Davina & the Vagabonds
media release: "A little Amy Winehouse-worthy neo-soul here, a little Great American Songbook-influenced songcraft there.” Rolling Stone Magazine
“Davina and The Vagabonds combat heartache with sugar and sass.” DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
Led by powerhouse vocalist and pianist Davina Sowers, Davina & The Vagabonds is bringing their high-energy vintage music to the Opera House stage on Friday, January 29, at 7:30 pm. Doors open at 6:30. Advance tickets are $28 for the balcony and lower level and $33 for the first two rows and boxes (plus taxes and fees). Prices will increase by $5 on the day of the show. Friends of the MPOH can purchase tickets on July 1 at 8:00 am; the general public can purchase tickets on July 15 at 8:00 am.
Founded in Minneapolis, the group quickly rose from local favorite to global touring act, captivating audiences across the U.S., Europe, and beyond. Their sound draws from early New Orleans jazz, swing, blues, and soul, infused with contemporary storytelling and dynamic arrangements. At the heart of it all is Davina’s commanding voice and expressive piano style, which anchor every performance with emotion, grit, and grace.
Whether performing originals or reimagining timeless favorites, Davina & The Vagabonds offer a show that is soulful, sophisticated, and unforgettable—an experience that leaves audiences uplifted, inspired, and wanting more.
Much like the music, the story spurns era, expectation, and classification. The often unbelievable, sometimes harrowing, and wholly inspiring journey of Davina Sowers gave birth to her eponymous band Davina and The Vagabonds in 2004. As the tale goes, she grew up in the economically depressed Allegheny town of Altoona, PA, which she now describes as “awesome in the industrial era, but horrible for high school.” She was adopted by her much older stepfather when he was in his 80s; he passed away when she was just 13. Through him and his Edison phonograph, she first heard The Ink Spots, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong and Louis Prima, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and many others. “Great man. He was my angel and still is,” she says.
To this day, Davina still refers to music as “my first and eternal love.” Despite early dalliances with classical piano and guitar, she developed a heavy drug habit in high school, which morphed into heroin dependency, left her homeless, sent her in and out of jail, and brought on all manner of trouble. Kicking dope on the streets, she “got clean, started the band, and worked [her] ass off every day since.”
Davina and the Vagabonds shine every time they play. To date, they’ve performed in forty-five states, twelve European countries, and two Canadian provinces. Not to mention, they’ve earned feverish acclaim from the Chicago Tribune, NPR, and more in addition to performing on BBC’s international favorite late-night program Later… With Jools Holland and appearing on PBS’s Bluegrass Underground.
