![]() It was the joy you feel watching someone do exactly what they were born to do.Ĭhris Maroulakos is a writer and editor for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear. His unwavering smile remained plastered to his face even in between songs, such as when he praised Solona Beach for their "prevalence of dog bakeries." But the real pleasure that night came from watching Josh Ritter play. Whether grooving to the poppy "Right Moves" or closing the set with a singalong of "Wait For Love (You Know You Will)," Ritter radiated enthusiasm, the result of his unmistakable love for playing music. Ritter has been playing some of these songs for years, but you would never know it by watching him. He even paid tribute to the Boss with a cover of Springsteen's "The River," a nostalgic ode to depleted love that provided the night with one of its many highlights. Bob Dylan is Ritter's most obvious influence, but there were also shades of Paul Simon ("Lark") and Cat Stevens ("Long Shadows"). He followed the morbid, retooled traditional "Folk Bloodbath" with "Good Man," a rousing gin joint romp that turned every attendee into a backup singer. With each song, Ritter led the crowd further along an emotional journey. His narratives were moving and insightful, but soaked in a wry humor that kept them from veering off into melancholy. Every song told its own story, touching upon Ritter's pet themes of dreams, religion, and love. The Nick Cave-esque "Rattling Locks" punctuated its tale of haunted seclusion with a flurry of clicked sticks and ominous, distorted guitar. The finger-picked chords of "Change of Time" spiraled upward as the band carefully added layers to Ritter's guitar and vocals. Ritter began the set with songs from his majestic new album, So Runs the World Away. Their enthusiasm only added to Ritter's energy, and he shared stories and jokes with the crowd as if the show were a reunion with old friends. The audience seemed familiar with every corner of his expansive discography, singing along to nearly all of the epic set's thirty songs. ![]() Supported by his four-piece band, he hopped around the stage with boundless exuberance. It's his smile.įans at the Belly Up Tavern were treated to over two hours of music by Ritter on Tuesday night, and his ear-to-ear grin didn't disappear once. ![]() Hes not only an adroit writer when it comes to clever wordplay, but he understands how to mine the emotional impact of a song. But the thing that most sets Ritter apart from modern-day musicians isn't his wardrobe or his music. Josh Ritter has always relished his role as a lyricist. His minimalist, acoustic folk albums fit snugly alongside 1960s Bob Dylan and 1930s Woody Guthrie. With his suspenders and curly head of red, newsboy hair, he could be a turn-of-the-century busker or a character out of a Dickens novel.
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