Every so often we attend a play with an up-and-coming actor or actress, see an independent film with a sure-thing director or a concert with a group of talented musicians that is just bound to be something. The concert at Irving Plaza in New York City on Oct. 15 was no exception.
From the beautiful pianist and vocalist in Kate Earl, to the southern acoustic stylings of Matt Wertz, to the all-out rock of Matt Nathanson, the evening was like a look into the future of pop culture.
Earl performed a short set first beginning with a piano solo, then brought out various members of the remaining artists to perform other songs with a more unified feel.
Tom Rossalino, acoustic guitarist with Wertz, played a cover of “The Cure.” Then, Nathanson’s drummer and bassist came out to perform more of Earl’s pieces, followed by a medley with Wertz himself. With her eager attitude and crowd interaction, she is sure to be a pop star in the near future.
Wertz followed her act with much enthusiasm. The crowd had good recognition of his songs and he worked the crowd, as well, if not better, than Earl.
Wertz’s performance could best be described as a southern combination of John Mayer, Howie Day and Ryan Cabrera. His lead guitarist, Rossalino, worked the guitar similar to the likes of Tim Reynolds.
One song of Wertz’s, “Sweetness in Starlight,” will definitely propel him onto the pop scene as “Collide” did for Howie Day.
The main act and the reason for the sell-out was former Stagstock performer, Nathanson. Despite dropping his record label earlier this year, Nathanson’s numbers and ticket sales are continuing to grow.
With a few new songs and an independent mind frame, Nathanson performed one of the most energetic shows I have ever seen. Of the many times I have seen him, this was by far the best. Out of his new songs he played and debuted “Car Crash” and the solo “Bulletproof Weeks” are sure to be major hits on the new album.
Nathanson was genuinely taken aback by how the audience sang along with him. He either let the crowd continue singing or he acknowledged them with an emphatic, “alright!” Even the rest of the band broke into some covers or interludes that Nathanson himself did not expect, such as Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.”
Even after Nathanson finished his set, the crowd wanted more. Not only was it an encore, but he just kept going until well past midnight and the crew in the rafters became seemingly annoyed.
Before he left, he took a minute to stand on the stage and thank the crowd. With all sincerity, and on the verge of tears, he could not express his gratitude enough, and he left with a crowd louder than Irving Plaza has probably ever heard.
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