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| Mat Kearney (Photo by Joe Lemke) |
“Do you ever think about me, do you ever call my name, ask me now I’ll give you the reasons my love will not fade, through the fire and rain.” The opening song of Mat Kearney’s concert at my favorite local music landmark speaks to the strength and tenderness of the relationships we all secretly hope for in life. Even the most bitter of hearts can’t deny a longing for this balance. This is the magic of Mat’s reach, his voice is bold with a calming sense of peace. Mix that with poet-rap lyrics and a catchy back beat and you’ll start swaying and tapping along with the tunes that will echo for far longer than a seventeen song set.
The playlist highlighted songs from three of Mat Kearney’s four albums released over the past six years. After beginning with his 2009 City of Black and White, he broke into a lineup from his latest 2011 and tour headline Young Love with “Young Dumb and In Love,” “Count on Me” and “Down.” The evolution of his writing and composition is evident for the familiar fans while he is able to thread together the same alternative-folk culture that he has traditionally embodied. Mat swiftly switched back to the classics with popular hits from 2009. Black and White held heavy influence on the show with only a few appearances from his breakthrough 2006 album Nothing Left to Lose, which wrapped up the main set with “All I need” and the radio reaching “Undeniable.” He even threw in an unreleased song titled “Chicago” and rocked a remix of pop hits from Usher and Nicky Minaj.
My Friend Devin and I Enjoying the Show
As fans we often make sacrifices to simply be in the presence of our most respected musicians. On more than one occasion I have driven in access of an hour on a work or school night just to feel the pulse of a live show. Some might say that The Coach House is an odd venue for a concert. When normally general admission tickets print on them “standing room only,” the concert hall is quite the opposite with “sitting room only,” on long picnic style benches that have the potential of giving you a kink in your neck depending on your orientation. You really have to like your neighbor, its a good thing I did, in fact I was there partially for him, Mat is one of my friend Devin’s favorite artists. I love almost any live performance but a concert is so much more memorable with good company. Despite the hall’s seemingly challenging layout, as a local it holds a point of historic pride in my heart, and its intimate setting can make you feel so much closer to the artist than any standard venue.
Mat connected with his fans and dropped down from the stage to perform from our vantage, handing out pats, fives and hugs as he sang on. I love moments like this when the artist revs the crowds energy. It makes me think of every artist that used to be a fan staring up at the ones that inspired them to pursue their passion. Being a fan, whether it be of an idol, sports team, musician or otherwise, hits you on a deep emotional level. In concept it is a perfect relationship, love without complication, existing in the purest form of mutual adoration, and in the realm of music, the added benefit of allowing every human sentiment to be expressed. Unlike reality where relationships can fail when words are neglected or find themselves to be inadequate, leaving the air between empty with a deafening silence.
The encore was a trilogy of songs from Young Love. Mat came back on stage without his band, standing in the spotlight with nothing but a guitar. We did our formal introductions – Mat: “Hey everyone I’m Mat Kearney, that’s pronounced ‘CAR-ney’ not ‘KER-ney.'” Me: “What? Really? I feel really lame right now realizing I have been saying your name wrong this whole time!”…horrible…(Sorry Mat!). Devin may have been right on that one, but we’re even since I win on the proper spelling with one T!
Mat Kearney Rocking with the Crowd at The Coach House
With our greetings commenced, he continued on and exposed himself in his re-opener with the acoustic piece “Rochester,” telling the life of his father and honoring the affinity that inspired his music and helped him to build his incredible character. Shifting from this special moment, his band swarmed back on stage and played the opening keys of “Ships in the Night,” a clear fan favorite. The bright pulsating back lights seemed to charge the crowd’s growing excitement. Then came an eruption of soul when track one “Hey Mama” served as the finale for the show. Even the narrow walkways between benches couldn’t stop us from dancing.
Mat’s penetrating vocals and poet-rap flair distinguishes his eclectic talent and I can say with confidence that he does not disappoint in a live performance. I trust it will stand out in my event listing for years. That’s another element of music that I love, its an immortal art, no matter what happens to the artist in time, music is forever. As such, I close my reflections with the lyrics from one of my favorite Kearney songs “Closer to Love,” singing to this legacy, “If every building falls, and all the stars fade, we’ll still be signing this song, the one they can’t take away.”
