Never Seen Such a Good Thing – Devendra Banhart at FYF Music Festival

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Devendra Banhart is impossibly handsome.

But when a large crowd of people at FYF chanted “Devendra!” continuously for several minutes before he came onstage, it was clear that it was for more than his looks.

Banhart’s music varies greatly in terms of genre and style and has thusly been deemed freak-folk.  It can venture from psychedelic, to pop, to latin, to folk, all in one song, yet it always works.

Banhart opened his set with “Golden Girls,” a short yet trippy introduction, and he peppered crowd favorites like “Baby” and “Never Seen Such Good Things” throughout the remainder of his set.

Though “Your Fine Petting Duck” appears on the album as a duet (and only really makes sense as a duet lyrically), Banhart sang both parts himself.  It is a beautifully melancholy post-breakup song that lost the bulk of its meaning when sung as a solo, but the audience still loved it.  They jumped up and down and sang every word along with Banhart.

The best thing about Banhart’s performance is that he is clearly a little strange, in the best way possible.  He spent a large part of his set making ugly faces while he sang, perhaps to offset his handsomeness.  Each time he let go of his guitar, he awkwardly flailed his hands to the music until it was time to play again.  The odd “oohs,” “ahhs” and little yells that accompany Banhart’s songs were louder and much more emphatic in his live performance as well.

Similarly, between songs, a young man towards the front of the crowd was showing off his favorite Devendra Banhart t-shirt – a plain black shirt with Banhart’s face on the inside pocket (available here).

Channeling his Venezuelan roots, Banhart humbly and simply said “gracias” after every song.  He ended the set with “Carmensita,” a lively Spanish tune that turned the first few rows into a mild mosh pit, with everyone smiling and dancing wildly.

See him perform “Never Seen Such Good Things” live at KCRW.

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