Tomorrow night at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, Bay State-native Matt Nathanson will be performing as part of his “All Night Noise” tour. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Opening for Nathanson is Rachel Platten, a singer-songwriter from New York. Her newest album “Be Here” was released in April 2011. From that album, her most popular track, according to iTunes, is the quirky “1,000 Ships.” Platten’s uplifting and instantly catchy tunes are sure to set the perfect tone for Nathanson’s set.
Nathanson’s latest album, “Modern Love,” was released in June of last year. Lyrically, it falls right into place with his usual themes of love, lust and the downfalls therein.
The first single released off “Modern Love” was “Faster,” an anthem about attraction – pure and simple. Another notable track from the album, “Run,” features the country/pop band Sugarland. The richly arranged song boasts of the passion and desire in a relationship.
“Modern Love” captures the brilliant songwriting that Nathanson has exhibited throughout his career, while shifting to a more poppy sound. In a possible attempt to make a move toward the mainstream, Nathanson has shied away from the rocking attitude featured on previous albums, like 2007’s “Some Mad Hope.” Instead, he has produced an energetic and upbeat album that features a new side to the songwriter.
The success of “Some Mad Hope” earned Nathanson the prestigious title of one of VH1’s “You Oughta Know” artists. The sensation of the album allowed him to grace such nationally televised stages as those of “Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.”
Nathanson’s shows are reputed to be genuinely unique concert experiences. Audiences are treated to a musical performance, a sing-along and a comedy show all bundled into one night. A performance in the cultural and diverse Northampton venue will show an enthusiastic event full of dancing, laughing and plenty of singing.
To get a taste of Nathanson’s eccentric onstage charm, listen to his live album “At the Point,” which contains tracks with entirely adlibbed lyrics about pants; throughout the album, Nathanson also takes random requests from the audience. In the past, he has played “Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service or even the iconic 1980’s dance hit “Take On Me” by A-Ha. He is known to involve the audience in these fun cover performances.
This Saturday night is one of the many stops of the “All Night Noise” tour. The dates for this tour are intertwined with Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” tour, though Clarkson will be performing in Ontario, Canada tomorrow night. As Nathanson’s popularity grows, he has opened for bigger and bigger names and is now headlining his own tour.
Many do not realize that Nathanson has been around for such a long time, and it is not until now that he has really gotten a spotlight in mainstream music. His first album was released over 18 years ago when he was just 20 years old. Since then, his music has matured and transformed into the beautiful masterpieces he will perform tomorrow night.
To purchase tickets for Nathanson’s “All Night Noise” tour tomorrow night at the Calvin Theater, either buy them at the box office or online at NBOtickets.com. The price of the tickets for the show is no more than $25, depending on where you want to sit.
Charlene Swain can be reached at [email protected].
