Even though he’s performed annual sets in Toronto since 2007, it’s always a pleasure to see KEVIN DEVINE sling a guitar over his shoulder and sing his heart out. The Brooklyn songwriter set up shop at The Drake Hotel on Saturday night (January 11th) and in front of a packed house, he allowed his discography to dissect feelings and intricacies that felt like guarded poetry. It’s just with Devine, he sings with a deafening shade of tenderness and romanticism. It’s a trait that outlines older work (see “Longer That I’m Out Here”) but it also turns cuts like “Tomorrow’s Just Too Late” and “Little Bulldozer” into heart-crushing tunes that reiterate confidence and charisma. With that in mind, Devine’s northern gig was nothing short of a priceless start to a new year and here’s hoping he can mend a few more hearts.
Grab Kevin Devine’s new records Bulldozer and Bubblegum on yellow and pink vinyl via his GoMerch store