Kevin Devine and his band headed to Hoboken, N.J.'s Maxwell's for a memorable set spanning over
two hours. The group played hits from his 2006 release, "Put Your Ghost to Rest," his entire "Make the
Clocks Move" from start to finish and surprisingly ended with a performance of the whole album, "Split
the Country, Split the Street."
Fitting nine members on Maxwell's tiny stage, Devine's band sounded as tight as ever, unaffected by
the tight quarters. While Devine captivated the audience with his solo acoustic songs like "Ballgame"
and "Lord, I Know We Don't Talk," the group's more rousing songs like "Trouble," "Longer that I'm Out
Here" and "Buried by the Buzz" stole the show.
Still, however, "Cotton Crush" remains one of Devine's most compelling live songs (second only
to "Brother's Blood," which was not played). Not disappointing an eager crowd, the tension within the
chords of the song erupted into its violent chorus, blaring walls of noise over Devine's passionate pleas
for sobriety: "let's sift through the static to find a simpler sound than the [expletive] that's clouding our
heads now."
The show exceeded expectations; even after over two dozen songs and the time well past 1 a.m., the
sold out crowd still begged for more. A drained and grateful Devine politely declined, leaving the crowd
to contemplate the memorable show they just witnessed. The performance exemplifies Devine's
dedication to his fans: while Weezer charges exorbitant prices to see a pair of fan-favorite albums over
two nights, Devine spared a second trip to Maxwell's (and a lot of money), devoting all his energy and
passion to one unforgettable night.
Kevin Stevens can be reached at kevin.stevens@student.shu.edu.
