Josh Rouse Live at The Great American Music Hall SF, CA
Posted by John Malady on 05.02.2006
Is the critical acclaim Josh Rouse receives deserved?
Josh Rouse Live
April 18th, 2006 The Great American Music Hall. San Francisco, CA
On the eve of April 18th, 2006 my girlfriend and I went to see singer/songwriter Josh Rouse at San Francisco's famed Great American Music Hall. Prior to seeing him perform I had only heard a handful of his songs, all of which I enjoyed. Josh Rouse's music is a very laid back mix of California soft rock and contemporary folk with various elements of pop music in his song structure. His songs are arranged extremely well with a number of different sounds coming through in the mix. Subtle strings, hand claps, piano, and vocal harmonies are just a few of the types of sounds that Josh Rouse puts into his recordings to color his songs. I felt that if he faithfully recreated these types of soundscapes in a live setting then the potential was there for a stimulating auditory experience, and I was definitely in the mood for some live music to take me on a journey to anywhere.
When a string quartet took the stage prior to Josh walking out with his guitar, I had high hopes of those sounds from his recordings coming to life, and in that respect Josh Rouse live did not disappoint. He delivered his music with a comfortable confidence and was technically sound when recreating his songs on stage. However, certain things started coming into focus for me, and when he hit his seventh or eighth song my girlfriend and I started to search and reach for something that just wasn't there. What slowly became apparent was that what Josh Rouse does not have is any type of soul in his music.
I really need to point out before I continue, that Josh Rouse live was everything a die-hard fan could ask for. His band was very tight, his solo performances were focused and professional, and as I pointed out earlier he even had a string quartet along with him to recreate the sounds that are on his recordings. The Great American Music Hall is set up so that if you are in the balcony directly to the right or left of the stage you are very close to the performers and can also view the crowd in front of the stage. It was this view point that allowed me to really witness the exchange between Josh Rouse and his fans, and it was this exchange that crept under my skin and filled me up with an intense amount of clarity as well as a deep sadness that I was, if only briefly, a witness to something that encompassed almost every single thing I have spent my whole life speaking, writing, creating, and standing against. What is this thing you may ask? Comfortable, safe, reliable, professional, and content are all words that help describe what I am speaking of. Josh Rouse may be a great guy in everyday life, and I liked his recorded music prior to going to his concert, but while listening, watching, and observing the energy being transmitted at his show between him and his fans, the whole equation became clear-so much so, that when I added up all the pieces the answer came out to zero. 0. No passion, no soul, no movement, no interest, and no reason to stay so my girlfriend and I split.
In all my years of going to shows(I am 33 years old and my first show was at the age of 14), I had never witnessed a hall full of people so willing to display and exchange their comfortable lack of passion and celebrate their complacency, until the evening of April 18th, 2006. I have seen musicians nearly devoid of any musical talent at all perform with an abundance of passion and soul. I have seen the same passion from audiences when they have booed and thrown things at bands that they deemed unwatchable and/or unlistenable. I have seen the specter of violence overtake large pits of testosterone driven, pent up youth, rabid with animal passion-right or wrong it still had conviction, dedication, and an overall truth to it that was insanely disturbing as well as fascinating to observe. No matter what the scenario was, in any shape or form, passion was always there. If you don't question everything and everyone, including yourself, you can become content with the way the world is, never looking deeper than the surface. When that happens, you can purchase a pair of Josh Rouse tickets so you can stand still and lose yourself inside the soundtrack to your safe, passionless world where everyone wins and no one cries. Isn't that enough to make you want to stand up and leave his concert with me?
The 411: After walking out of Josh Rouse's concert I was relieved and refreshed to join the real world again, at least the world I experience and perceive from my viewpoint, where I can think for myself as well as feel anything and everything. A world that is flawed but diverse. On April 18th, 2006 I was reminded of just how afraid and fearful I am of experiencing a world and/or existence where everyone just accepts everything at face value and believes there is nothing wrong with the inherent ways of the world. For this and this alone I thank Josh Rouse and his fans, may you keep dancing from the waist up and forever buy what they sell you.
