Tuesday night Jill fixed us a quick Chinese meal of egg rolls and lo mein, then I headed down to Chinatown – to the synagogue, of course. They’ve started doing concerts there, and I was curious. Plus I hadn’t seen Matt Nathanson in a couple years, and he’s finally getting some traction.
I’ve seen him a number of times, mostly as an opening act, and he’s always been entertaining and self-deprecating. It was kind of a shock to hear girls screaming for him, and he looked a little weirded out by it. But it was a great show. I like his new album, and he played a good portion of it (I really like “Gone” besides the singles). He’s always picking great covers, and last night was no exception, with a transcendent version of “Take On Me” (almost a gospel feel with voices raised to the heavens) and a hushed version of “All I Have To Do Is Dream” (Everly Brothers).
The synagogue has decent acoustics, and I’d go back for another show. It’s right near the phone booth so maybe next time I’ll have the chance to do dinner.
Another review and better photos here.