The amiable singer-songwriter returned to Meijer Gardens on Sunday night for an engaging and eclectic performance. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
Bathed in Sunlight and Loving the Vibe: Mat Kearney at Meijer Gardens. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
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On a night he called “summer perfect” at a venue he adores, singer Mat Kearney enchanted a sold-out crowd with his signature blend of pop, rock, folk and an undeniable dash of hip hop.
The amiable Nashville-based singer, who originally hails from Oregon, didn’t chat much as he and his band performed an impressive 19 songs in an hour-and-a-half on Sunday night at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
“Welcome to the Mat Kearney Era Tour … there’s one era,” he quipped. “This is it.”
For many fans, the concert was a family affair, as several babies and children were there with their besotted parents — swaying, dancing, bopping and singing along with every wry, musing, poetic lyric.
Kicking the night off with “Headlights Home,” Kearney displayed his comfortable stage presence, swinging effortlessly from one breezy, beachy song after another.”Anywhere With You,” “Palisades,” and the hip-hop-infused “Money” set the tone for a night that transported and captivated the audience.
“With the sunlight streaming across you guys, I just thought this may be one of my favorite shows,” he said, a comment that was greeted with hoots and hollers.
The winsome “Kings and Queens” was the kind of song that, once you get in the pocket of it, there’s no place you’d rather be. And the radio hit “Closer to Love” won big cheers from the audience for its reference to being “down on Lake Michigan.” That song offers a profound lyric that has stayed with many fans since its release in 2009: “She said she didn’t believe, it could happen to me/I guess we’re all one phone call from our knees.”
“Good Thing Going On,” which aptly describes the whole show in a nutshell, hypnotized with its guitar jangles and dreamy harmonies, while “Wanted Man” prompted some of the guys in the crowd to sing the sweet love song to their partners.
“What should we play now?” Kearney asked the crowd, to which a cacophony of yelling out song titles ensued. “You sound like a bunch of ducks,” Kearney said, not taking requests anyway, as it turned out.
As people pulled on sweaters and jackets in the chilly night air, Kearney continued charming fans young and old with the grand piano stylings of “Ships in the Night” and the frolicsome rocker “Hey Mama.”
Kearney capped off the night with his radio hit “Nothing Left to Lose,” the ultimate sway-along song and the perfect sendoff for fans who have been with him since its release in 2006. “This is one of my favorite places to play,” he said by way of goodbye. The feeling, sir, was mutual fans who’ve made Kearney a favorite at the amphitheater.
Warming up for Kearney was 51-year-old rocker/surfer Donovan Frankenreiter. In the jaunty, beach bum vein of Jack Johnson, Frankenreiter easily won over the crowd with his half-hour set of soft rock/surfer rock gems such as “Heading Home” and “Swing on Down.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Mat Kearney, Donovan Frankenreiter at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Jamie Geysbeek
