Can you remember exactly what you did last weekend? Well, I saw an awesome show at the Gravity Lounge.
If you've never been there before, the Gravity Lounge isn't your average spot for a brew and a show. A cross between a bookstore and your grandma's attic, the setting is as eclectic as the artists who perform there.
Friday night, the folk-pop duo Myshkin opened for local singer-songwriter Devon Sproule. Myshkin quickly won over a generous crowd with their unique acoustical style. Songs of traveling, love and drinking set the mood for Sproule's storytelling set.
If you've never heard Devon, her inviting and genuinely positive style of performance might surprise you. Before playing a note, Sproule smiled and mentioned she had been looking forward to the concert. It's not often you find an artist who honestly enjoys performing as much as Devon.
Though she has a magnetic personality on stage, Devon's true appeal lies in her musical ability. A hollow-bodied electric guitar gave Sproule's licks a bluesy tone and a rush of confidence early in the show. In the middle of a song, she even bragged, "I love myself," referring to her effortlessly stunning guitar frills.
But when Sproule started to play some fan favorites on her traditional acoustic guitar, technical difficulties stalled the show. Not one to bow out in the face of adversity, Devon kept her composure and continued to please the crowd on the electric guitar until the problem was fixed. Something like this easily would have frustrated a lesser performer, but Devon's confidence kept the audience captive.
Floating atop her honed guitar skills, Sproule's voice coasted on youthful hope -- her vocals have the poise of a seasoned singer with the innocence of a young woman. There is an impression of honesty and authentic ownership in each and every word and Friday night's show was no exception. It is hard to imagine the same songs delivered by any other voice.
A majority of the songs performed were from a new solo album in the works. These songs focus on things Devon holds dear: friends, family and home. The rousing foot-stomper "Old Virginia Block" is a celebration of living in the shadow of the Blue Ridge. Another song mentions a Downtown Mall hotspot when Devon sings that she'd rather have "a stingy pour at Miller's than no pour at all." Devon may perform all over the world, but these lines rang true with local listeners.
Devon's outstanding performance brought together a crowd of diehard fans and relative newcomers, all of whom agreed that the world is ready for this Charlottesville talent.
Or, at least, she's ready for the world.
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