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DeVotchka & Au Revoir Simone

Air Dates: May 28-Jun 03

In this exciting encore broadcast, it's DeVotchka, back for their third visit to eTown. This popular Colorado based band has a huge international following and fan base. Lead singer's Nick Urata's vocals infuse their songs with striking emotion, all beautifully supported by an eclectic ensemble featuring a string section, trumpet, sousaphone, melodica, and more. Also joining us is the Brooklyn based band Au Revoir Simone: Erika Forster, Heather D'Angelo, and Annie Hart use vintage keyboards and drum machines to deliver their modern, electronic-based songs that resonate with an inviting, organic warmth. They're David Lynch's favorite band these days, and they've been touring Europe, Japan and the U.S. to rave reviews. A bit of eTown trivia: Boulder born and raised Erika Forster is the natural born daughter of eTown host Nick Forster and the beloved stepdaughter of Helen Forster! There's also a creative and motivated E-Chievement Award winner who shares her inspiring story, all this week in eTown.

DeVotchka
It wasn't too long ago that a weary band hauling a violin, a tuba, an accordion, and trumpets into a rock club were told they must be in the wrong place; when a band fusing musical elements from across the globe needed to fight to be considered a rock band instead of being marked by the dubious 'world music' tag.

A decade ago, DeVotchKa drove an overstuffed tour van onto a very different musical landscape. Ten years later, it seems the world has caught up with them.

In that time, DeVotchKa put out three increasingly celebrated self-released records (SuperMelodrama; 2000, Una Volta; 2003, How it ends; 2004).

In 2005, a moment of serendipity rewarded eight years of the band's hard work. After months of searching, two first-time filmmakers heard the sound of their movie on a Sunday morning Los Angeles radio broadcast, the DeVotchKa song "You Love Me." Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris hired DeVotchKa to score their first film, Little Miss Sunshine. Already established as one of the most exciting underground bands in the country, fittingly it is the story of a van full of dysfunctional underdogs that introduced DeVotchKa's music to a worldwide audience.

In the summer of 2007, DeVotchKa returned to Tucson's Wavelab studio to record their first full-length record in four years. The band realigned with producer Craig Schumacher (Calexico, M. Ward, Neko Case) who left his sonic stamp on the band's How It Ends and Una Volta. The resulting record is very much DeVotchKa- somewhere out of time, certainly out of place, and somehow it makes perfect sense.

DeVotchKa is:
Nick Urata: Vocals, guitars, piano, Theremin, trumpet
Jeanie Schroder: acoustic bass, sousaphone, vocals
Shawn King: drums, percussion, trumpet
Tom Hagerman: violin, accordion, piano

website: http://www.devotchka.net

Au Revoir Simone
Heather D'Angelo, Erika Forster and Annie Hart are specialists in bringing out the heart from the machine, conjuring a gorgeous, child-like effervescence via pieces of plastic, metal and wires. While their music is created through the medium of electronics, their songs resonate with an organic warmth that defies their instruments of choice: three keyboards and a drum machine. Boulder born and raised Erika Forster is the daughter of etown host Nick Forster.

"Melody laden loveliness" – Q Magazine

"Innocent, hip and new" – David Lynch

"Powered by vintage keyboards, a lockstep beat-box, and gorgeous, wide-eyed warbling, the Simones create make-out music for your inner android" – Spin

Website: http://aurevoirsimone.com

e-chievement award: Susan Rodgerson, Artists for Humanity
Susan is a professional oil painter. In 1991, twenty years into her career, she was inspired to bring her vast experience to inner city at-risk kids in Boston. Through this nonprofit, artist-mentors provide underserved youths paid, hands-on internships to learn the techniques and tools of professional artists and the business world. They've reached over 5,000 youth since their start. These mentored artists create projects which are purchased by area businesses and the public. This in turn supports the program. In addition, they built as their headquarters, Boston's first ever LEEDS Platinum Certified building.

Website: http://www.afhboston.com/
Email: srodgerson@afhboston.com
Address: 100 W. 2nd St. Boston, MA 02127
Phone: 617-268-7620