Mark Ambor makes happy music. That much is apparent to anyone who’s ever pressed play on his debut album, Rockwood, but it is utterly undeniable to those who witnessed the infectiously joyous energy at Irving Plaza on December 4th, as Ambor and his band closed out the North American leg of their Rockwood tour with a hometown show in New York City.
There’s something undeniably electric about a hometown show in Manhattan, especially when it’s the final show of a tour, and especially especially when it’s also the artist’s birthday. That live-show electricity crackles until it’s tangible, and at some point very early on, the night stops being a concert and becomes something else entirely: a homecoming, for Ambor and for every one of the 1,200 people who packed the theatre to welcome him back to New York.
That sense of homecoming is essential to who Mark Ambor is as a musician. It’s woven throughout his discography, threaded delicately through the twelve tracks of Rockwood, which takes its name from a park in Ambor’s beloved hometown of Pleasantville, New York. In Ambor’s own words, “Rockwood was a place you’d go when you and your friends kinda had no house to go to… it was a place where you’d escape, a place where the weight of the world fell off your shoulders for a second. So tonight, it’s our job, in this room, to try to escape together… we’ve spent a long time trying to get here, and we’ll never get tonight back.”
And so, in a venue so packed with friends and family that it broke the guest list (but don’t you worry babe, they figured it out) Mark Ambor takes the stage to perform his happy music. Even sad lyrics and breakup songs are uplifting when Ambor’s voice carries them across the sold out theatre. It’s a joyous night, and emotions are high; it only takes two songs for Ambor to start tearing up, visibly moved by the love and support of the hometown crowd. It’s clear how much it means to him to be here in this moment. This show is a culmination of years of work and sacrifice, of pouring his heart and soul into music that’s now being sung back to him by family, friends, and fans alike, and it’s a very happy homecoming.
For the next hour, Ambor transports 1,200 people to Rockwood, and the joy and connection he creates from the stage is tangible. With every song, the connection between the stage and the crowd grows deeper, and the infectious joy of Rockwood spreads like wildfire. There’s a very specific magic in this show: it’s a celebration, it’s a welcome home, it’s the ecstasy of live music and everything Ambor hoped Rockwood would be: “a certain kind of good that’s impossible to feel anywhere else”.
I truly don’t think I’ve ever witnessed that certain kind of good at any other show. Wandering through the crowd as Ambor lights up the theatre; I’m struck by one clear, overwhelming thought: Oh my god, there is so much love in this room.
At one point in the show the band steps aside, and Ambor takes a detour from the setlist to play something new. “This one’s called “Lucky One,” I don’t know if it’ll ever come out, but we’re playing it right now New York.” The crowd grows quiet as Ambor strums the opening chords and begins to sing, listening intently until the final lyrics.
I can let all my fears eat me till I’m numb
As long as I’m still here then I’m the lucky one
And I hope I say when all my days are done
That I had no doubt, I was the lucky one.
Something about this song summarizes everything this show has been into two minutes of beautiful, poignant lyrics. It’s a love letter to New York, to Pleasantville and Rockwood and everyone who’s helped shape Ambor into who he is today. It sounds like love, and it’s a perfect summary of a hometown show that’s created a certain type of magic that no one in attendance will ever forget.
As the show begins to wrap up, Ambor strums the opening chords of “My Love,” introducing the song with the dedication “this song’s about you!” Speaking to a hometown crowd, he really means it. Nights like this are why live music matters. Music brings people together, and Mark Ambor proves that more than any other artist I’ve seen live. Somehow, every person in that crowded theatre was from Pleasantville, New York, and, for a few brief moments, we’d all gone home to Rockwood.
The European tour of the Rockwood tour continues in April 2025, kicking off in Dublin, Ireland. In the meantime, stream Mark Ambor’s music on Spotify and follow him on Instagram.
