After a 3-year-long music hiatus, California native Ryan Beatty began his North American tour in Austin, Texas at the Historic Scoot Inn on February 15th. After about an hour and a half of pure anticipation, Ryan emerged from the tiny backstage of the Scoot Inn Amphitheater, wearing cowboy boots and a brown hoodie, to the melody of the first single of Calico, "Ribbons".
Beatty’s silky smooth voice paired with the outstanding support of his band made for an impeccable performance. Beatty played the entirety of Calico, and sprinkled in a few of his older hits from his first two albums, "Dreaming of David" and "Boy in Jeans". He ended the first part of his set with a beautiful live version of "White Teeth", which he stated he believed was his most well-written song.
When Beatty left the stage after "White Teeth", his fans chanted for an encore. After about two minutes of chanting, his band re-entered the stage, and Beatty followed suit. He began the first two of his three encore songs with what seemed to have been an unreleased song, and the entire audience remained silent and attentive to the new sounds they were hearing. His final song was "Little Faith", an intensely beautiful song about Beatty’s struggles with mental health and suicidal ideations.
Beatty thanked the audience and left the stage, grinning ear to ear. His entire performance was captivating; the crowd sang along to each song in a lovely harmony. The lap steel and piano player carried the band, and each musician was perfectly in communication with the other.
Overall, Ryan Beatty carried an energy to the stage that only a musician who has missed their craft would carry. His passion for his art translated into his performance, and it was contagious. Ryan Beatty is back.
