Jam band fans converged on the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, N.Y. on Friday Nov. 15. For the first leg of their tour, Ripe came to Central New York to put on a show filled with great sounds and even better vibes.
The Boston-based group of seven musicians began this current tour in October and will continue to travel across the nation until the end of March. This tour is mainly to support their album Joy in the Wild Unknown, which was released in April 2018. The album boasts anthems such as original songs “Goon Squad” and “Downward,” as well as a complimentary cover of the ever-popular hit by The Kinks, “Lola.”
Ripe’s sound is unlike many other jam bands, mainly because of their incorporation of brass instruments. Trumpeter Josh Shpak and trombonist Calvin Barthel provide a prominent boost over the rest of the group’s play. Some feel like the implementation of brass instruments is an effective evolution of traditional jam band sound.
“I think more groups or artists should incorporate brass sections into their music,” audience member and Tyler Tiede said. “It adds a lot of color to the live performance that you don’t really get from just having guitar and bass players.”
While the brass section provided highlight notes that stood out, bassist Nadav Shapira provided a steady bassline that serves as the heartbeat for their songs. His play, combined with hard-hitting drums from Sampson Hellerman, gave guitarists Tory Geismar and Jon Becker something to work from.
The sound that may stand out the most to people when listening to Ripe is their funky guitar coupled with lead singer and frontman Robbie Wulfsohn’s passionate vocals. Both guitarists seemed to trade the responsibility of playing funky riffs while the other effectively and powerfully played rhythm. This constant trade between the two allowed the funk sound to differ because of their styles.
On top of the funky guitar pedal they used all night, the pair would occasionally throw in a slick solo that played off of what the other band members were producing. Wulfsohn’s raspy-but-talented voice was the cherry on top of an already incredible performance by his bandmates.
Although Ripe has yet to gain widespread fame and popularity, the relatively small venue was packed with fans who bounced around during their more upbeat songs but could enjoy the slow rock with a consistent head bob.
Some crowd members felt that the smaller theater made the experience even better.
“The venue was great. The stage was really wide, so a lot of people got to be right up close,” audience member and senior psychology major Anthony Prato said. “The energy was definitely there from the crowd from start to finish.”
With the crowd connecting to the musicians so intensely during their set, one would think Ripe was among the most popular groups on tour.
Throughout the show, Wulfsohn provided the energy that feeds the group’s unique sound. His signature big head of hair would bounce around the stage, visiting his fellow musicians and hyping up their play.
Audience members pushed further and further down towards the stage where the band was actively interacting with its fans. After every song, Wulfsohn had to acknowledge the enthusiasm of the small crowd, going as far as coming down to the front and shaking everyone’s hand who clung to the security barrier.
Ripe’s small venue performance provided hours of funky jamming for whoever was lucky enough to fit inside the Westcott. After the show, band members roamed the thinning crowd to chat and take pictures.
With their warm hospitality, down-to-earth mentality and distinct sound, look out for Ripe when they explode into mainstream popularity.