The Tallest Man on Earth, OldMan River @ BrisbanePowerhouse (21/10/11)

Wed 26th Oct, 2011 in Gig Reviews

It’s hard to gauge proper etiquette when watching a band or solo musician play in a seated venue. Somehow, removing the need to fight for a decent vantage point ignites a sense of sophistication usually void at a live music event. So when the artist takes to the stage, no one ever really knows whether to cheer, clap, or do nothing. In this case, *Old Man River*’s appearance on stage is met with an awkward dead silence. Rather than warm the crowd up, Ohad Rein needs to break the ice. Luckily, he couldn’t have done a better job. The singer-songwriter appears sans backing band, but his infectious collection of folk tinged pop melodies is just as sweet when delivered acoustically. Familiar tunes Sunshine and Trousers spark a nice response from the audience, as does a harrowing version of Flaming Lips classic Do You Realize??, which will feature on an upcoming covers album the band are putting together. He rounds out the set with a spontaneous decision to play his final song unplugged which ignites the intimacy that will linger for the rest of the evening.

By the time Kristian Matsson, better known as The Tallest Man on Earth, takes to the stage, there’s no confusion on how to react. The audience’s response to the appearance of the pint sized Swedish folk singer is so loud that the only sound capable of rising above it is that of the man in front of us. He opens with I Won’t Be Found, and before he can take another breath, his voice paralyses the crowd. A born singer, Matsson’s rare blend of raw and delicate emotion pierces through to your core so fast you almost forget how to breathe. It’s a good thing we’re all sitting down.

Tonight’s Brisbane show is The Tallest Man on Earth’s second trip to the city; his last visit in 2008 was the first time he ever played a show outside of his homeland. A more self conscious performer might overplay this to win over his audience, but the petite Swede appears totally at ease as he moves through a set made up of older gems, such as Where Do My Bluebirds Fly, and a showcase of new material from his latest release The Wild Hunt, especially moving on the beautiful Love is All. On stage he’s fidgety and chatty as he fusses over his guitars and apologizes for the grimness of his chosen subject matter – lost love. The friendly banter makes it all the more astounding each time he starts a new song, which are all so emotive and complex they need little more than the strum of his acoustic guitar to drive the heartbreak home. Matsson has long been compared to Bob Dylan, and with good reason. His song writing shows a level of depth and passion that escapes a lot of modern folk artists. “I wish I was the sparrow in your kid’s side, so that I could fly above your summer all day long,” he yearns on Like The Wheel, a piano ballad with so much heart everyone in attendance would assume he is singing it only to them.

A standing ovation leaves Matsson no choice but to return for an encore. When he forgets the words to Into The Steam, a devoted fan in the front row sings them out to him. Like Dylan, his words, more poetic than lyrical, will forever live on in the hearts of his fans, even when he himself may have let them go. He finishes with the sweet These Days, but it’s hardly enough for tonight’s audience, who would probably have stayed all night in Matsson’s company. He might only stand at 4 foot 2, but the voice of the Tallest Man on Earth soars so high it would catch your attention from a million miles away.