Ricky Montgomery’s “The Rick Tour: Another Rick in the Wall” hit San Diego, bringing a vivid and emotionally immersive performance to SOMA on March 22 — the second to last show of the entire tour.

Montgomery and his band performed songs from his first and second albums, “Montgomery Ricky” (2019) and “Rick” (2023).

“I just feel like (his music) is different,” Emi Nawata, an attendee, said. “It’s catchy without being super basic… He’s really good at lyrics, too.”

When the doors opened, concert-goers excitedly filed in, hoping to be the first ones at the merchandise booth or get as close to the stage as possible.

“Oddly, I’m feeling kind of nervous,” Savanna Wilde, another attendee, said. “Just because I’ve listened to his music non-stop for the past 4 years of my life. Seeing someone that you’ve only seen in pictures up and performing in person is very nerve-wracking… I definitely am very excited.”

The opening performance featured alternative/indie artist Noah Floersch, who sang a collection of singles and cover songs.

Floersch warmed up the already-ecstatic crowd and built up the energy in the venue as audience members jumped and clapped along to his music, especially during the intricate guitar riffs.

With audience energy high, fans began to erupt into cheers as Montgomery took the stage, appearing first as a silhouette with a guitar behind a white sheet, yet everyone knew without a doubt it was Ricky.

Montgomery jumped out from behind and immediately burst into song, opening with one of his most well-known tracks, “Line Without a

Hook,” which went viral on TikTok in 2020, contributing to Montgomery’s increased fame in recent years.

The audience screamed in excitement, starting the show on a high note and setting the enthusiastic tone that would carry through the rest of the night.

Montgomery’s performance combined his most upbeat sing-along tracks with some of his more vulnerable and introspective ballads, highlighting the duality of his discography.

When Montgomery sang “One Way Mirror,” an acoustic song about feeling a loss of self, the audience waved their phone flashlights in the air, illuminating the venue in a vast sea of lights that stretched all the way to the back of the crowd.

The artist’s stage presence created an intimate environment and let fans feel the connection to the music that concerts are all about. 

Montgomery danced back and forth around all sides of the stage, reached out with his hands to the audience and even came down to the floor a few times. The artist also engaged in witty banter with the crowd between songs, cracking jokes and creating a more personal vibe that added more to his performance beyond just music.

Montgomery threw T-shirts and autographed set lists in the form of paper airplanes into the crowd, another unique touch that showed his appreciation for his fans.

Zoe Chabarro, who caught one of the autographed setlists, came all the way from Los Angeles to experience the show and said that Montgomery’s music “has a lot of feeling to it.” 

The last song of the night was one of Montgomery’s most well-known tracks, “Mr. Loverman,” a song that tugged on the audience’s heartstrings as the concert hall became filled with the sound of fans singing in unison.

“My cousins and I used to listen to (‘Mr. Loverman’) all the time,” said Christal Lieu, a second-year at San Diego State University. “So it was nice to experience it live with them.”

Lieu attended the event for a concert report assignment as part of her Music 151 class, but knew a handful of Montgomery’s songs and was captivated by the expressiveness of the live performance.

“I felt the energy he brought to the venue,” Lieu said. “I knew I would have a good time.”

After the show, attendees gushed over the performance while exiting the venue, many of them putting on Montgomery’s songs in their cars as they drove off.

For some attendees, this was their very first concert, and, for others, it was just another one under their belt, but regardless, fans came together to enjoy Montgomery’s music, sing to their hearts’ content and find community within each other under the colorful lights of the SOMA stage.