Kevin Devine, Deaf Institute

Kevin Devine returns to Manchester for the second time this year, and tonight he is upgraded from the damp, tiny Basement of Soup Kitchen to the slightly more lavish Deaf Institute. Devine thinks this is one of three best venues of its size in the UK, a well-deserved commendation for one of the city’s best loved venues. Tonight’s set will be solo and acoustic, as Kevin’s usual accompaniment, The Goddamn Band, has been unable to join him due to financial reasons.

From the adoring looks on the faces of the people stood on the front row, it appears there’s no such thing as a casual Kevin Devine fan. Over a career spanning more than ten years he’s developed somewhat of a cult following, enabled by his association of other ‘cult’ acts such as Brand New and Manchester Orchestra.

As soon as he takes the stage an eerie quietness takes over the room. Devine’s sweeter side is showcased on track such as 'Little Bulldozer' and 'Bubblegum', which work beautifully in the acoustic setting. Classics like 'Cotton Crush' and 'I Could Be With Anyone' even garner a whispering sing-a-long from the audience.

Devine sings of ‘stealing a lion’s roar’ in 'Carnival', and it’s a pretty apt metaphor. His voice is so strong he rarely needs to use the microphone, as his unwavering range fills the modest room. At times the appreciative crowd is incredibly quiet, only breaking their silence to cheer at perfectly-timed intervals.

Devine introduces 'Private First Class', his ode to Chelsea Manning by saying that legality and truth don’t always line up; his recent album delves more into political territory as well as his usual emotive fare. He chats with the audience, making sure everyone is having a good time. Then he asks for requests; at first no one speaks up but as he counts down from 3 he is bombarded with shouts for old favourites and rare tracks. He admits he might mess up some of the words, but he’ll have a go. ‘A Billion Bees’ is dedicated to a lucky young lady sat at the back, who hugs her friend tightly for the duration.

Read full review at Kemptation