Matt Pond PA – Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!

I went to see Matt Pond a couple of weeks ago. Though I’m not all that familiar with his stuff, I knew a few songs and it felt like it had been a long time since I’d been to a show. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be just him or the whole band but it turned out to be the whole band, including a cellist.

The line up was a bit confusing because the show was originally billed as being just two acts, both singer-songwriters performing solo, then Matt Pond was added, and listed just as Matt Pond. I wasn’t really sure who would be on first or who the headliner was supposed to be, and if Matt Pond was performing solo or with the band.

First turned out to be Rose Cousins from Nova Scotia. The crowd was thin, but polite, as I guess you might expect for the first slot on a triple bill.

Second was Anais Mitchell. Let me just say that I’m not well-versed in women singer-songwriters. It’s just not what I’m usually drawn to. There are a few exceptions here and there but overall I prefer a band to a solo performer. So I was very surprised to discover that by the time Anais Mitchell got on stage, the room had filled in considerably and the majority of people seemed to be there for her. Even more amazing to me was that the people who were the most enthusiastic, singing along to every song and enthralled by her presence, were nearly all big, burly, bearded guys. Not your skinny little bearded hipsters but, can easily pull off a lumberjack for Halloween kind of guys. Plus one tall skinny guy just off of a work in a suit and tie and pointy shoes. Nearly all of those big guys left before, or shortly after, Matt Pond PA came on. It didn’t take long between each act because the stage was already set for Matt Pond PA (honestly, I don’t know if adding the PA is what determines it’s the band instead of just the man but I’m going with that assumption) and both women just played a guitar that they carried up there with them. There were outdoor lights strung up inside and they never dimmed those so it made it feel like they never turned down the house lights. Between the thinning crowd and the weird lighting I felt bad for the band but they didn’t act like they minded and made it seem like they enjoyed being in a more intimate setting. He tweeted something to that effect the day after so I decided to stop feeling guilty on behalf of the weak turnout and weird lighting.

Speaking of a weak turnout, we had only five kids trick-or-treating tonight. I think that might be a new low. Always buy candy you’ll be happy to be stuck with, that’s my rule of thumb.