A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to see an artist that has been stationed at the top of my concert bucket list for years. Ryan Beatty, an American singer-songwriter, has been one of my favorite artists since I discovered him in early 2020.
Beatty has released three albums in the past six years, but aside from these releases he does not have a very active online presence, which contributes to the fact that he has not become a very popular artist. In March of last year he broke his internet silence and announced a new album, and with it a new tour: California in Every Color. The tour only featured five shows, but I knew that I had to do anything to be there.
I ended up traveling a collective 12 hours from Columbus to Chicago in order to catch the concert. The show was held at the Lincoln Hall in Lincoln Park, which only holds about 500 people. Most of the concerts I have been to have been in huge stadiums or at festivals, and the intimacy of this venue was new to me, but it was something that I was excited to experience.
There was no opener for Beatty’s performance, so he came out as soon as the concert started. As soon as he came onto the stage, he took a seat, and he remained seated for almost the entire show. When he started singing, the crowd went absolutely silent, and I am confident that you could have heard a pin drop. I have been to over twenty concerts, and this is the first one where I could actually truly hear the artist. The silence of the crowd allowed for one of the most beautiful performances of my life.
It was such a pleasant and wonderful experience that I could have watched Ryan Beatty perform for the rest of my life. Although I am not sure if Ryan Beatty will go on another tour anytime soon, his show will be one that I will remember forever, and I will reminisce about the quality of the performance the next time I am being trampled by a crowd at a concert where I can’t see the artist.