Matt Nathanson, Nokia Theater, Times Square.

I'm actually a bit under-the-weatherish, but I've been looking forward to this (and have been sitting on this ticket) for months, so I can't not go.


Opening the show is Jessie Baylin - a boozy sort of last-call lounge-rock. Very cool.

Next to me...a situation straight out of a song. Guy and girl, early 20s, not a couple, though clearly one of them wants to be (despite her many protests that she really doesn't, really) and the other does not.

"I love you, but I don't like you, you know what I mean? I don't like-like you. But I love you."
"Of all my guy friends, you're the only one I'd want to sleep with."
"I'm not saying this to be mean, but I think your girlfriend...I think she wears too much makeup, and just tries way too hard."
"Let's air-kiss!"

As the night wears on, as she embarrasses herself more and more thoroughly, as she gets more and more grabby with him, as she gets more and more brazen with her pleas for him to...just look at her, I just want to strangle one or both of them. You know, mercy killing.

Meanwhile, there's a show going on.










The impromptu(?) cover of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" - of the many highlights of the night, this may have been the highlightiest.







Set-list (and some links to videos NOT taken by me):
Car Crash
Gone
Sad Songs
Heartbreak World
Princess / Jessie's Girl
Still
Wedding Dress
Laid
Miracles (solo)
Little Victories (solo)
Somewhere to Hide
To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts
In Between Days / Pretty the World
You Shook Me All Night Long
In a Big Country / Falling Apart
Detroit Waves / Kids in America
All We Are

Encore:
Come On Get Higher
Answering Machine