Devendra Banhart

Overview

The other week my partner and I were watching a doco about the Lord Our Righteousness Church and its leader, Wayne Bent, who was facing trial for some extremely questionable activity. After the creepiness and righteous rage subsided, we got to thinking about other aspects of cult-culture. You know, really academic stuff like:  if there were a hipster cult, who would be its leader? The answer we came up with to this very important question was, of course, Devendra Banhart.

Firstly, there is his religious leader inspired visage. Just do a Google image search and tell me that the guy hasn’t just jumped out of some freaky time machine, straight from the 1960s, the golden era of bizarre religious cults and far-out communes. Also, he talks to animals, just like this guy.

Of course, I am not at all suggesting that Banhart would get up to the sort of nefarious activity that I segued into this preview with. If anything, a cult run by Banhart would be a wonderful affair.  Think 1960s-style love ins, guitar strumming and tambourines before a roaring fire, open fields covered in daisies, spinning around with your arms spread out -  that sort of thing. On further reflection, when you combine all of the above with the apparent fanaticism that his music inspires, he’s pretty much already there. He just hasn’t bought the acreage yet.

The good word for all Sydney based Banhart devotees (confirmed and potential alike) is that he is on his way back, bringing his freak-folk gospel to the Metro Theatre on Wednesday 27 July.

Rejoice friends, for the consummation is at hand.