Video: Josh Ritter @ the Music Box in Hollywood, 6/23

Josh Ritter’s “Lillith, Egypt” from devon maloney on Vimeo.

by Devon Maloney

JOSH RITTER performed at—nay, transformed—the Henry Fonda Music Box in Hollywood last night. Supported by the sensationally talented bluegrass/roots trio theCarolina Chocolate Drops, Ritter captivated the audience with his near-constant grinning and his two-hour set of narrative foot-stompers and simple lullabies. His performance was punctuated with short anecdotes that “[had] nothing to do with this next song,” and then, toward the end of the night, Ritter asked for all the lights in the entire house to be turned off. He stepped away from the microphone, unplugged his acoustic guitar, and played “In the Dark,” while the entire crowd sang along, some even adding harmonies. By the end of the night, it would have been impossible for him to get away with NOT playing the three-song encore his fans demanded.

Here, he and his five-piece band of snappy-suited gentlemen play “Lillian, Egypt.” It’s clear by both the movement of the cameraperson (me) and the animation of the artist himself that this was not a show at which one was encouraged to stand still.

Be sure to check out Josh Ritter (and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who are simply not to be missed!) when he comes to your town!

Tagged: los angeles, concerts, josh ritter, reviews, .