One of the first questions I ask when I hear of an artist is “Where are they from?” The answer almost always gives me a frame of reference. It tends to set my expectation level. Most importantly though, when a band is from a city I revere I tend to give them more of my ear. Josh Ritter is from Moscow, Idaho. I couldn’t name one other artist that calls the state of Idaho home, and with Josh Ritter’s performance Wednesday night at the Music Box in Los Angeles, the bar for future Idahoans has been set very high.
Josh Ritter has been around for a few years. Every time he comes through Los Angeles he seems to pick up more fans and upgrade to larger venues. His recent stop in LA continued that trend. He opened his set at the Music Box Theatre with “Change of Time” from his recently released album. It’s epic build and steady crescendo foreshadowed the nature of the 2 hour performance he had in store for everyone.
Josh didn’t leave a stone unturned. From fan favorites like “Kathleen” and “Harrisburg” to instant classics like “The Curse,” there wasn’t a suggestion left in anyone’s “Freebird” shouting arsenal. Two inspired covers of “Mexican Home,” originally by John Prine and “Moon River” by Henry Mancini, also demonstrated his deference to music history. Overall though, it was Josh’s totally unplugged, totally dark performance of “In The Dark” that left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance.
Josh Ritter just seems like a nice guy. I realize that probably doesn’t matter because musicians should be judged on the merit of their music and performances, but he has an intangible quality that just makes me want to see him succeed. His new album So Runs The World Away is available now. Check it out!
