Dressed in all-black and sporting sunglasses, Ryan Beatty wordlessly drifted onstage, beelining for the microphone. Beatty was incredibly casual, as if he happened to be playing to an intimate room instead of a major stop at Austin City Limits Music Festival for his Arms Over Armor Tour. Without a word or smile to the cheering crowd, he began his performance with “Secret Language,” the lead single off Sweet Fortune, released earlier this year.
A lone folding chair sat in the middle of the stage, where Beatty would sit when not singing, allowing his live band members to shine. During the instrumental outro of “Cinnamon Bread,” Beatty bowed his head, swaying to the band’s magic.
After announcing his next song would be from his newest record, the crowd applauded, to which Beatty responded, “That’s what I like to hear.” “White Lighting” and “Sweet Fortune” followed, where Beatty demonstrated his prowess with incredible vocal runs and ad-libs. The show, which included no choreography or any flashiness, remained minimalist and relaxed, kept alive by Beatty’s voice.
Beatty took a break from originals to cover Willie Nelson’s “Summer of Roses,” transforming it into his own while retaining some twang. Though his eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses, the emotion Beatty poured into each song was palpable, often holding his hand over his heart and looking out into the crowd.
The performance sped up with “Too Many Ways,” featuring solos from the band’s pedal steel player. During the song, about Beatty’s long-distance love, he couldn’t resist cracking a smile while pointing at someone in the crowd and singing the lyric “I’ve got a man in Massachusetts.”
Beatty blew a kiss after “Too Many Ways,” having warmed up to the crowd and let his guard down.
“You never know, when you play a festival, who’s going to show up,” Beatty said. “But this crowd showed up. Yes, thank you for being here, if you’re waiting for another artist, thank you for being here. But I’m here for you.”
Beatty then introduced his next song, “Virtuoso,” accompanied with plucks of an acoustic guitar.
“When in Texas, you know?” Beatty said. “Put your boots on, get in the mud. Get out of the mud, get into the music.”
Accentuated by pedal steel, fans swayed to the country folk twang before slowing down for “Delancey,” which Beatty performed seated.
A streak of songs from Beatty’s previous album Calico followed, including “Andromeda,” “White Teeth” and “Bruises Off The Peach.” Despite his lyric in “Bruises Off The Peach” singing, “I’m not a Christian, I’m careless like a comet,” fans were wrought with emotion, holding their hands up as if in prayer.
Before ending his stirring performance with “Fleur De Lis,” Beatty said, “ACL, it’s been such a pleasure being here … you were a beautiful crowd. If only you could see what I see.”
