It becomes obvious when a band is the right fit for a venue. The musicians are comfortable, putting their best foot forward, and it often translates to a rewarding night.
When Deer Tick recently took the stage at Ottobar in Baltimore, it was plain to anyone in the packed space on North Howard Street that the Providence-born group was pleased to be there.
Lead vocalist and guitarist John Joseph McCauley made that clear on Oct. 20, when he told the room that he and his bandmates “loved it here,” kicking off a loaded set of tunes that pulled from across the Deer Tick catalogue and treated with some festive covers, too.
A widely respected and well-connected alt-rock quartet, Deer Tick’s blues-grunge blend has become more potent in its 20 years, and its latest EP, Contractual Obligations, hears an energized, skin-tight band exploding across eight new tracks.
Listen to the latest Deer Tick EP, Contractual Obligations, via Spotify:
Fans at Ottobar were treated to some of these, like the blasting single “Big Black Hearse,” as well as a list of Deer Tick classics. Of course, the zany affair featured “Baltimore Blues No. 1” from the 2007 premiere, War Elephant, and “Easy,” the opener on the second Deer Tick album, Born on Flag Day, recorded in the Charm City in 2008.
Last Sunday, McCauley was backed by the same talented crew that’s made up the band for the past 15 years: the sibling duo of Christopher Dale Ryan on bass and Dennis Michael Ryan on drums, with Ian Patrick O’Neil on electric guitar and providing back-up and sometimes-lead vocals.
Though they were encouraged to “Play until 2 am!”, Deer Tick packed all any devoted fan could ask for into one smashing set that ended just before 11 p.m. and effectively displayed the band’s appreciation for Baltimore and an enthusiastic audience.
Setlist
The Bump
Easy
The Dream’s In The Ditch
Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin)
“Thresh”
Last Book on the Shelf
Me and My Man
Hope is Big
My Ship
Card House
Big Black Hearse
Don’t Hurt
Forgiving Ties
Main Street
Baltimore Blues No. 1
Clownin’ Around
Dirty Dishes
Smith Hill
These Old Shoes
Sea of Clouds
Christ Jesus
Jumpstarting
Waitress in the Sky (The Replacements)
La Bamba (traditional son/Richie Valens)
Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart) (Ricky Nelson)
Below is a mix of home-processed color 35mm film shots and black and white digital images of Deer Tick performing at Ottobar in Baltimore the night of Oct. 20, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
