Denver's DeVotchka is known for its gypsy-tinged, polyethnic rock eclecticism. But what you'll get when frontman Nick Urata and violinist/accordionist Tom Hagerman work as a duo remains to be seen; they will open for Leo Kottke on Saturday at the State Theatre in Minneapolis. Like Kottke's, Urata's tastes are a little off-center, as illustrated by his favorite book of late, "The Complete Stories of J.G. Ballard."
"I'm ashamed to say I just found this guy because he died this year. What a find. He wrote 19 novels, his most famous, 'Empire of the Sun,' based
on his childhood in Shanghai, and, of course, 'Crash.' This book is a collection of short stories. You quickly realize what a master of prose and human nature he was. It is very scary, not-too-distant-future scenarios, some of which seem a little too real at this point. Talk about prophetic: In 1968 he wrote one called 'Why I Want to Bleep Ronald Reagan.'"