Matt Nathanson & Joshua Radin: Last of the Great Pretenders Tour

Last time I saw Matt Nathanson, it was Halloween 2011 in Arizona and there was an interesting blend of costumes and jokes. Though I had an idea of what to expect, a halloween concert and a typical saturday night concert can be two very different things.

The night began with a 35 minute set from Joshua Radin that would, in the end, provide a nice contrast to Matt. Joshua’s slightly slower and softer sound fit perfectly with my current desire to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and a blanket. His voice oozed warmth and was the perfect way to get back into the concert mood. A bit of natural charm and comedy on stage invited the crowd in and made the larger room suddenly feel small. Looking to my left and right, some were using phones to download his music while others were wikipediaing his music story. It was something interesting to see, but I’m guilty of doing the exact same thing on occasion. His set consisted of newer songs off his latest release, Wax Wings, as well as crowd favorites from previous albums.

About 9:15, anthemic intro music began to play and Matt took to the stage. From the second he opened his mouth to sing, every single person at the Electric Factory was captivated by his presence. Having played the venue and the city many times before, both headlining and opening, it was like seeing old friends. The hour and 45 minute set was a blend of crowd favorites, covers, and songs off the new album, Last of the Great Pretenders. From a Whitney Houston cover where everyone was asked to channel their “inner Whitney” and constant jokes between songs to a sing-a-long of “Faster” that included synchronized clapping that even the lights played a role in, it was yet another phenomenal show cementing my joy of live music.

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