Bombadil, like Josh Ritter, is a band that performs with such a sense of sheer joy at what they do — it radiates from the stage and infects the audience, who gives it back to him. Last night at the Cradle, there was a moment where I was standing in the crow’s nest, shooting the string quintet that was playing with them, and the audience’s voices on “Honeymoon” were so strong and so happy that my heart seized up for a moment. It was such a powerfully moving moment that I had to sit down and collect myself, and I was deeply lucky to have been given, again, free reign at a Bombadil show to photograph and showcase all that joy.

I also had the pleasure of shooting new photos for the Bombadil boys, in their shiny new white suits, prior to the show, and I can’t wait to share two or three of them with you later this week.

Boston’s You Won’t, a two piece band who makes a hell of a lot of noise for just two guys, opened, and won my heart while I watched the end of their soundcheck, before they even got on stage. Their sound is a bit rock, a bit Irish traditional, a bit Americana, all laid over with Josh Arnoudse’s extraordinary voice and Raky Sastri’s ability to play every instrument on earth, and they charmed the hell out of the audience, as well. Look for a review of their 2011 record Skeptic Goodbye in the next few weeks.

Full set is here.