Truth be told I tend to steer clear of the current popular variety of folk music. More a type of acoustic Emo, de-fanged and navel-gazing, rather than the cunning and adroit poetry of the social (Guthrie) and the emotional (Towens Van Zandt.) There is a recent new wave of folk musicians that has changed my mind and gives me hope for the genre. Stephen Kellogg, Dillon Hodges, Joe Pug and now add to that list David Ramirez.
When I heard Austin-based singer-songwriter David Ramirez’s new song, The Bad Days,” I was immediately taken by the palpable ache of hope against the hopeless. The immediate yearn of the vocals. This man bleeds truth and doesn’t cower from the dark corners of human frailty.
The moody black and white video is directed Rob Montague allows us a view of the hard road and nightly magic a singer/songwriter must endure to share tier craft with few, sometimes indifferent people. Then get up and do it again.
The Bad Days is from Ramirez’s EP, The Rooster which is out now on Sweet World records. it was produced in 6 days by Ramirez and Danny Reisch (Shearwater, Okkervill River, White Denim)
Ramirez will hit the road with Jay Nash and Gregory Alan Isakov, all dates below.
Tour Dates
5/09 – Houston, TX @ Walter’s
5/10 – Austin, TX @ Cactus Cafe (Album Release Show)
5/11 – Dallas, TX @ Prophet Bar
5/22 – Phoenix @ The Rhythm Room #
5/23 – San Diego @ Soda Bar #
5/24 – Los Angeles @ McCabe’s #
5/25 – Ventura @ Zooey’s #
5/26 – Santa Cruz @ Catalyst Club Atrium #
5/28 – San Francisco @ Cafe Du Nord #
5/30 – Portland @ White Eagle Saloon #
5/31 – Seattle @ Q Cafe #
6/1 – Wenatchee @ Caffe Mela #
6/2 – Spokane @ Carr’s Corner #
6/4 – Salt Lake City @ Urban Lounge #
6/5 – Denver @ The Soiled Dove #
6/6 – Omaha @ The Slowdown #
6/7 – Chicago @ SPACE #
6/8 – St. Louis @ Off Broadway #
6/9 – Gravette, AR @ Hard Luck Cafe
6/11 – Kansas City @ Czar Bar #
6/12 – Tulsa @ The Vanguard #
6/13 – Oklahoma City @ The Blue Door #
7/16 – Washington DC @ The Hamilton *
7/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s *
7/18 – New York City @ Bowery Ballroom *
7/20 – Cambridge, MA @ Club Passim *
7/21 – Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square *
# co-headline with Jay Nash
* supporting Gregory Alan Isakov