Last night, Apryl and I attended a free Josh Ritter concert at the Metro. Well, it was free for us because I managed to win a Ticket Giveaway contest from Radio Free Chicago. As for the show, my keenest observation is this, Josh Ritter loves his job. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone performing on stage so excited and carefree. Throughout the evening, as Ritter would look out into the large, appreciative crowd, he would grin wildly as he literally bounced, jumping up and down in place. He must have thanked the crowd (as well as his band, the Metro, Chicago, etc.) at least a dozen times. And never did it seem like an act. Towards the end of the show as the Ritter’s faithful screamed with adoration, he shared, “The world is weird. But this makes it a lot easier.”
While I typically don’t like the singer/songwriter genre, Ritter seems to go beyond some of the genre’s simplicity. Being backed by a highly skilled, tight band helps. But he is also a very clever even romantic writer. And he has his own voice, even if at times, it channels Bruce Springsteen (which makes sense since he covered The Boss’ “The River” during the encore). He also reminds me a lot of Memphis’ Cory Branan who I could easily see on a double bill with Ritter. Both Ritter and Branan write music that’s instantly catchy with lines that are memorable enough that shows become sing-a-longs with their fans. And boy did Ritter have his fans! I’m not sure if it’s like this on the entire tour but Chicago (and the Midwest) sure loves their Ritter. The club was packed, and Ritter could do no wrong.
Below, a very short video of Ritter and his fans: