Next was the nostalgia of 2018’s “Old Friends” (not to be confused with the Simon & Garfunkel song) and the sing-a-long single from the new record, “Living My Best Life”, which after fifteen years of independent success and a now-growing family, he convincingly is. The walk-on music of “Joy to the World” made complete sense, as the ninety-minute headlining set began not with Rector walking out first, but “Joy” taking his place on the piano, followed by Rector and band playing “Dream On” (not to be confused with the Aerosmith song), an empowering lullaby of sorts. Turns out that creature is named “Joy”, was designed by Jim Henson’s creature shop, and is out of tour with Rector and band. Even the quirky cover image sparks a smile, with Rector on his piano, alongside a large red furry creature.

The new album, his eight studio release, is The Joy of Music (on his own Ok Kid Records) released in March, and is the ideal shot of uplifting positivity the world needs, after twenty months or more, of pandemic isolation. Guess we had to wait for the rest of the world to catch up with what we had already known, seeing him again in 2015, on the lake in 2016, again in late 2016, and as part of the Basilica Block Party in 2017. We’ve followed Nashville singer-songwriter Ben Rector for the last decade now, even initially asking after we caught him live back in 2013, why he wasn’t a much bigger deal. “Where my Swifties at?” Scott asked the enthusiastic crowd, launching into his cover of the 2012 song, “All Too Well”, and the set ended with his 2019 song, “Favorite T-Shirt”. Scott unexpectedly also has become a country crossover artist as well, thanks to his single with Russell Dickerson, “She Likes It”, a song born when Dickerson posted the chorus, but needed some lyrical help on the verses. Apparently, there is a serious AR/TX rivalry we in the Midwest don’t know enough about, but all turned into a story book happy ending, and his recent single, “Texas Girl” chronicles part of that. Scott unabashedly admits that most of his songs are inspired by his girlfriend/now-wife, Rachel, who serves as his constant muse and who he cultivated his relationship with, despite her being from Texas. His thirty-five minute set began unexpectedly with a short drum solo, with Scott then bursting on stage to sing songs in support of his 2021 eight-song EP, Goldenboy. Both had a similar style, so were complimentary playing on each other’s songs, with Day being a bit more John Mayer-esque soulful, and more twangy as well.Īrkansas native Jake Scott would be up next, already an online sensation from recording a song a month and posting online for almost three years, and fresh from a successful club headlining tour. The packed night of music began with a short twenty-minute set from Jordy Searcy and Stephen Day, who reminded us a couple times that they “were not a band” but “two separate artists”, and who are also a part of the headliner Ben Rector’s band, alongside their Australian drummer.Įach played two of their own songs, with Day drawing from his recent 2021 release, The Shapes I’m In, while Searcy dug back a little deeper for 2018’s “Love & War in Your Twenties” and 2020’s “Better”. “Joy”, as it turns out, is a smiling red creature right out of Sesame Street, and KC just got a new signature song of their own-Ī perfect weather evening at Starlight Theater set the scene for the first outdoor show of indie singer-songwriter Ben Rector, on his Joy of Music: Live Tour, with support from Jake Scott and Jordy Searcy/Stephen Day.

Love & War in your Twenties (Jordy Searcy song).

The Boys Are Back In Town (Thin Lizzy cover).

Old Friends/ Forever Young (Alphaville cover).(walk on music- Joy to the World by Three Dog Night)

Tuvan throat singing soundbyte