Matt Maeson in Texas
I finally got to see Matt Maeson live, can you hear me yelling?
After what felt like an eternity, I had the chance to see Matt Maeson on his first headlining tour in Austin and Houston. Over the past year, Matt Maeson has become an unexpected source of healing for me. Something about the songs he writes resonates with me and my experiences and makes me feel as if I am not alone in my fight. To hear him play these songs that have had such an impact on me was unforgettable.
The opening band, Betcha, absolutely blew me away. They were so much fun and the perfect start to both evenings. I got the opportunity to work with them a little bit before the show in Houston and had a blast, I am sure we will be hearing a lot more from them this year.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into these shows. For an artist that I typically listen to when it’s raining or I need to relax, I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be as high energy as it was. The small crowds were screaming the words to every song at the top of their lungs and dancing from start to finish.
My favorite part of the shows had to be when he sang Cliffy acoustic. That song holds a special place in my heart and being able to sing it as loud as I could surrounded by people who loved it just as much was cathartic and everything I wanted and more.
Despite performing to sold out crowds, these shows felt as if we were just listening to our friend play music at home. These shows were so intimate and Matt had a way of making everyone feel like family, it was casual and free of any judgement (no matter how off-key you sang).
After the shows Matt stayed to meet everyone who wanted to meet him, taking time to thank each individual fan for coming and to have genuine conversations, not just “hello, want a photo? ok bye”. It made me love him as an artist even more seeing how he interacted with his fans and how welcome he made me feel.
At the end of the Houston show, I found myself so sad that I couldn’t experience this tour a hundred more times. I know without a doubt I’ll be there singing along in the front row the next time he plays in Texas.
If you haven’t already, check out Matt Maeson’s debut album, Bank on the Funeral, it’s by far my favorite release of the year.
- Marissa
