DEVORA at MGM Musical Hall Fenway, 2/14/23
As I approached the MGM Music Hall at Fenway, there were people flowing through the street to catch the incredible lineup that was set for the night.
Raised in the desert of Arizona, opener DEVORA finds inspiration from her roots growing up in a western town. She took to writing about the crazy experiences that came with living in that place. I was looking forward to her serenading us with her powerhouse vocals as they captivated the audience and kept us entertained for the beginning portion of the long night, pumping us up for the bands that followed: Candlebox and legendary grunge band, Bush. She was the perfect person to open up for the night since she catered to everyone that filled the Music Hall.
Doors opened at around 6:30, so I told myself that I had to be at MGM around then to get the full experience of the night that I had ahead of me. I was so grateful to experience such a historic and desired event on Valentine’s day. The venue was filled with many different generations who were all there to share a great night of non-stop music.
I got there right on time for DEVORA’s performance. As I rushed to the stage, the lights slowly came down and the room filled with shouts of excitement. Her musicians came out first, followed by a backing track of an older man who ended his monologue with “Prepare to dance with the devil.” As soon as the track ended, the musicians started playing DEVORA’s hit single “Not Dead Yet.” From the beginning, every note had an incredible energy. As DEVORA made her way onto the stage, giving off total country/rock and roll vibes, she launched into the song that encapsulated everything she was as a musician: powerful, edgy, and unapologetic.
After this fiery opening,, DEVORA and her backup musicians made their way into the rest of her 2021 EP, entitled “Outlaw.” Her dark pop instrumentals and melodies had magnificent chemistry and played well with her powerhouse vocals. Through the heavy distortion guitar and intense drum patterns, her vocals were allowed to shine. During the performance, she talked about her music being “outlaw pop," a term she coined. As she explained it, “outlaw pop” is all about going your own way and taking the road less traveled. This statement resonated with the crowd, who cheered her on to keep performing. The rest of her set did not disappoint, with an immense surge of pure energy coming from her and her band on a grandiose stage. The stage did not seem too big for her; it almost seemed too small.
Her whole set transported us right into her surrealist western world, and gave us the sweet taste of her unique blend of country, rock, pop, and alternative modern-goth genres. After a few songs, I determined DEVORA was the perfect mix of P!nk and The Pretty Reckless, with some potential inspiration from bands like Nine Inch Nails and The Haunt.
When it was time for her to give off the stage the Candlebox, the crowd begged her not to go. She thanked us, the audience, for being a delightful crowd. Just like that, she was gone. I wanted her to keep performing, but for this encore I will have to check out her next concert.