. (Tip: If a concert at the El Rey is to start at 8, get there before 9.) The opener of the night was Rupa & the April Fishes, a band who I really found myself to enjoy. It’s always interesting to think about how the headliner chooses their warm up the crowd band. Most of the time, the opener plays a similar style or genre and tonight was no different. Rupa & the April Fishes exuded a similar world music sense in her French lyrics and the band’s pulsating rhythms which spanned from Latin to Indian to Gypsy. There was a particular growl in Rupa’s voice that made me admire her musical aggression but their music also had enough of a swing to it that I could imagine their CD filed between my Amélie and Fiddler on the Roof soundtracks. (Yes, at some point, I did own a Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack.)

Another thing about most concerts and particularly the El Rey, is that there is at least a half hour wait after the opening act. After the first band has warmed you up, do what you have to do before the main act takes the stage. Wait in a ridiculous long line for the bathroom (sigh… the downfalls of being a female), or go out and get some fresh air in the small roped off section where smokers will eliminate any hopes of executing that plan.

After I paid two dollars for two cups of tap tasting water, DeVotchKa finally took the stage and they took it by storm. The violin was enchanting, the drums were never played with such a balance of delicate dynamics and powerful drive, the accordian transformed into a cool instrument, and I was completely surprised with the brightly lit sousaphone (a wearable tuba – one with red Christmas lights this night) and string quartet. The lighting was dramatic as their sound and the vocals of lead singer, Nick Urata, (who happened to be the very good looking man I had mistaken to be some sort of Latin soap opera star during the break) were just so on point to top off the orchestrations underneath. Watching the band members continuously switching instruments kept my attention as well. There was even a tapestry trapeze artist to introduce us to the encore’s first song. Fitting, although the acrobatic moves were a bit distracting and the music was no longer the feature of the moment.

As they played their Little Miss Sunshine hits, “The Winner Is” and “How It Ends,” fans roared with approval and as the band continued to play their multi-instrumentalist arrangements, I imagined scenarios within a film’s plot line. I was able to pick a certain chord progression in my head and match it with a particular theme or choose a crescendo-filled chorus and pair it up with a dramatic turning point. And friends, if you can do that with music as it swirls around you, that’s what it’s all about. The music has served a great purpose.

Photo by OtterFreak