Rating: 9/10
Ernie Halter captivated fans at his September 7th show at Jammin Java in Virginia
Ernie Halter is a remarkably talented young man. The type that really does not come along all that often. In the intimate confines of Jammin Java in Vienna, VA, Halter could not have looked more comfortable on stage in front of a small but passionate group of fans. Halter has mastered the solo acoustic set, reminding people why America first fell in love with acoustic singer-songwriters during the James Taylor/Carole King era, and he switches back and forth between his guitar and piano with ease.
In a testament to his tremendous loyalty to fans, Halter used much of his hour-long set to dedicate songs to audience members who had requested them before the show. Halter is what has become known as a “twitter celebrity“, with over 480,000 followers on the online social network, quite a few of whom joined on to him after he got the Bieber-bump (a story he told in full during the set). His avid tweet habit allows him to keep close communication with fans everywhere, and he has developed a cult following in cities all over the world.
But at the heart of it all has been Halter’s truly outstanding music, stripped down to its very core to allow his voice, by far his most impressive asset, to shine through. He told stories in such a way that it felt more like you were sitting around a campfire with the guy than watching him on stage – the one about how he met his wife while on tour may have been the most popular tale of the night. Halter has an extraordinary sense of musicality, that much is clear from every song. He has a way of pouring more and more emotion into a song each time he performs it, and that is hard to do when you play night in and night out in front of audiences of drastically varying sizes. He played songs from all three of the albums he has released on Rock Ridge Music since 2007 (Congress Hotel, Starting Over, and Franklin & Vermont).
Halter will be continuing his tour in Indianapolis this summer, the city where he first met his wife while on a previous tour, at Birdy’s. He will have a few more shows over the next two weeks, before beginning a short college tour in November and December.
Ernie is as underrated talent as exists in the music business right now. Whether you love or hate Justin Bieber, you have to give it up to the kid in that he has great taste in the artists he listens to. Halter is at the burgeoning point of a truly impressive career, so hop on the bandwagon quick while there is still space.
Indie We Trust 