On a chilly Sunday evening in the birthplace of the American Revolution, Matt Andersen rode into Boston and proved that less is more. With just a guitar and his booming voice that requires no further amplification, the Canadian singer-songwriter marveled those in attendance at City Winery, including one rather vocal woman who drove up from North Carolina to see the show. It also happened to be her birthday, so Andersen ordered up two shots of tequila and celebrated with her on stage, though the true gift handed out that Mother’s Day was the performance itself.
Out traveling the highways and byways in support of his latest record, the all-acoustic House to House, Andersen moved mountains—and souls—with his roaring vocals, especially on “Other Side of Goodbye,” “Dancing in the Shoes You’ve Got On” (which he credited his mother being a co-writer on), and a stripped-down version of “Coal Mining Blues,” which first appeared on his 2013 album of the same name. A self-confessed “grumpy old man,” he showed no signs of his cantankerous side and remained charming and affable, winning over the crowd in-between songs with more than just his music.
At the end of the night, opening act Terra Lightfoot joined Andersen on stage and gave the people a double encore, which they announced as being the first of the tour thus far. Lightfoot had given a thoughtful, skilled performance. And now with the two of them onstage it was doubly magical. The crowd thanked the pair with a standing ovation and left the club in anticipation of a difficult Monday morning filled with tequila shot regret. But after a show like this one, it is the kind of regret worth taking into the week ahead!
Find more about Matt Anderson here: http://www.stubbyfingers.ca
Enjoy our interview with him here: Key to the Highway: Matt Andersen
Find out about Terra Lightfoot here: https://www.terralightfoot.com