On Friday Nov. 22, audiences filed into Pollak Theater to see Josh Ritter. First, however, was opening act Natalie Zeller. Zeller, a sophomore, played a 45 minute set to open for the distinguished singer/songwriter.
Zeller walked onstage with her acoustic guitar and a smile. She said, “I’m so honored to be here. I was going to be here anyway tonight to see Josh Ritter, so this worked out.”
The music industry major first sang a song called “Bipolar” and said, “Sing along if you know it.” Zeller definitely had some fans there as audience members were heard singing along to the track (which was featured on the first Blue Hawk Records compilation CD).
Zeller really liked audience participation. She asked audience members to clap with the beat many times over the night. It kept concert goers interested, even if they weren’t familiar with her music.
The Blue Hawk Records artist also played a song that is on the newest compilation from the record label. Zeller talked to the audience about recording “Twisted,” a long process. She said, “It was 10 and a half hours in the studio, but I’m not complaining at all.” The compilation CD came out Dec. 2 on iTunes.
While many of Zeller’s peers were in the audience, the majority of concert goers were unfamiliar with her music. Audience members seemed to be impressed with Zeller’s performance. “I thought she was really great,” Kelsey King said, an attendee from Medford, NJ.
Tim Rumef, a concert goer from Bucks County, PA, agreed. “She has a really nice voice,” he said.
Both came for Josh Ritter, though. King has been a fan for over 10 years and said, “I thought it was sublime, really wonderful. I think just his attitude is incredible.”
Zeller’s bubbly, outgoing presence complimented Ritter’s more reserved, but equally upbeat personality. Her laidback, acoustic music also went well with Ritter’s folk rock sound.
Ritter played for almost two hours and was accompanied by Zachariah Hickman. While Ritter stuck to his acoustic guitar, Hickman moved between the guitar, upright bass and harpsichord (a piano-like instrument).
Ritter was mostly quiet, but he cracked a few jokes about Pollak’s architecture. “This theater was built to look like the inside of a Starship Enterprise. In fact, we’re flying,” he said.
The audience was dead silent when Ritter played, but they were loud every time he finished. Ritter even played a song without a microphone and his voice could be heard perfectly throughout Pollak. Applause and hollering went on for a while after most songs. Ritter didn’t even introduce the majority of his songs. It was clear that he was playing to a fanbase that was very familiar with is work. At the end of the night, Ritter received a standing ovation until he came back out for an encore.
Ritter was very generous with his spotlight. In addition to letting Zeller open the show, he let his accompanist, Hickman, close the show. Hickman played a funny song called “Where’s the Dancing?” The song was about him attending a Mennonite Prom, and it was a great note to end the show on.
An official release party for the Blue Hawk Records compilation album will happen on Wednesday Dec. 4 in Plangere from 2-4 pm. The album is available on iTunes now, as is Josh Ritter’s most recent release, “The Beast in its Tracks.”
Check out monmouth.edu/arts for info on upcoming concerts on campus.
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