Live Music: Josh Ritter

I went into Josh Ritter’s show at DC’s 9:30 Club last night with some reservations. Having never seen Ritter live I wondered what kind of performer he was, how he would translate the dense songs from his most recent album The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter to the stage, and how the crowd would react to his older and largely tamer songs. All of my fears were quickly allayed as Ritter and company hit the stage, won the crowd, and masterfully reworked studio gems into live showstoppers.

Ritter and his band ripped through a 98 minute set that included oldies, new songs, and covers. Highlights included “Rumors” (with horns joining the rest of the band), a rousing rendition of “To the Dogs or Whoever”, an extended crowd sing-along to “Empty Hearts”, and a soaring, playful take on “Kathleen”. Throughout the show Ritter wore his influences on his sleeve, at times evoking Dylan, The Band, and most of all, Springsteen. He even started the encore with a solo cover of The Boss’ classic “The River” that was, for me, the most effective moment of the show.

Josh Ritter - The River

(This is from an appearance on World Cafe, not last night’s show, but you get the idea)

At one point during the show Ritter took a minute to compose himself, explaining that this was the biggest audience they’d ever played for in the US. At times he seemed a little overwhelmed by the experience, but mostly he seemed to feed off of the audience’s boundless energy. I’ve never seen a musician as appreciative of an audience in my life. And that appreciation translated into an epic performance.

Props have to go to the 9:30 Club for spot-on mixing and sound. It was so good it took me a long time to notice just how perfect it sounded (I know that sounds strange, but trust me, not noticing the mix is a good sign).

The show was webcasted live by NPR, and you can stream it from their site. I’m sure it will be available as part of their All Songs Considered podcast shortly.

Thanks to the magic of FabChannel here are some highlights from a live Josh Ritter show (not last night’s; it’s from September):