Josh Ritter said that he’s been in a “reflective” mood this year: it’s his twentieth year making music and performing. I first saw Josh live in 2004, after the release of Hello, Starling, opening for Joan Baez in Manchester, England. He played solo in the cavernous Bridgewater Hall; from the nosebleed seats, he was just a mop of hair in a dark suit with a red tie. But he had that audience from the first note and when he stepped in front of the mic and unplugged his guitar to sing “Lawrence, KS,” which he dedicated to Johnny Cash, the room was silent and rapt.

It wasn’t just his talent, though, that endeared him to fans in the UK; Josh stayed after the show talking with folks for as long as the line stretched. I saw him do that repeatedly in those years: in Ireland, back here at the Somerville Theater. And that willingness to know who was in his audience, that openness to connection, and his unabashed gratitude, has created a loyal fan base that returns Josh’s earnest happiness in full. The crowd at The Wilbur sung along with all the songs, even those just released on his new record, Fever Breaks. The album was produced by Jason Isbell and features Isbell’s band The 400 Unit; it’s a stunning collection. Thinking back on those early years, Josh commented that a lot of those early days were spent here in Boston, playing with “my friends Zack [Hickman] and Sam [Kassirer].” It’s a good reminder that when you go to see a young artist at Passim or Lizard Lounge, you might be catching them on the early trajectory of a career like Josh’s.

I loved the set list for this show. Recently, some acts have played their full albums straight through at the beginning of concerts. I get that, I don’t dislike it, per se, but I prefer the approach Josh took: he played three familiar and well-loved songs (“Thunderbolt’s Goodnight,” “Good Man,” and “Joy to You Baby”) before sharing “On The Water,” from the new one. He only played back-to-back songs from Fever Breaks once, and distributed the entire rest of the set pretty evenly among other albums. I think that balance did two things: it didn’t let listeners unfamiliar with the recently-released album get ancy or start calling out older songs, and it also gave the new songs a more assured place in the catalogue. They already belong, as much as any song.

One highlight from the night was when Josh started a small solo set in the middle with “Hotel Song,” one his earliest writing efforts. It’s funny and smart and maybe a little naive. Longtime fans were thrilled to hear it–one guy near me looked like he was sitting on a bouncy ball the whole time and he jumped up for a standing ovation. He sang every word. I love those moments in concerts, when a song that hasn’t been played live in thirteen years is brought out and makes somebody’s night. Josh then played “All Some Kind of Dream” off Fever Breaks, a clear message that calls us to our better selves in this moment, delivered beautifully and with sorrow.

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out just how amazing Josh Kaufman is at playing guitar. As a lead guitarist, he does not merely follow the song and then play a solo that complements the melody: he elevates, expands, and brings the song to new places. I feel so privileged to have seen him play with Josh and with Hiss Golden Messenger, and he is one of those players where it honestly wouldn’t matter who he was with or what he was doing, I would go to the show to see him play. His solo at the end of “Old Black Magic,” also from the new record was furious and precise, and it’s damn hard to be both of those things.

Josh is on tour, um, forever it seems. You should definitely catch this tour: it’s affirming, and we can all use some affirmation these days.   

Photo Credit: Laura S. Wilson