Spring tours are kicking off and Phoenix was the site of pure perfection on Tuesday when Ricky Montgomery started his latest run at The Van Buren. The Rick Tour: Another Rick in the Wall brought a sold out crowd of fans wielding roses and unfiltered emotions to pack the room for a night of immaculate vibes.
Singer-songwriter Noah Floersch was the only supporting act for the tour and he brought a quiet but powerful energy to his opening set. He completely won the hearts of those in the crowd when he didn’t hesitate to pause his set after noticing a medical emergency, refusing to continue until the all-clear was given. He played through his repertoire of songs, including his latest release, “The Kite”, to the delight of an audience eager to absorb the night’s performances. His exit from the stage was punctuated by the crowd urging him to come back as the now full room was warmed with love from the fans.
Ricky Montgomery shot to fame with his smooth as silk voice and a few viral TikTok tracks but the fans that pushed themselves towards the barricade were there for much more than a 30-second snippet. From the first notes of “Line Without a Hook”, the audience was mesmerized, following Montgomery as he paced the stage with his trusty guitar in hand. He got everyone’s hands in the air with “Cabo” and the cheers reached the balcony for “Type A”.
Montgomery’s stage presence is magnetic and his piercing eyes found contact with a roomful of upturned faces throughout the night. He even jumped down from the stage on several occasions to walk the length of the barricade and break down that wall between artist and fans. His band set the pace of the show, keeping the energy levels high and even managing to stand out in their white jumpsuits against the brightness of Montgomery’s stark setup.
By the time he reached the haunting acoustic melodies of “My Heart is Buried in Venice”, many fans were openly emotional and they waved their flowers at “Mr. Loverman” himself (a track that waited for the last moment of the encore). The main set closed with the fitting “Out Like a Light” before Montgomery made sure to return for a highly-demanded three song encore.
It’s easy to put artists who find viral fame on platforms like TikTok into a box but Montgomery is clearly the star in a much bigger show than the one found on social media. His obvious love for his fans bled through in every moment- including another pause for a fan needing assistance- and the crowd gave that love back to him with their cheers and a shower of roses. His ascension is imminent and we’ll be ready to welcome him back when he returns to Arizona.
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Story and photos by Olivia Khiel
