Jun
24
M. Ward - Live at the Santa Barbara Bowl
June 24, 2007 |
Friday night marked the season opener for the Santa Barbara Bowl. Opening the summer was M. Ward who was opening for Norah Jones and her “handsome band“. I was first turned onto M. (Matt) Ward sometime early last year. His Post War album came highly recommended via Bob Boilen’s All Songs Considered on NPR. Bob and I have very similar tastes in tunes so it was with high regard that I picked up Post War after hearing Bob proclaim it one of the best in years. It didn’t leave my CD player for 2 months. And I did indeed include it on my Best of list.
M. Ward hails from Portland Oregon, Home to rain, beer and Elliot Smith. His songwriting proneness is stunning. His soft warm and inviting vocals welcome the listener with open arms and beckons the ears to pay attention. I was very much looking forward to M. Ward taking the stage as the sun set over the Pacific and the warm Summer afternoon moved to a cool Summer night.  It was a little disapointing to see him standing solo with just a guitar though. His songs are deep and take a bit more than a strumming dreadnought to come across. He opened the show with Norah at his side which helped to woo the few people that had come to see the opener. After a nice duet with Norah he was joined by a second guitar player who added wonderful strums and harmonies and a dead on whistle. As quietly as this accompaniment entered the stage he left for a few songs.  The interesting highlight of the set was the accompaniment by a very odd sounding and looking woman - Victoria Williams, perhaps the most colorful singers I have ever heard. Sounding a bit like a cartoon character or the Ruth Gordon (the actress from that played Maude in Harold and Maude) I wasnt sure if she was a savant or a homeless woman Matt had adopted but I loved her.
So the set was a little slow. He worked through a few of his “better known” songs from Post War and through in a couple of others which I wasn’t so familiar with and won over a few new fans. The subdued audience was a perfect match for the subdued solo M. Ward as he ushered in a new season at my favorite venue in all the world.  I would rather see him with a full band though, in a small club with a few hours to play than as a token opener. If you read this M. come on back with your band next time!
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