ASTOUNDING CONCERT
Guardian columnist Todd MacLean was Out and About to watch a stellar Matt Andersen performance
Matt Andersen in Indian River: The words almost speak for themselves.
It’s a show you know will be something truly unforgettable. And this is why so many flock to the experience.
The Juno Award nominee, multiple Maple Blues Awardwinning powerhouse blues artist had a second sh ow added at the Indian River Festival, as a concert was presented Sunday at 3 p.m. in addition to the 7:30 p.m. show.
Being present at that soldout evening performance in St. Mary’s Church was one of those times in life that, in a way, is hard to describe – particularly because I was just simply overwhelmed with marveling at it all.
To be seeing and hearing the abundantly-talented Canadian blues icon, who has such a purely-burning flame of soul within him and to be taken on that musical ride with the over 500 present in the filled pews of sun-bathed St. Mary’s – what a gift it was to be there for it.
Song after song, with hugely-belted, heart-poured vocal notes galore, amid dazzling blues guitar leads (as he threw his long hair back with eyes closed to the sky, as if receiving guidance from his musical deity on where to fly his fingers to next) it was, really, what Andersen has become known for – all continually mind-blowing.
We can’t know exactly what was going through the mind of William Critchlow Harris when he conceived of his French Gothic style St. Mary’s masterpiece at the beginning of the 20th century, but I’m of the opinion that, with this church in particular, he was at creative play.
And in turn, what a perfect, enduring vessel to house and enhance the playing of each musical artist who has the chance to perform within it.
It was enhanced all the more this year with a new sound system, making the pristine sound within St. Mary’s better than ever before.
To finish the concert in the most impactful of ways, Andersen, after receiving a massive standing ovation, chose to step away from the mike for his encore.
“I love singing in this place, and I’m gonna take the opportunity to sing without a microphone,” he said, as he stepped out toward the front of the stage, and proceeded to embrace us in a song that must’ve reached into the depths of every soul that was present.
Here is what I scribbled on my notebook at the time: “Last Letter Home. About a soldier dying at war and sending home his love. Silence surrounding the phrases: just as powerful as the notes... Surely not a dry eye here. The sacred, sad, heartwrenching beauty and purity of it.”
Upon the last note, another standing ovation rose up to applaud Andersen, the man from Perth-Andover, N.B., who has made a name for himself as one of the greatest blues artists in the world. And when you see this kind of show, it’s easy to see why.
For more on Andersen and to hear tracks from his newest CD, “Honest Man”, visit www.stubbyfingers.ca.
The next performances at Indian River are Arioso with Men of the Harvest tomorrow and Black Umfolosi on Sunday, both at 7:30 p.m.
Note: For the first time in 12 years, I’ll be taking a summer leave from Out and About, due to a busy weekly performance schedule at The Guild. I’ll miss reporting to you each week on all the incredible entertainment that will certainly be taking place around our Island this summer, but I’ll look forward to getting back to the column in September.
Happy Canada Day 150 to all, and my best wishes for a wonderful summer – and we’ll go Out and About again in the fall!