Ideal Setlist: David Ramirez

Ideal Setlist: David Ramirez  

On 9/13/22, I saw David Ramirez play the Tractor Tavern in Seattle, Washington.  

I cannot think of another artist who does a better job of conveying the challenge of dedicating your life to an art form than David Ramirez. From songs about the moments you miss, fundamental questions about purpose, to wondering if one should continue, Mr. Ramirez asks you to walk a mile in his shoes for a while. In those moments, we develop a little empathy for all those road warriors burning up the interstate in pursuit of a dream.

I was first introduced to David Ramirez by a friend of mine from Oklahoma. She sent me the song, Stick Around, and said, “this song is about you.” After listening to it for the first time, it disappointed me. It shocked me she saw me this way. Then, I spent more time with the lyrics. I looked deeply at my own life. Sticking around was not my story. I had moved across the country to pursue something drastically different. Needing a fresh start, the expected routine of life was something I had to destroy.

I have moved from Seattle to Los Angeles and Los Angeles back to Seattle since I first heard that song. No longer do I find myself offended. Now, it feels like a badge of honor. I am a man living a life that is actively working to reject the tyranny of the expected. I have been lucky enough to see David Ramirez in concert five times now. His entire catalog means so much to me. It feels anthemic and makes me realize I am not alone. Seeing him live was and continues to be the manifestation of those feelings born into existence around a shared experience with total strangers. This is the power of good art.  

As far as my ideal setlist is concerned, the songs below are a collection of David Ramirez songs I have returned to most often. You will not find a song from every album, nor are all my favorite songs listed. Instead, these are 15 songs that keep me coming back for more. As always, I would love to hear from you. What is your ideal setlist?  

To listen to that playlist, click HERE.  

Communion

Ball and Chain

Hold On

Chapter II

New Way of Living

To listen to the entire playlist, click HERE.  

Be good to each other,

Nathan

Ideal Setlist: David Ramirez

On 11/8/17, I saw David Ramirez play the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles, CA. If I had the luxury of creating a setlist for one of his shows, these are the songs I would choose. To listen to the entire playlist, click HERE.

1. Chapter II

2. An Introduction

3. Stick Around

4. Friends and Family

5. Dancing and Vodka

To listen to the entire playlist, click HERE. 

6. Find the Light

7. Communion

8. New Way of Living

9. On Your Side

10. That Ain't Love

11. Hold On

12. Ball and Chain

13. Harder to Lie

14. Good Heart

15. Wild Bones

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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March Music Madness: David Ramirez vs. Death Cab for Cutie

If you've spent any time on this website, you know we love music. This got us thinking! Of the songs we love, which ones are the best. Instead of trying to decide among ourselves, we decided to open it up to our readers. So, watch the two videos below and let us know which one you like better in the comments below. You can also vote via our Facebook Page or Twitter. 

David Ramirez "Communion" 

VS. 

Death Cab for Cutie "Little Wanderer" 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan 

Ideal Setlist: David Ramirez

On 11/13/15, I saw David Ramirez play the Sunset Tavern in Seattle, WA. Based on the songs I have listened to the most, this would have been my ideal setlist. To listen to the entire playlist, click here. 

1. "Communion" 

2. "Ball and Chain" 

3. "Hold On" 

4. "Chapter II" 

5. "An Introduction" 

To listen to the entire playlist, click here. 

• "Friends and Family" 

• "Hold On" 

• "Stick Around" 

• "Mighty Fine" 

• "Harder to Lie" 

• "New Way of Living" 

• "That Ain't Love" 

• "Kindness" 

• "Paper Thin" 

• "On Your Side" 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan 

Musical Thesis: David Ramirez “Fables”

At the center of every album is a musical thesis. At the center of David Ramirez’s “Fables,” authenticity is on display with each and every word he sings. For those of us who have been listening for a while, his authentic, real, and first person narratives will not come as a surprise. For those new to Ramirez’s style of writing, you will find by the time you reach the last line of the final song on the album an unfamiliar and, perhaps an uneasy feeling of knowing the core of someone you have never met. This feeling is natural and should be expected when every song drips with poetry in musical form. The personal lines feel as if they can be applied to your own life, which is the hallmark of any good artist. As you listen to this album, you will discover a man allowing himself to love. Maybe, it will act as a mirror for your own life and it is here we answer our thesis; we find ourselves most easily in music when we can relate, we can appreciate, and we can see ourselves in the words. To his credit, David Ramirez does this better than most.

Be good to each other,

-Nathan

Ideal Setlist: David Ramirez

In April, I saw David Ramirez in concert at the Triple Door. This is my ideal setlist based on the top 15 songs listened to in my iTunes library.

1. Chapter One

2. The Forgiven

3. An Introduction 

4. Fires 

5. Mother and Fathers 

6. Find the Light 

7. Deal Me In 

8. Fire of Time 

9. Carry Me Like the Wind 

10. Deal Me In 

11. Paper Thin 

12. Wind Up Toy 

13. Don't Call Me Crying 

14. Strange Town 

15. Bloom 

Thanks for entering my world, 

-Nathan