Gig Review: Josh Ritter

Seeing Josh Ritter in Northampton, MA, was for me the perfect example of having your cake and eating it too: one of my very favorite artists playing in my very favorite city in Western Massachusetts. Both are rich with charm and character and an inner warmth that shines through in the frigid days of December. He begins the set with several new songs that are refreshingly original while still being proverbial “Josh”. He then launches into the familiar with one of my personal favorites, “Good Man” (which I’m told is a tour first). Despite the fact that the venue did not allow the crowd to stand, it erupted into a theater-wide sing along. “Good Man” is shortly followed by my own personal favorite, the somber and moving “Girl in the War,” which didn’t disappoint.

Through the entire set, one thing is certain; Josh Ritter is completely endearing to watch, telling stories about his time living in the area, and at one point laughing to himself, he stops and says “I just told myself a joke, I didn’t tell you.” Another particularly amusing anecdote involves a cut on his hand while touring in remote areas of Maine that required a large animal surgeon to stitch it up. He laces the tale into a lively performance of “You don’t make it easy, babe,” replacing the line “I’m your locked door’s worst knocker, I’m your curtain’s best friend.” with “I’m your large animal surgeon, I’m your bear claw.” It’s in moments like these that he is the most engaging, sharing bits of himself with the bits of us, eager to soak up as much as he’s willing to share.

While some of his more somber songs are my favorites, he truly comes alive while playing his more up-tempo songs such as “Kathleen” and “Snow is Gone”. He is effervescent on stage and there is an obvious passion and love for each and every note, each and every word. It is an entirely riveting experience and by the final 5 songs the crowd, despite frequent requests by staff to remain seated, finally leap out of their seats and dance along unable to contain themselves any longer.

On the ride home that night I found myself contemplating whether or not I could blow off my commitments in order to follow him over to Troy, NY where he was playing the following night. Talking to Tiffiny, I’m told that this isn’t an uncommon occurrence. I’m just glad I got to experience it firsthand.

Photo courtesy of our own amazing Dave. View the entire set here