Ryan Montbleau at Summervale

By Zaidee Laughlin, Music Intern

This week Ryan Montbleau will take the stage. A staple of the New England music scene, Ryan blends rock, folk, americana, and R&B to create songs that are at once exciting and comforting. It’s easy to imagine his lyrics, both lonesome and hopeful, being sung over a campfire.

Music has been in Ryan’s life since receiving a guitar at the age of nine, though he did not try to make a name for himself until his college years. Over the past sixteen years, he (sometimes with his band and sometimes solo) has released eleven albums and performed all over New England and the rest of the states. He has worked with such musicians as Martin Sexton, Galactic, Trombone Shorty, and Anders Osborne. He’s spent most of his career on the road, touring and gathering experience and stories for his music; so much so that in 2016 he reached a startling realization-- somewhere along the way he had forgotten to make himself a home. With his most recent album I Was Just Leaving, he shares the feelings of emptiness and restlessness that come with constant movement, along with the relief of finally slowing down for a moment, and a hopefulness for comfort. Upon the release of the record, Ryan said, “There’s no part of this record that I am unsure of… I had to sing these songs.”

For this show Ryan will perform with just himself and a guitar, adding to the feeling of generous honesty and intimacy carried throughout his music. I have no doubt that Summervale, with it’s warm energy and soft sunset, is the perfect venue for Ryan.