Mat Kearney is an artist deserving of respect. His no-nonsense show at The Pageant on Wednesday, Oct. 5 was refreshing, compared to modern performers who use lights, dancers and fancy equipment to make the show exciting.
Kearney didn’t use any of that.
His voice, his band, his instruments and his personality were the only tools used to woo the crowd.
The pure musicianship of Kearney and his band was inspiring to watch. Almost every song required him to switch instruments – from acoustic guitar to piano, from piano to bass, from bass to singing a cappella. Kearney did not need fancy lights or dancers. Those things would have detracted from his undeniable talent.
His music is easily relatable, which is why his songs appear on many different radio shows, from adult alternative rock to Christian to soft rock. Mat Kearney’s lyrics speak about self-doubt, loss, love and the importance of companionship, which drew a large crowd from a variety of backgrounds.
Not only is he musically gifted, but also, he is extremely clever. Throughout the night, Kearney would reference St. Louis in different songs, finally culminating with adding an entire third verse to his popular song “Undeniable,” featuring St. Louis.
The additional verse was a surprise to everyone, including his band. The verse boasted about getting his picture taken with Barry White’s statue in The Loop, the Cardinals beating the Phillies in the play-offs and even mocking Nelly’s notorious hit “Hot in Here”.
His fun loving attitude was infectious. At one point, Kearney jumped off the stage and sprinted to the back of The Pageant to dance with a group of women in the very back row. He proceeded to jump onto the bar, dancing with anyone and everyone around him.
With all of the time he spent interacting with the crowd and talking about the Cardinals, it was no surprise that when Kearney and his band came back on stage for their encore performance, he was sporting a St. Louis Cardinals jersey in honor of the previous victory over the Phillies that night.
It is safe to say that from the opening of the concert with LEAGUES’ dorky dancing and trendy electro beats, to Kearney’s musically rich and personable show, that this was one of the best ways to spend an evening out in St. Louis.
