Concert Review: The Dev & Tev Show

Saturday night, I went to the artsy side of Dallas known as “Deep Ellum” to watch a local hip-hop show at the RUINS. I parlayed into a dim light Oaxacan-style Mexican restaurant, immediately regretting my decision and thinking I was in the wrong place. After asking the front door security for directions, I made my way to the back of the restaurant, down a ramp, and in front of a room that was draped off by thick red auditorium curtains. I gave the concierge my ticket and walked inside a dark room with devil-like paintings on the wall and a DJ spinning…

That night I watched The Tev & Dev Show: a collaborative performance from two local rappers, Devy Stonez and Coach Tev. Just to be clear, these two artists are not in a group. I experienced two talented rappers with similar names but two different styles, vocal cadence and stage presence. Still, what I took as an attempt to cross-promote and steal each other’s fan bases, worked.

I got to the show around 9 PM (silly me), and the room was empty, outside of a few early birds like myself; there was also a DJ, photographers, bartenders, and people that don’t have a title but who call themselves the dot connectors. As the room fills in, I begin psychoanalysis on the type of audience the two artists would attract. A parallel of guys ready to party and another side of people high enough to think they are the only ones in the room.

Around 11 PM, the show begins- the room is now dark and filled with fog. A video plays from the projector, and it shows two masked criminals in the back of a van preparing to commit an armed robbery. The robbers hop out of the truck, and the screen goes black. Devy Stonez and Coach Tev came from the back of the room and pushed through the crowd, performing their first collaborative track as they made their way to the stage. I enjoyed the creativity, and now knowing Coach Tev has a film degree and directs most of his music videos, it all makes sense.

I grew more and more impressed by the crowd’s participation and feedback as the night carried on. Whether it was a crowd of family/friends or genuine fans of the artist, you couldn’t tell. After a few collaborative joints and special guest appearances, Devy Stonez leaves the stage, and Coach Tev performs his catalog. Coach Tev has a smooth delivery on tracks and comes off suave. With no dancing in his routine, he still kept us focused on him. He even sat down at one point and became intimate with the crowd. Even got some listeners to bring him a drink. He told stories about being lonely through quarantine, catching Covid, loving his wife, and growing up in Irving, TX. It was indeed an intimate experience. If you walked in the room utterly unaware of Coach Tev, you learned who he was that night.

Devy Stonez took the stage next. Going into midnight on a Friday, putting Devy last was a grand strategy. Not that one performance was better than the other- but Devy Stonez’s amp performance brought the crowd back to life with his catchy hooks and gritty rap voice. I found out about this show from Devy Stonez Instagram, so I was familiar with some of his music. He performed his most popular song, Who is He? in which the crowd rapped word for word. He even introduced us to new songs. I vividly remember a piece detailing his life in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the issue we face in the black community titled Coming Home.

Now 12:30 AM Dev & Tev join the stage with all their friends to perform one last song. As the song concluded, I walk towards the exit. I hear Devy say on the mic, “We about to turn this into a party, we will be here until 2 AM”. The excitement and energy from the crowd were undoubtedly there as everyone celebrated a successful night.

Be sure to check out both Coach Tev and Devy Stonez music on all streaming platforms!

KAISUGGEST:

Mini Cap — Coach Tev

10 Months (feat. Devy Stonez) — Coach Tev

Who Is He — Devy Stonez

Oct 15 — Coach Tev

1 Shot — Devy Stonez

Party w Friends (feat. TRAPMAMA) — Coach Tev

Coming Home — Devy Stonez