Civilization Is Going to Peak Tonight

I've been to some good concerts lately. Up until two weeks ago, I had declared the Pete Yorn show at Exit/In, the best I've seen. However, I think Pete may have been unseated last night by a $7 concert ticket. I am in awe. I went to the Nashville Sunday Night show featuring Josh Ritter prepared to be a little underwhelmed. Oh no. No, no, no, no...it was amazing.

Josh Ritter is a doll. When he sings, he closes his eyes and sings like he's blind - all weave-y and sincere. You know what I'm talking about. He's so personable, and you can tell that he's pretty much really really smart. His lyrics are insightful and funny and sad and so sweet that there was more than one time I found myself wishing someone had written that line about me. Here's an example; this is from the song "Kathleen":

All the other girls here are stars. You are the Northern Lights...Well they try and they try, but everything that they do is the ghost of a trace of a pale imitation of you.

I mean, who wouldn't want to hear that, right? But the most amazing thing about Josh Ritter wasn't even really about him. It was about the audience and the way that apparently everyone connected with him. If you live in Nashville and have ever been out into the music scene, then you know that Nashville's not always a friendly place to play music. Nashville is full of music snobs who go to shows to critique, not to enjoy. Standing up? Uh uh. Dancing? No way. Clapping? Trying that is like trying to clap at a Church of Christ, just see what happens when you try. Of course, that's not always the case, but live music tends to be a kind of somber event here, unfortunately.

But last night, last night was music perfection! He got the ENTIRE audience to stand and clap and dance for TWO songs and his finale was laced through with some of the funniest commentary I've ever heard. He promised us that civilization was going to peak, while he urged us to sing along on the chorus. The commentary was so good - it involved meeting the love of your life and talking about your hopes and dreams and then getting on a train. I know it sounds weird, and it really really was. But it was wonderful too. I think you may have had to been there to really get it - sorry. He wanted us to sing for the love of our life that's just around the corner, for the bliss of staying up all night and risking everything for love. Maybe it's my current "I want to believe in love" mood, but he made you believe it. It was just that kind of night. Just kind of magic.