Song Spotlight: Stacey Ryan's Fall In Love Alone (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

As I've said before, I try to stick to a specific amount of nights out in the music scene each week. I am actually keeping to my self-discipline better this year than last year. Yet, a recent week was a cheat week as I went out five different nights (one of those nights included hopping venues). I already knew I was going to head out 4 nights that week, but then curiosity hit. I took a look at what WFNM  had scheduled for Bar Lubitsch. Catching my attention was jazz singer Stacey Ryan from Montreal, Canada. I sent Grant Owens (WFNM founder) an Instagram message to ask when she was hitting the stage. I learned she was the first performer up for the night. Off I went and then I made a quick exit to head back home. The computer was turned back on and I put in another hour of work.

Stacey Ryan at Bar Lubitsch

Now I don't know how many people did what I did (leave work to listen to Stacey Ryan and then go back to work), but the venue was packed for her first of the night performance. The set was a solo performance with her starting off her first three songs on bass before changing to an electric guitar. 

For her first two songs, she started both by singing a few words in French. She is from Montreal. I know that some musicians shy away from talking about their music, but I love the fact that Ryan talked about many of her songs. "The Good Ones" is about meeting a guy and finding out some unwanted information, "That's when you literally meet someone here and they're like, 'I've got a girlfriend.' Unsurprising, because they're so perfect." 

Maybe if one can't hook up with the Good One, one should take satisfaction about being single, "Sometimes being single is not the worst thing, especially when you're with someone and you really know they're not for you . . . and when it ends and you're like, Freedom!" The recorded version of that song is a duet with four time Grammy winner Cory Henry.

Stacey Ryan at Bar Lubitsch

"Dream Boy" is about the perfect man who doesn't exist. When her vocals shined, there were wows and screams. Then the crowd started to chant "SR! SR! SR!" At this point, of course, the crowd was totally enchanted by her singing and the tune "Over Tonight" had everyone singing along with her. 

She did introduce one unreleased song for the night called "Gold Star." I'm not sure if she was serious or joking, but she mentioned that the person the song is about "couldn't show up as they are sick." I'm not certain that person would have been wise to show up as one of the lines from the song goes as such, "You're not the lover you think you are." After the song ended, she gave a coda, "That song's kind of ruthless, but he deserves it." I guess if she's serious, they're still on good terms as friends, just not compatible as lovers. 

"I love her so much," was heard out in the crowd. She ended the night with her most beloved song "Fall In Love Alone." She played one note and asked the crowd, "Who knows it?" The crowd swooned. Of course, that makes it the Song Spotlight.  

Stacey Ryan at Bar Lubitsch

When she asked, the room responded by singing along with her, "If we never try, how will we know?" It was a beautiful moment of group harmony and with a smile she said, "You guys are killing it." A song about . . . .

I don't wanna fall in love alone.

Setlist: Sweet Talker, The Good Ones, Good To Be Alone, Dream Boy, Over Tonight, Gold Star, Fall In Love Alone.

She'll be playing Pacific Electric on Dec 3rd.