We all are fans of at least one musical artist that we like so much that we wouldn’t miss them live for anything! Birthdays, weddings, funerals or whatever—no way you’re not going. Josh Rouse is one of those artists for me. Therefore, I was there front and center for his recent Grimey’s Thursday 6pm in-store.

Josh is back living in Nashville and his family and friends were there to welcome him back. We were also welcoming his new Yep Roc record, Love in the Modern Age, which the rest of the world had to wait until the next day to get a copy. Grimey’s had plenty available on both vinyl and CD, and it seemed that everyone in the crowded room had bought one.

Having seen my share of in-stores, Rouse gave us an extended version from the norm covering nine songs in some 40 minutes. There were five from the new record along with four golden oldies from his catalog. Feeling a bit nostalgic, Josh remarked about how strange it felt to say that “Under the Cold Blue Stars” was from 2002.

This was also one of the best sounding in-stores I have heard! Grimey’s soundman really nailed both the mix and the volume. As for the players, Josh’s usual harmonizing rhythm section of “Hags” Haggerty and Marc Pisapia were in their usual places holding the sound together. But, Josh was leading the show not only with his never-aging vocals, but with a beautiful melodically-toned electric guitar sound on which he stretched himself like I had never heard him. While they plan on adding a guitarist for their upcoming tour, there is certainly a mellow magic to this laid-back trio that I’d love to see and hear again.

The new songs all sounded great with Josh really giving his guitar a work out on “Salton Sea.”  Setting the stage with the 20-year old “Dressed Up Like Nebraska,” Rouse then sent us home with perhaps his most-loved song “It’s the Nighttime.”

If you missed tonight for whatever reason, you’ve got no excuse when Josh and band return for a full show on May 24 at Third & Lindsley. You know that I’ll be there.

SETLIST:

1. Businessman
2. Tropic Moon
3. Under the Cold Blue Stars
4. Love in the Modern Age
5. It Looks Like Love
6. Ordinary People, Ordinary Lives
7. Salton Sea
8. Dressed Up Like Nebraska
9. It’s the Nighttime

BAND:

Josh Rouse – electric guitar and vocals
James Haggerty – bass and backing vocals
Marc Pisapia – drums and backing vocals