Americana can come from anywhere, even thousands of miles away.  This past Thursday, folk aficionado The Tallest Man on Earth brought his brand of straight-up American folk all the way from Sweden to the Pearl Street Nightclub in Northampton.

The journey was well worth it for Kristian Matsson, more commonly known as The Tallest Man on Earth. The folk star has been on tour in support of his latest release, “The Wild Hunt,” as well as a recent five-song EP, “Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird.”

The performance last Thursday night featured the talents of S. Carey to open the show, followed by The Tallest Man on Earth’s one-man act. Both musicians would have made for encore-worthy performances on their own, but the combination was simply unforgettable.

S. Carey, a supporting drummer for Bon Iver and classically trained jazz musician, opened the show in style. Throughout his performance it became less and less clear why he has remained in the background for so many years. Carey’s vocals were strong and his percussive skills were stronger. When he stood up for a drum solo, the murmuring audience grew completely silent, and only broke their trance to erupt into cheers.

For the rest of his set, however, the Pearl Street crowd was particularly loud. Waves of murmurs were a constant, particularly during the quieter songs.

Regardless of noise, Carey played a brilliant but short set of tunes from his recent release, “All We Grow,” as well as a cover of the David Bazan song “Lost My Shape.”  Carey confessed that Bazan is one of his musical heroes of this generation.

By the time The Tallest Man on Earth took the stage, the Pearl Street Ballroom was filled to the brim with flannel-clad folk fans, rearing for a good show.  The chatter died down immediately at the first glimpse of Matsson.

 Matsson’s setup was modest; an array of guitars, a microphone, and a chair. He only took to the chair when emotions overwhelmed him during the set, which happened quite frequently.

 Around the performance’s midpoint, there was a lull between songs as Mattson tuned one of his many guitars. Suddenly, a voice rose above the others in a language that was foreign to the American ears of the crowd. The Swede, however, recognized it immediately as Norwegian and prompted the rest of the room to hush so he could hear more clearly.

“That’s close to my home,” proclaimed the traveling folk star, as he toned down for a homesick ballad, “Like the Wheel,” off his recent EP.

Few musicians are able to connect with their audiences as well as Matsson, and certainly not at such a physical level. Several times during the night, Matsson bent down to hug and nuzzle fans, proving The Tallest Man on Earth is not nearly as intimidating as one might assume.

The most heartbreaking moment of the evening came in the form of a broken string during the tuning session for the song “Where Do My Bluebird Fly,” a favorite off of “Shallow Grave.”  Matsson begged for the audience’s patience as he tuned for the song, only to break an essential string just as he finished preparing. However, the veteran performer soldiered on, playing a bit quieter than the recorded version, but singing with the confidence of a professional. The tune was certainly a highlight.

Matsson performed another song off “Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird,” “Thrown Right at Me,” with the help of guest and fellow Swedish folk singer Amanda Bergman. The duet was heartbreakingly beautiful, even with the occasional loss of composure. Laughter in such a serious song came across as endearing.

The Tallest Man on Earth returned for a brief, one song encore, though fans stuck around, seemingly expecting more. Perhaps one or two more songs would have been ideal to round out the set.

For a folk singer with a well-developed soft side, The Tallest Man on Earth knows how to capture an audience.  The evening will be one to remember, particularly for those who were lucky enough to get a hug from the Tallest Man himself.

Angela Stasiowski can be reached at [email protected].