Show Recap #1: Washington DC - The 9:30 Club - 12/1/09

"Playing new songs is like introducing someone to your parents. You wonder what they’ll think..." Josh said halfway through his show last night in Washington, DC It’s a metaphor he’s used before about playing something new, but this time he added, "...but you can’t hide tattoos...especially ones on your forehead."

This perfectly sums up last night's show and what it was all about: the new Josh Ritter songs the sold-out 9:30 Club audience heard Tuesday night. Whether with an unrelentless pounding on the drums ("Remnant") or chill inducing new narratives ("The Curse" and "Another New World") – they're just in your face. You can not NOT look at them. Or listen. Which is exactly what the crowd did.

Josh and the band took to the stage last night, led by Josh's usual bounding to the microphone to yell "Howdy!" before settling into "Wildfires." Interesting way to open a show, perhaps, as it starts with a whisper. But Wildfires is disguised as a mellow song, and when it swells and swells, anyone watching drummer Liam Hurley’s arms (they hit every piece in front and around him at a furious pace, with every and anything in his hands – including his actual hands) will attest to that. The furious build subsides for merely seconds before the band kicks into "Rumors," from the same Historical Conquests album, highlighted by guitarist Austin Nevins absolutely ripping. You know it's going to be a rough and tumble show, judging by Josh’s wristwatch either falling (or being ditched) to the ground at the song's start, before he kicks it aside. Great. Throw the clock out the window, I say. No one’s looking at the time now.

After "Rumors," Josh again thanks the crowd and remarks how much he loves playing The 9:30 Club, "one of the finest places to play music." The audience returns the love when, after Josh reveals that tonight is bass player Zack Hickman’s birthday, serenades him with an enthusiastic "Happy Birthday to You." With the crowd now even more on the band’s side, they fire up a groovy rendition of "Right Moves" before playing their first new song of the evening, "Southern Pacific," which features a gorgeous chorus melody sure to be stuck in your head after the show. It's still stuck in mine. It gets the audience excited enough about the new album that one fan can't help but yell out to the stage after the song finishes, "When's the new album coming out?!?" When Josh reveals that it will likely be April, you could hear half the audience chortle with joy, while others nearly gasped. I'm sure the latter are the fans out there who just can't have this new album soon enough!

A tastefully mellow "Open Doors" is next, with both Josh and Austin going acoustic, before the band kicks into a Ritter classic, "Golden Age of Radio (Country Song)."  I swear, this is one of Josh's songs that seems to get faster and faster and more rockin' each time they play it. But the live incarnations of this song have gone through many renditions, from merely upbeat (like on the record of the same name), to pure solo acoustic ballad, to even combining the two paces into one performance. But last night the song was back to pure rock, and wow did it ever.

Of course, Josh as always spent time between some songs talking to the audience about anything on his mind at the moment. After Golden Age, it was how he took the Fung Wah bus to DC (though I'm pretty sure he meant from NYC to Boston before the tour), a ride that apparently included a showing of the film Lady in Red – not once, but twice, and at an alarming volume. This was before Mr. Mom, according to Josh, made it to the 23 minute mark before hitting a glitch and restarting. For once, the audience was smiling and laughing harder than Josh was. A great, funny moment of candor and irrelevance that fans have come to expect from a Josh Ritter show.

The audience's mood only got better when Josh, now onstage alone with an acoustic guitar, strummed the opening chords to perhaps his most popular song to date, "Kathleen." He doesn’t often do this song solo like this, and it's a refreshing rendition that gets the audience singing the words so loudly, that Josh didn't have to. A wonderful highlight in the show.

It's right about now that the show hits its first truly stunning moment. Still solo acoustic, Josh plucks a strings and says "This song is called 'The Curse.'" Those unfamiliar with the title show excitement because it must be new, while those who have heard this song already celebrate with a quick applause of recognition and approval.  Folks...I’m gonna go ahead and say it... "The Curse" is an absolutely masterwork for this artist. For any artist. It's one of the greatest songs I've ever heard, with no exaggeration. If you're wondering, the song is about a woman who falls in love with a mummy (no I'm not kidding), who romantically - and tragically - comes to life. With a full view of the audience's faces from where I was, it was a revelation to see this song slowly wash over the crowd. Over 1,000 people in the sold-out audience fell SILENT. We're talking pin-dropping quiet as they hung on every word. Some people closed their eyes and just listened, others smiled ear to ear or just let their jaws drop over the tune's clever and surprising narrative, while others I witnessed near - or already there - the verge of tears. I'm secure enough in my manhood to say that I'm in the latter category. This song slays me. It's a must-hear, and I'm sure it will be one of the more talked about songs from here on. And it should be.

