Athens’ favorite folk-orchestral group The Ridges put on another solid performance at Casa Nueva.
I’ve seen The Ridges live more times than I can count anymore.
I’ve seen them at Donkey Coffee, Haffa’s Records store, Mercy Lounge in Nashville opening for the incredible Kishi Bashi and a dozen times at Casa Nueva.
In most respects, this Saturday’s show was the same formula I’ve come to enjoy from the band: blood curdling screams from front man Victor Rasgaitis, the beautifully crafted orchestral melodies and seamless song transitions of Talor Smith and, of course, the crowd participation as everyone sings along to every lyric, which can only happen in Athens.
There’s not a person there that doesn’t wish the whole GD-world would realize this band is great and start singing along as well. I mean, by the end of the set everyone was dancing and jumping to “Chicago” by Sufjan Stevens (another necessary trope of any Ridges show) and the first thing I did was turn to the person on my right and give him a big old hug (thanks for that one Mr. Postlethwait)
The band even rolled out a new-ish, drums-heavy, more energetic version of the unreleased track “Emaline,” which they debuted on our Athens Sessions video series last April. They even played a brand new song.
Despite that welcome edition to the lineup, the shows are starting to feel a little monotonous and too expected. That’s been fine up until now but I’m ready for new music. Period.
I don’t even know how long it’s been since Rasgaitis first mentioned to me that a new album was around the corner (my best guess is two years at this point) and we still have hardly any information about it: the name? Number of tracks? Which songs? The full instrumentation used? Album art work? — I want to know!
Just about the only thing we do know is that there will be several instrumental tracks interwoven throughout or possibly in two big blocks at the beginning and end.
I know the reason Rasgaitis is waiting to release it. He wants to make a bigger splash and get some sort of promotion behind the release to take the band to the next level. I’m all for that, but I’m also getting impatient and I think it would only help the band’s prospects of getting signed or whatever it is they’re looking to do if they just released the damn thing.
The Ridges have never been a big commercial success story, this is something that has grown and spread organically and that’s the same way this album will spread if they give it a chance to grow.
This Saturday’s show was a choice experience that can really only be replicated in Athens, but I’m hoping and knowing the idea can spread.
Victor, give me a call when you’re ready to talk details.
@Wilbur_Hoffman
wh092010@ohio.edu
