The Vagabond lifestyle

Music | November 16th, 2016

Photo by Garrett Born Photography

To say that Davina Sowers, the lead singer, songwriter, pianist, and namesake of the Twin Cities based band Davina and the Vagabonds is class, sass, and everything in between would be stating the obvious. The audience at The Holmes Theatre in Detroit Lakes will witness this first hand as Davina and the Vagabonds share the stage with fellow Twin Cities-based musician Jack Klatt this Friday.

Though the show starts at 7pm, DJ Sean McPherson of The Current will be hosting a free workshop and social hour in which attendees have the opportunity to meet the performers in the theatre lobby and learn how traveling musicians book tours, promote shows, and do what they do.

Davina and the Vagabonds feature brass, bass, keys, and drums. The sound is a mix of blues, jazz, roots, and R&B. Sowers voice is a jazz age treat and offers an engaging onstage energy that is indicative of someone who clearly loves what they do. Her songwriting process starts on the piano where she develops her chord progression and lyrics. The goal is to present her band with a complete song so they can “road test it” and tighten it up.

She chose to call her band the Vagabonds because she believed that it adequately described the adventurous spirit of her youth. They spend quite a bit of time touring not only within the United States but Europe as well. When asked her favorite tour stop she said, “It depends on what happens on a personal level at each place--it’s not really geographically where I am, it’s really how the shows panned out or the people I meet.”

She says her favorite parts of touring include meeting new people and performing for new audiences. “I just love to see people’s eyes light up if they’re happy with what we’re doing” Sowers said.

She’s also known for her unique vintage style, which she cultivated at a young age.”I’m not an era purist. I’m a magpie--I collect everything!” she says, “I love switching it up. I love 20s jewelry, 20s hair combs, turbans from the 40s, I love circle skirts from the 50s. I’m a super antique and vintage clothing geek. It’s a problem.” She says her current fancy is 1920s and 1930s fashion. She identifies with it not only because it was in vogue at the peak of the jazz age but it was also the fashion of the carefree flapper.

Sowers made her way to the Midwest from Key West Florida in 2005, started a band soon after and has been making a worldwide splash ever since. “I’ve been intertwined in music for so long. My mom was a folk singer and she loved music, so did my dad, but I’ve been writing songs since I was little.” She says, “My whole life has been filled with music. I moved here, did some busking--I was a street musician for a little bit when I travelled in my early 20s. Then I moved here and started a band--that was 11 years ago. I’m really blessed to have moved to the Midwest. I probably wouldn’t have had the career that I have--if that’s what you want to call it--a career? I’ve just been tugging along.”

IF YOU GO:

Caravan du Nord featuring Davina and the Vagabonds and Jack Klatt

Friday, November 18, Workshop starts at 5:30pm, concert starts at 7pm

Historic Holmes Theatre, 806 Summit Ave. Detroit Lakes, MN