Stuart Davis Brings Dark Pop & Comedic Ramblings to Georgetown
Stuart Davis Live at the Mix
Friday, April 19, 2013
By Kevin Nelson
Going to a Stuart Davis performance is guaranteed to be one of the more hilarious shows you attend. The energy from this 6’3” gentle giant of a Buddhist just bounces off the walls during comedic ramblings about his Latin-speaking ferret or why you shouldn’t drink your own urine (reason—it tastes bad).
Going to a Stuart Davis show is also guaranteed to be one of the more intense pop shows you can attend, since his dark lyrical subject matter includes everything from an unrepentant rapist in “Doppelganger Body Donor” to the aliens in “Universe Communion” to a song… well, to a song called “Anesthesia Necrophilia.” Musically, the tracks mesh Davis’ folksy voice with pop music to create an amped up, punkish vibe.
To say Stuart Davis is a contradiction is accurate – dark, intense pop music and comedic ramblings are not common bedfellows – but to say this makes for a unique concert is even more accurate. The disparate pieces of his live shows come together to create an amazingly fun combination of experiences. It sets up a situation where you don’t want a song to end because it’s so good but you don’t want Davis to stop talking in between sets because it is just as entertaining.
One time, he even brought a Zen priest on tour with him. After 45 minutes of music (and ramblings) the priest came out and lead a 20 minute question and answer session about “the meaning of being” before Davis came back and finished off the show. In a normal concert, that might come across as strange, but in the “anything can happen” world Davis occupies, it’s expected.
Anyone interested in uniquely spiritual music with a dark edge should check out Davis’ show on April 19 at The Mix. And anyone interested in comedy should see Davis’ show on April 19 at the Mix in Georgetown.
Kevin Nelson is a regular NadaMucho.com contributor who likes Ryan Adams and has three cats.