Ron Pope at the Garage

Every concert, especially those held in intimate places like The Garage – where bodies brush past each other and the scent of beer lingers in the air – doesn’t just begin with the headlining artist. It starts with the opening act. Enter Emily Scott Robinson; tender and sweet, her voice drifts pleasantly through the crowded space of the venue. With her hypnotic vocal prowess, and songs with references to Macbeth’s witches and big dreams, she’s something of a hidden gem and a compelling counterpart to Ron Pope’s commanding stage presence. She sets the tone for the night, playing beautiful tracks like Old Gods and Better in Time, preparing the audience for the emotional journey ahead.

When Pope arrives on stage, the atmosphere instantly shifts into something more electric. Apropos of life on tour, he opens with Nobody’s Gonna Make It Out Alive, singing of long drives and seemingly endless roads, and all the adventures that come in between. It’s the perfect starter for getting the crowd dancing, with its steady rhythm and infectious energy. The first part of the set leans into this upbeat groove, with melodies it’s easy to get lost in, adventurous lyricism full of mischief and easy-to-remember choruses that even newer fans of Pope can sing along with.

The section that follows takes a more intimate turn. The tracks are more guitar-focused, Pope engaging with the crowd between songs, sharing personal stories and candid thoughts on America’s current political state and hardships he has faced on tour. The songs dive deeper into Pope as a person: his stance, his views, and even his early upbringing with Mama Drove a Mustang. The highlight of this part of the show is I Gotta Change or I’m Gonna Die, which encapsulates Pope and the message he wants to send to people with his music. For him, it’s all about hope: “What do we have if we don’t have hope?”

As London is the last leg of the European section of his Neon and Glass tour, it seems appropriate that he ends the evening with grace and gratitude. This last performance becomes a dedication to everyone who has helped him build his career from the ground up. His introduction to each track incorporates a story of those who have supported him: his wife Blair and his immense love for her, his mother and her patience as he travels the road and follows his dreams, his bandmates who have been with him since his early days writing music, artists he looked up to and have inspired him, Robinson who opened for him and their long-enduring friendship, and of course, his fans who have continuously listened to him over the the years.

A mix of old and new, this concluding part of the night includes music from his upcoming album American Man, American Music, a cover of Jackson Brown’s These Days, and a duet with Robinson. Finally, he saves the best for last with the classic A Drop in the Ocean, which he is arguably most known for. It prompts a frenzied singalong, with the audience repeating the chorus several times over. The vibe is mellow and carefree, fitting for the bohemian Americana aesthetic of the stage. It’s bittersweet as it calls to a close his show, but it’s a moment that truly unites him and the audience. He ends the set with The Life in Your Years, a new song from his unreleased LP. Until the final note, he sings of missing home and hopes of protecting those he leaves behind; a definitive signal that it’s time for him to go – and return home.

Mae Trumata
Photos: Nick Bennett

For further information and future events visit Ron Pope’s website here.

Watch the video for the single The Life in Your Years here: