It had been quite a while since I saw the Matthew Good Band for the very first time, twenty-four years, to be exact. Back in the days when the Spectrum was still standing. When life and concerts were seemingly a little more affordable. Tonight, Matthew Good and ‘his band’ were all geared up to play another sold-out show at Beanfield Theatre.
Opening act was Canada’s Vilivant. Not what anyone was expecting whatsoever. But with the excitement of the night and an already packed house, this crowd decided to give their full available attention.
Singer Julia Gentile showed ease in commanding the stage with her fiery hair and knee-high sequined army boots. With clear influences in rock and grunge with a nice hint of punk, her vocal prowess was in the range of Amy-Lee in Evanescence, turning up the rock n roll attitude just a tad.
Daring enough to cover “Love, Reign O’er Me” by The Who, the band solidified their spot on that stage as they brought us a unique take on the song. Fitting as much material as they could into their set was a fun way for them to introduce their music to a whole new audience.
With a bit of a wait for Matt Good, the fans were more than ready for an extra salty night of commentary and sing-alongs. Tonight I was up close to the stage, ready and willing to lose my voice, belting out the best of songs he hand-picked for us.
Running through a triple threat of great tunes, it was off to an amazing start. ‘Tripoli,’ ‘Alert Status Red,’ and ‘Hello Time Bomb’ had the crowd take over vocals in some unforgettable magical moments.
Good’s songwriting ability takes you on a journey as he envelops all your senses and immerses you into the world he imagined. Giving us a peek behind the curtain at a certain vulnerability that he chooses to reveal. Which intertwines us all through great storytelling and reminds us of our humanity. I often wonder if there is something a little extra in Canadian water, giving us that extra kick of creativity. Or are we just overly cynical that it works out in our favour when it comes to our huge pool of talent?
The middle of the show focused on more songs from Good’s solo material, expanded with a full band. Going through a nice ebb and flow of emotions in the process. Introducing a new song out of a handful of collaborations created before isolated times. Announcing a new album release on his birthday. Featuring Matt Mays and Saukrates to name a few, taking things in a different direction. Eating up anything he touches, I didn’t find the new song to be too different. As he admitted it was more electronic-influenced, he had us all pondering if he had gone into making techno for a quick second.
Another crowd favourite, “Load Me Up,” created enough frenzy for a mini mosh pit to form. Quickly slowing it right back down with an extra special version of “Apparitions,” with the audience reverberating it perfectly back at the band. You could see it was an equal exchange of emotions as they were truly moved by our dedication. Ending on a six-minute version of ‘Weapons’, the crowd erupted, fully aware it wasn’t the last trick up their sleeve.
It was a nice surprise when they came back onstage to the intro of the Beautiful Midnight album and title track ‘Giant.’ They couldn’t leave us without performing that one song where it all started. ‘Symbolistic White Walls’ is an all-encompassing, powerful tune. Along with The Tragically Hip’s music and rising popularity in the nineties, this was a song the radio couldn’t get enough of. It was probably my first introduction to his music, along with “Alabama Motel Room,” which, unfortunately, they didn’t play.
I’ve seen many incarnations of Good and his band(s) in concert, even in Toronto, over the years. This show was by far the most powerful for crowd participation in a world of mass distraction. His shows have always been quite intense, but I think the general absence made everyone appreciate it more, no cameras up, just people in the moment how it should be.
Review – Sam Morris
Photos – Kieron Yates
