Davina & the Vagabonds – 7/12/25 – Levitt Pavilion, Dayton

Those that waited out the downpour were treated to a rollicking 90-minute set that showed off the prowess of leader Davina Sowers and her tight band.  Although the Vagabonds began life aping early 20th century blues and jazz, they’ve moved beyond categorization. Pulling from 100 years of classic American music, the band serves up a musical gumbo uniquely their own.  

Equally adept at Fats Domino and Fats Waller, Ella and Etta, Davina and company ran through a set, heavy on brass and full of surprises – tackling everything from Chuck Berry’s lesser-known, “Back in Memphis,” to a Bourbon-street infused rendition of Hank Williams’ hillbilly classic, “Hey, Good Lookin.”  There were Big Band nuggets like “Are You Having Any Fun” and “Four or Five Times,” which showed off the deft playing of her band, while Davina took the spotlight on soulful numbers like Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and Aretha’s “Dr. Feelgood.”  A smoky rendition of the vintage, “As Time Goes By,” got a well-dressed, older couple up to dance.

Interspersed with these slices of American culture were diverse originals: The insanely catchy pop of “Pocket” got a big reaction, while the call and response of “Lipstick and Chrome” was good fun.  Her new single, “Find My Love,” almost sounded psychedelic in this live setting.  The set’s closer was a surprising, fun take on the Foundations’ “Build Me Up, Buttercup,” before encoring with their own crazy, “St. James Infirmary.”  

Davina & the Vagabonds have honed their craft through years of live shows, all over the world.  Make sure you see them when they come to your town.  —Tony Peters