Live Review: Matt Maeson - Rose Music Hall, Columbia Missouri 15/10/2019
Returning with The Day You Departed Tour for his second Missouri show, a truly rare occurrence, Matt Maeson hit Rose Music Hall in Columbia with support from the Technicolors. Starting the night off with alt rock band The Technicolors almost frenetic energy was certainly not expected, but definitely appreciated by the sold out GA crowd. By the time Matt Maeson walked onstage, the crowd was full of energy. Coming off of his debut album release this year, Bank on the Funeral, which focuses on themes like mortality and the struggle of human nature, Matt Maeson combines his raw vocals with somewhat loosely accompanied instrumentation. A featured Ones to Watch artist hailing from Virginia, Matt Maeson’s live show is stripped back from a large-scale production, moving crowds with only the power of his vocals, a couple of guitars, and support from his keyboardist and drummer.
His live show seemed to sum up his music pretty well: raw, emotion-laden and acoustic. That’s perhaps what makes his music so meaningful to fans, is how all his songs from a genuine and heartfelt place. As he was introducing his song Cliffy, a song he wrote about someone he once lived in a trailer with, he said he wrote the song like he always does: just him and his guitar. This seems to unite and concrete this idea of a genuine encounter with contemporary acoustic music, away from large productions and light shows. Just like his production, Matt’s stage presence is the same: it’s nothing flashy, or over-the-top, he just has an ease and natural belonging to this world of music he’s created for himself. Often times, a live show is a larger-than-life, almost out-of-body experience, but Matt Maeson’s live show seemed to have had the opposite effect: it was a down-to-earth, grounding experience. By the time he ended with his encore, the stripped version of Hallucinogenics, every voice in the room was singing along. As the song drew to a close, he thanked the crowd, and left the stage in the most simple and Matt Maeson way possible. Overall, Matt Maeson’s live show speaks to his immense talent, as well as his sincerity and openness as a musician.
After Columbia, the Day You Departed Tour has reached about the halfway point, which leaves ample opportunity for American fans to still catch his live show if they haven’t already: and it’s definitely one you don’t want to miss.
Words and Photography by Audrey Battis