Josh Ritter - Live At The West End

I'm sure the two opening sentences in the book Photography for Dummies are similar to this: 'Before shooting, ensure your batteries are charged or have enough power to last an entire photographic session. Always carry back ups, just to be safe.'

This was a lesson I learned the hard way last night - my batteries were doa and I possessed no trusty back ups. So, no pics from last night's Emm Gryner/Josh Ritter show.

Pictures or not, the show was fantastic. Emm played a 40 minute set of mostly sombre ballads and while I enjoyed her songs, I'm not sure they'd be something I'd actively listen to on a regular basis.

Josh Ritter hit the stage at approximately 9 O'Clock and played an electrifying two hour set of songs from his entire folk/rock/pop repertoire, leaning heavily on his latest release: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. For nearly the whole set, Josh had a wide grin from ear-to-ear and this combined with his natural charm, wonderful sense of humour and assured stage presence thrilled the crowd. The performances were rock-solid and the four piece band touring with Josh skillfully fleshed out all the songs.

Unfortunately, the show wasn't seated and about half-an-hour before it ended, my feet and lower back were beyond sore. And I wasn't the only uncomfortable one - I noticed most people shifting back and forth in an uneasy manner, repeatedly pressing their hands to their lower backs. Standing still for two hours is torturous.

But that's just a minor point. Overall, it was a terrific show.

***

KAAAAAANNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYEEEEEEE! Mr. West is gracing our city with his presence for the second time in less than a year, playing the MTS Centre on May 26th. He's touring with Rhinanna, Lupe Fiasco, and N. E. R. D. Ticket prices range from $53.50 - $93.50 and go on sale March 8th.

I think I'm gonna go.

Current rotation: Kanye West - Late Registration (UK)