The best thing an up-and-coming band could ever want is the opportunity to put on a great show; the chance to catch the attention of everyone in the crowd knowing that, until NOW, only a small percentage of the audience knows who you are. It’s tough to accomplish such a goal. Almost everyone in the mass before you is there to see the headliner. Polite eyes watch and rarely do you get a chance to achieve that attention grabbing effect. For Matt and Kim, their Stubbs performance this past Friday proved that this difficult feat is not impossible!
Doors opened at 7:00pm, and by 8:30pm nearly everyone who had a ticket to the sold-out Cut Copy show filled the venue. DJ Knightlife kicked off the night with some danceable party grooves. The under-21 cliques were moving to the beats, while those old enough to drink were kicking back and waiting for the night to climax. An hour after the DJ’s set, the Brooklyn-based duo Matt and Kim took the stage and allowed for the ultimate peak to hit.
Hands were clapping, feet were kicking, and hips were swaying to the bubbly tunes that exemplified the attitudes of Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino. The couple exuded happiness. They were the epitome of cheerfulness. Their eyes glistened with joy, and if you were watching them Friday night, there is no way I would ever believe you if you told me that you were not enjoying yourself.
Matt’s nasally vocals may not be the best, and his lyrics may not be the most poetic, but he delivered them with so much passion that the crowd was able to move past those flaws. His young-minded songs provided a quick escape into fun-filled teenage days. He played happy-go-lucky keyboard melodies that made the perfect backdrop for his repetitive lyrics. Vocals and keyboard alone created a chipper ambience, but Matt and Kim could not do without Kim’s fast-paced, punk-inspired drumbeats. She hit the drums with a heap of positive energy, which could be seen in her never-ending smile.
With all the electricity that flowed between them, it felt as if there were more than just two people on stage. Together they are loud and exciting. Kim put it perfectly when she said, “There is no room for another ‘and’ in Matt and Kim.” She's spot-on, because anything more would be too much.
The twosome put on a magnificent show Friday night. When the set ended and all in attendance at Stubbs theatre were cheering, there was no doubt that they accomplished the initial goal: to grab the audience’s attention. Kim ended the set by thanking everyone “so, so much!” It was a great night and I hope to see more of this terrific pair soon.
Although I was originally there to see Matt and Kim, I decided to hang around for a bit and see what the headliner, Cut Copy, had to offer. As they began to play their first song, “Hearts on Fire,” I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy the show. It could’ve been that they were not that impressive or I may have just been coming down form the adrenaline rush Matt and Kim produced. Either way, I left Cut Copy’s 80s-inspired set early, popped Matt and Kim’s Grand into my car’s CD player, and headed home completely satisfied.
