Ripe doesn’t want you to sit still. The Boston-born band is on a mission to get you (and keep you) on your feet and make sure you’re smiling the whole time. Emerging in matching varsity jackets at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix on Thursday night, they turned the circular stage into the center of the dance floor for everyone in the room.
After some light group choreography to “Flipside” and “Settling”, frontman Robbie Wulfsohn introduced the band and their mission — even offering a refund to anyone who doesn’t have a good time. It was the beginning of the night’s funny commentary, which made the set more fun and also added a bit of intimacy, getting to hear more about the music.
For example: dedicating “First Time Feeling” to the lovers and the next song, “Peacocks,” to the haters — because, well, balance. And before launching into “Cheap Seats,” he shared, “The day this song came out, I got a concussion. So now this song is about two things.”
Ripe worked through their set just like this, some singing, some dancing, some stories. They shared new music from last month’s release, Play the Game, and sprinkled in some older selections and even some collabs with tourmate Allen Stone.
Before their final few songs, though, Wulfsohn led the audience in a heartfelt thank you to the crew, which was an on-brand touch for the band that’s centered on collaboration and community. From the back-row audience members to the sound techs in the booth, everyone in the venue got a shoutout as appreciation for being there.
As we learned, it’s impossible to leave a Ripe show feeling anything but happy from the dancing-induced endorphins and gratitude from the band. Mission accomplished.
