Make a move with a special guest, #afterthebreak…
Gavin DeGraw, Matt Nathanson (W/ Special Guest), & Mary Lambert @
The Greek Theatre (06/18/14)
My sister was the main reason for this show. She bought the tickets on Groupon & invited me for a night at the Greek. *cough* I’ll never turn down a free show *cough*. The seats were actually amazing. Cheap. On the balcony over looking the stage & floor. After a few rounds of pictures, I knew my mini-camera would work best for the evening.
Mary Lambert opened the show. She sang five of songs (Four Classics & One brand new one) & chatted with us nervously for the other 20 minutes. I learned more than I could possibly know about Ms. Lambert. She really pulled everything out her cluttered head like her nervous tendencies, waves of bipolar moments, former heartbreak, backstory behind that now iconic Grammy moment, and how happy she is in her relationship. Something that has really saved her from herself. “Secret”, her new upbeat Sara Bareilles sounding track, really captured this fact. She had a smile on her face throughout the song. A secret she no longer has to hide. Ms. Lambert is growing beautifully.
Everything stays on schedule at the Greek. So by 7:30 Matt Nathanson was making his entrance through the aisle like a professional wrestler. Speaking the lines from “Kill The Lights” to kick off his co-headlining set that featured a “Decades of Hits” mixed with covers & rants. He fused his hits like “Car Crash” with Iggy’s “Fancy”…”Faster” with “Faith”…& “Room…” with a medley of “I Want To Dance With Somebody / My Girl”. The audience connected with those moments. Matt’s never been a conventional performer. His tricks of the trade run deep with over 20 years of experience under his belt. He knows the formula of a perfect show.
The OMG moment was when Richard Marx joined Matt onstage for a duet of his iconic — “Hold on to the Nights”. This was a history making moment in Matt’s career. Marx has been one of his Idols & now they were standing on the legendary Greek Theatre together. They have been friends for awhile, but Matt seemed to be literally in love with Marx as he walked up to the mic. Giving him back rubs, looking longing into his eyes, and even leaving a wet peck on his cheek. I got the shot to prove it.
Capturing moments. That’s what my main job is…as photographer. Dumb luck does play a major role. That it does.
This was my third time seeing Matt Nathanson live & will stand out as the penultimate showcase for an artist I’ve known to be a true entertainer. He didn’t disappoint unlike before despite feeling under the weather. I like how he sexed up all his tracks, the way he made fun of a prudish fan in the front row, and how each track had a surprise ending. The modern day heavy metal indie Rockstar kept it sexy as the sun rested behind mountain behind us.
Gavin DeGraw got the biggest pop from the crowd when he took the stage at 9ish. The ladies were puppets to his magical musician ways from the opening seconds. The three friends who kept obstructing my camera’s view the entire night was proof. Unlike his tour mates, he was closed lip. Focused on presenting all his viciously rearranged classics that didn’t slow down the pace. He told us he just loved to play and the crowd loved the danceable moments.
‘Chariot’ is one of my favorite albums of all time. Was like crack to me during college. Then I graduated & just stuck with Gavin’s various hits that followed. I always measure a showcase of it makes me want to explore an artist’s catalog afterwards. This show got a A++ on that note. Went back to ‘Sweeter’ & ‘Make a Move’ in the days following. “Radiation”, my favorite performance of his set, made our 1st Song blurb the day after. Don’t you remember?
DeGraw blew me away by his showmanship & crowd interaction skills. Never expected he’d step away from his Piano for what felt like 75% of the show. Proof Gavin has really evolved into showstopper.
Was enthralled throughout this entire show. Music fit for a fan. Looking forward to our next show at the Greek in August.