Kevin Devine has put in his 10,000 hours. Ok, well, he’s actually put in way more than that. For those of you who have not done your required summer reading, socio-psychological pundit and New Yorker contributor Malcolm Gladwell has a theory. Gladwell posits a simple concept, derived from his research on those who unequivocally succeed in their fields. Simply put, if you put in 10,000 hours doing what you love to do, you will be indisputably successful at it.
Since the age of 15, armed with his guitar and a well of courage, aggressiveness, skill and just plain moxie, Devine has worked tirelessly to develop his signature sound. Fighting his way out of anonymity and onto the international touring circuit, Devine has produced a consistent body of work that evokes the best elements of his major influences, essential iconic 90’s acts like Pavement, Nirvna and Elliot Smith. Since his first release, Circle Gets The Square (2002), Devine has released no less than 5 full length albums and a slew of EP’s and live recordings.
In addition to a prolific body of recorded work, Devine has hundreds upon hundreds of shows under his belt. Between 2006 and 2008, this tireless artist played somewhere near 600 shows. (That basically amounts to touring 10 months out of the year for 2 years in a row). Devine’s shared tours with an extremely diverse list of artists, including acts like She & Him, The Offspring, Lucero, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
That diverse roster speaks of the broad range found in Devine’s own work. From frowzy, melodic ballads, all the way to loud pop confections with distorted guitars, this fella’s got it all. His latest album, Between The Concrete And The Clouds ( Sept 2011), will be his first album to feature a full backing band, and the stellar arrangements and full-bloom sound speak of his continued mastery as he pushes himself into new territory.
Tonight Mr. Devine will be delighting a packed house at Watermark, where James Wells of area darlings The Gay Blades will be opening with a stripped down set of his own.
Also gracing the stage will be Thomas Wesley Stern, a country/folk/ acoustic quartet that has been garnering quite a bit of attention in town this summer. Get your tickets right now or show up early at Watermark tonight—rumor has it this event will sell out. Doors are a 7:30 and at an extremely reasonable price of $10, there’s no reason to miss out on this special evening in Asbury Park.
Buy me a beer when you see me there! Or a fancy cocktail, I accept those as well. 😉
XOXO
Ang
