Lets get this straight. Junior High isn't exactly what most would consider a "venue". Its a non-profit with a galley style brick and morter - the front 1/3 selling artists goods, the rear 2/3 has a table and chairs for audience and a small area with PAs set up for live acts. There were only about 20 people in the room and all seats were taken. I'm guessing most has heard about the site from Annabelle's parents. At 36 years old I was the youngest person there. Okay, some people had brought their small children, so I was the youngest person who chose to be there up until Matt started. Then two more of us "youngsters" arrived.
Matt performed first.
I have to say I was impressed. I don't know what I really expected.
Even as young as he is, in such an awkward place, he handled live performance well.
And he can actually play. I know. That sounds like such an asinine comment, but there are so many people that love music, that want to make music, but just don't have the time in, experience, or sometimes plain flat out, the talent to do it.
Just to be clear, he is not one of those. He can play. He has stage presence. He can write. I just love seeing young talent make good music. ahhhh.
Now, you have to be into that brooding, singer songwriter thing to know what I'm talking about. It took me back to the late 1990's. When I was a late teen finding my way through my own musical tastes. Listening to Sonic Youth, Elliott Smith, Pavement, Ben Lee, and Weezer all in one go.
Honestly, things with me haven't evolved that much.
Throughout his performance I just kept thinking "I'm so glad kids like this are out there" and "man, that boy can play a guitar". But I also thought things like "where is he going with this music" as in, this style of music, though beautiful, haunting, and oh so relate-able, has such a hard time being sold. But Thanks Mary Lou for the heads up on this one. I'll be listening for him.
Then along came Annabelle
She is such a tiny thing, at only 17 - I would be scared shitless.
Her voice is delicate, and sometimes the nature of the lyrics seem bigger than her. But I hear more to her than that. I hear her in a few years, being more comfortable and loud with the world around her.
By now the sun was set and the kids in the crowd were growing more restless so she had some things going against her in this small room.
I'm excited to watch her too. I want to see her in 5 years. A little more time and exposure under her belt.
These two were a joy to watch. Seriously, i think i was smiling the whole time. Not just from listening to good music. But knowing that there is a youth culture out there, listening and writing, When its so hard for me to see and find, they've got it in their hands.
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