House of Music

Josh Radnor

The Sofia

Sacramento, CA

April 29th, 2025

Photos and Review by Arik Ruiz

The very talented Folk musician, author, acclaimed actor, filmmaker, Josh Radnor made his Sacramento solo debut Tuesday night at The Sofia, Home of B Street Theatre. But before we go over the headliner, let’s circle back to the beginning. 

Opening the night was Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Ari Tibi, who made a powerful impression during a 30-minute set. Tibi, opened with a stirring a cappella version of “La Vie en Rose” that had the audience snapping along in rhythm. She followed with original songs blending French and English lyrics, creating an ethereal, multilingual atmosphere.

Highlights included her beautiful cover of Otis Redding “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay” and the last song of her set, “A Heart Inside a Heart,” that involved the crowd by singing “Oh Way Oh” Tibi was a delight and a great opener for her friend Josh Radnor.

After a quick intermission, Radnor took the stage, said hello to the audience, and opened with a tongue in cheek, fourth wall-breaking song that welcomed the audience with charm, wit, and self-aware comedy.

He was soon joined by musicians Jeremiah Dunlap (guitar/bass) and Cory Quintard (keyboard/percussion), who co-produced Radnor’s Eulogyrecords. Their harmonies and instrumental textures brought new depth to Radnor’s lyric driven folk tunes.

On his next song “Red,” Radnor stretched out his vowels for emotional emphasis before abruptly ending and sliding into “Pretty Angel,” a moody ballad that slowed the pace after an energetic start. 

Radnor played “Apocalyptic Love Song” as a reflection on “pathological destruction,” Radnor delivered feathery fingerpicking that underscored the song’s quiet tension. He followed with the piano led “The High Road,” which he said was about the difficulty of forgiveness. “To show you how hard it is,” he joked, “the person I wrote that song about, I’m still mad.”

Radnor welcomed opening act Ari Tibi back to the stage to sing harmonies on “You Can Sleep Alone Tonight,” a thoughtful song about letting go of unhealthy attraction. Radnor shared his experience that he had to stop seeing someone in New York and move on in his life. Poetically, Radnor saw this person again and she moved on as well.

Throughout the set he was tuning his guitar and speaking to the audience asking what songs they wanted him to play. Radnor was great at story telling and explaining the meaning behind his songs before playing them. One that stood out was his former house in Los Angeles that he moved out of but still misses it.

He sang “Real Good House,” a tender ode to Radnor’s former home of 14 years, now caught in a drawn-out legal dispute over a patio easement. The bittersweet backstory gave the love song extra poignancy.

With his bandmates offstage, Radnor shared a winding, funny story about a psychedelic music ritual in upstate New York during the recording ofEulogy —an experience that led to meeting his wife Jordana Jacobs, a clinical psychologist. That narrative segued into “This Is It,” a love song he started writing on their honeymoon.

Storytelling was a constant throughout the evening. Radnor’s reflections, whether emotional, absurd, or self-effacing, added layers of meaning to his songs while keeping the crowd engaged and smiling. 

One of the highlights of Radnor’s set was when Dunlap and Quintard rejoined him for “The Actor,” a witty fan-written song by Jason Kimmel about Radnor’s best-known acting role. This was the second time Radnor performed this song live on this tour. Reading lyrics from his phone, Radnor gave the tribute a personal and endearing touch. Fans went wild during this song, as it was a nice moment for the How I Met Your Mother fans.

Radnor then led the audience in singing harmonies for the upbeat “New York City,” before “Down in the Dirt,” a meditative song about resilience co-written with his longtime friend and mentor, Ben Lee.

Radnor’s final song “Joshua 45-46” was a nice treat as he turned off the mic and sang with his guitar at the edge of the stage. Everyone was fully engaged, and we all sang “Oh Joshua, he made a mighty sound, and the walls came tumbling down”

With this performance, Radnor proved that folk music suits him. His soulful voice, sincere lyrics, and storyteller’s heart make for a compelling combination, one that blends artistry and authenticity with a generous dash of humor.

For more information on his Eulogy tour including future dates, click here.

Ari Tibi

Josh Radnor