Ritt Momney August 13, 20201 Utah State Fairpark
Review By: Breanna Downs
When I tell you that I was excited about this concert, it would be a severe understatement. I have been a fan of Ritt Momney for a few years now, and I couldn’t wait to see him perform for the 13th Annual DIY festival in Salt Lake City! The DIY festival was created to cultivate an environment that inspires and promotes local artists. I was impressed with the variety of artists that participated in the festival. I loved the inclusive atmosphere that was provided for each person to display their work.
This festival would be Ritt Momney’s first-ever headline event. It felt appropriate that his first headlining event would take place back where he started. Ritt, Jack Rutter, is from Salt Lake City and first formed the band in 2016. Jack originally started the band with a few friends from high school. They began with releasing songs on SoundCloud and to start. His largest fan base was in Utah. Ritt Momney has since had a drastic rise in popularity, with the song “Put Your Records On” being the biggest catalyst in bringing Ritt Momney to fame. The band lineup has since changed members. For this show, it showcased Shane T on the guitar and Steven Shultz as the drummer.
Before the show started, the band was setting up on stage. There was already a crowd of people forming at the base of the stage, it was obvious that they were ready for the show to begin. Without introduction, they began with the song, “Paper News,” from the 2019 album, Her and All of My Friends. There was an immediate irruption of excitement, and the show was off to a great start!
I am a big fan of the album Her and All of My Friends. Jack wrote this album after the original band was separating and his bandmates were all headed in different directions. Jack’s songwriting feels incredibly honest and raw, he is very good at capturing the feeling of loneliness, something he was experiencing with a new reality post-high school. The whole album has a sense of personal progression, as Jack is going through changes and losses but eventually it all turns into growth. Not only is the writing incredible, but the music itself is exceptional. Ritt Momney has a very unique sound, utilizing a combination of synth and acoustics. Jack creates a beautiful listening experience.
Unfortunately for the band, they had a canceled tour with Dayglow due to the pandemic. Despite the disappointment, Ritt Momney was able to push through and create some new music. They performed some songs from an upcoming album, the first to be performed was “Not Around.” The song was co-written and co-produced with the band Dayglow. The song was the first single to be released in 2021, and it feels like the perfect peak into what is to come in the future. It was so cool to see this song performed live, I loved the way that the song seamlessly builds up and provides an epic summit. It really got the crowd hyped up!
Next up was my personal favorite, “Something, in General.” Jack swapped places with Shane and played the guitar for this song. This song is the perfect highlight of Rutter’s insane vocals. He has a very smooth, glossy tone to his voice. The song is very melancholy, and his voice plays into that very well.
One of the songs played during the set, was a new song that hasn’t been released yet. Again, this song provided a clear display of Jack’s talent for writing. Previously, the audience had been singing every word to the songs played but for this new song, it was just awe-filled silence. I don’t think that I was alone in feeling lucky to be hearing an unreleased song, and it only makes the excitement for a new album even stronger.
They performed another new single that was released in June of this year. “Escalator” feels very innovative. I’ve never heard a song like it, I love the techno beats paired with the autotune effects on the vocals. Jack was surprised to see that most of the audience knew all of the lyrics. I wasn’t surprised. It was clear that they were performing for a very dedicated audience, which made the show feel so special.
Ritt Momney closed with a song from Her and All My Friends, “(if) the book doesn’t sell.” This song is the very definition of honest writing. It is a look into Jack’s journey to find his own truth within a community that seems to only view things in a very black and white manner. There is always a balance to be struck with songwriters. A battle to show their own personal views and experiences, and maintaining relatability with their audience. I feel like Jack is a master of this, his songs are filled with emotion and every lyric makes you feel a connection to the music.
Overall, this was an incredible concert. What was lacking in an elaborate stage setup, was made up for in the amazing performance. It was clear the crowd had a great time, and they were already craving more. There is something about attending a Ritt Momney concert that makes you feel so lucky to be there, I hope that everyone gets to experience it someday.
Setlist:
Paper News
Not Around
Young Adult
Command V
Phoebe
Escalator
(if) the Book Doesn’t Sell