Josh stays solo acoustic for two more songs. "You Don’t Make it Easy, Babe" and "Wings" - where Josh has to urge the lighting person to turn the lights "all the way down." And when he says "all the way down," he means OFF. Josh does this from time to time, especially for this song, and it's always fun to see him convince the lighting person that, yes, he wants complete darkness. And he gets it. The result is a haunting and stirring performance that seems to transcend where we all are. Another highlight. But it's back to full on rocking the place when the band reappears for "Mind’s Eye". With the crowd back to shaking and bouncing, drummer Liam Hurley starts a monotonous pounding on his drums. Josh ditches the guitar for just the mic stand. And then he assaults the audience with a barrage of word tumbling that gets everyone thinking the same thing: another new one! "Remnant" (or "Old Man" as it's also been called by the band) is not just from the new album, but it's a Josh Ritter premiere. "Thanks for listening – we’ve never played that before" he remarks after.

"Lilian, Egypt" is as fun as it always is – but this time Josh and the band use the piano breakdown during the midway point of the song to sprinkle in some holiday joy, when Sam Kassirer segues into "Little Drummer Boy." It takes a few moments for the audience to catch on, but when they do, it sparks appreciative yells and applause.

It's at this point, I'll admit, that Josh shows the first signs of tonight actually being a tour opener. When he ditches the set list to play the rollicking crowd favorite "Me and Jiggs," it's at least the second time of the night where he forgets the lyrics. Obviously thrown by it (he also ditches the 'in-ear' device wired to his ear), the fans are NOT. I've seen performers forget their own words before, but if you've been to one of Josh's shows then you know that his faithful legions are quick to forgive. After all, they know all the words anyway! He didn't have to sing them; and only Josh Ritter could come off as just more charming than he already was as he stammered back to tune's words. Everyone, including Josh, can't help but laugh when he returns to song's "In a town like this, I forget all my songs about trains." What I'm sure Josh later thought to be a rough patch was actually another highlight. A very genuine, very unrehearsed, and very communal part of a live rock show.

The band again slides off stage, this time leaving only Austin to play electric guitar next to Josh. When Josh sings the opening line, "Moooon riverrrr..." it's met with some quick chuckles. Is Josh really covering the classic "Moon River?" He is, and it's a gorgeous performance that once again absolutely silences the packed audience. This is the perfect time for Josh to play another new song, "Another New World." If "The Curse" didn’t move you, this one will. Silence again as we hang on every word of another haunting tale. But this one is not fable-like as The Curse is – it's a goosebump causing story of a man and his ship traveling to the discover a new world, "at the top of the world, for whoever can break through the ice." I won't give away the ending of the story, which once again brings tragedy and yet bittersweet satisfaction. And beauty. Another must-hear, and another testament that the new album could be Josh's finest.

The show closes with a couple rocking favorites: "Harrisburg" (from Golden Age of Radio) and "To the Dogs or Whoever" (from Historical Conquests). Dogs has quickly become a signature song for Josh, and deservedly so. It’s another jam that somehow manages to get faster and faster each time they play it – a real feat considering the furious pace of the lyrical gymnastics. Even more impressive is how much of the audience is able to keep up as they belt out the words! I wasn't sure which side of the stage I was more impressed with.

The call for an encore isn’t just inevitable, it's LOUD. And the crowd is rewarded with a solo acoustic "Girl in the War," dedicated to everyone in Afghanistan. This song is always stirring, but playing it in our nation's capital it's even moreso. The band rejoins Josh for "Empty Hearts," which gets the crowd singing the chorus with gusto. So much, that Josh encourages the folks on the floor to serenade the balconies, a la Romeo and Juliet. They do, and the favor is returned from the fans up high. The concert comes to a close, appropriately so, with the Ritter classic "Come and Find Me." This brings the lights onto a sea of smiling, satisfied faces – and I'm one of them.

What a great, rollicking and emotional start to this short little tour up the Northeast.  This promises to be a week full of surprises.