Matt Maeson @ U Street Music Hall [DC] - 10/30/19
Matt Maeson’s show at U Street Music Hall competed with game seven of the World Series in a town that was desperate to end a 95-year championship drought. Regardless of the night’s high stakes, his fans--including a few in Nats gear--filled the sold-out room.
Maeson’s music is a dark blend of pop and alternative that couldn’t be contained in a coffee house (in October, he released a stripped, acoustic version of his debut album Bank on the Funeral in its entirety). His lyrics are often witty but never funny. They draw on an intense personal history with addiction, tragedy, recovery, and faith that builds depth in his songs and brings fans together.
Matt Maeson at U Street Music Hall in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Joel Richard / @joelscottrichard)
Maeson shared the origins of some of his songs, including old voice memos saved to his phone, a SXSW bender that inspired “Beggar’s Song,” and his old, troubled roommate, “Cliffy.” The crowd found catharsis in screaming along to “Legacy,” a song about restarting even when young enough to feel like you haven’t yet begun. Through all this, he was a magnetic presence on stage, gracious and dynamic, and frequently funny, closing the show with “Hallucinogenics,” which he described simply as “A song about drugs.”
Maeson is steadily building a devoted following with his personal and powerful music while joking that even topping charts alongside Billie Eilish doesn’t come with a private jet. Based on the strength of his live performance, it might come eventually. Even the biggest Washington Nationals fan would have been lucky to start the night at his show.
LA’s Moby Rich opened the show with heavy, electronic alt-pop originals and a charming cover of Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts.”
