Matt and Kim

Live Review: Matt and Kim @ Festival Pier
Via The Screaming Polack: https://thescreamingpolack.wordpress.com/

Matt and Kim may have headlined this show but on the bill was also Saint Motel, Wolf Alice, and Atlas Genius. Before I go into the sets I wanted to talk about the venue. Festival Pier was awesome! They make it feel like a mini festival with lots of local food and drink options along with corn-hole and other activities. They even have sand on the ground to make it feel like the beach. I was really impressed how much cool stuff they fit into such a small venue.

Now for the music! The first band on was Saint Motel. While they didn’t blow me away they didn’t disappoint either. Their indie-pop, jazzy sound kept the crowd groovin in the summer heat. The LA based group played with a trumpet and saxophone accompanying most of their songs which I really enjoyed. Modern music doesn’t embrace the sax enough. However, the horn riffs in all of their songs sounded the same which was a huge let down. I wouldn’t rush to see this band unless they release some new tunes.

Wolf Alice was awful. Don’t listen to them.

Atlas Genus on the other hand was a treat. They sounded great and brought just the right amount of energy. Especially after an awful set they didn’t over do it and provided as a great warm up for Matt and Kim. Their vibrant 80’s sound really got the crowd jumping especially during their cover of “You Spin Me Round’ which was fantastic. I definitely want to see these boys again.

After seeing Matt and Kim at Firefly I was so excited to see them again. However, I learned when you go to a Matt and Kim show you have to expect a party not a pair of great musicians. Don’t get me wrong, the duo do what they do great but instrumentally they are no Rush. Its obvious a lot of tracks are looped and Kim’s drum set is lacking a few basic pieces. While they are not the greatest live musicians they do create one of the best concert atmospheres I’ve experienced. Everyone is jumping constantly and Matt and Kim are going nuts too with on stage antics and sex jokes. Their set list was alright. I would have preferred more off Sidewalks. They tended to favor more of their newer more pop sounding songs which again makes for a good party, but they just aren’t as good as the classics. Like I said don’t expect a great musical performance from Matt and Kim, just one wild party.

Every Matt & Kim concert is an adventure, putting your life in the hands of a rabid, ridiculously enthusiastic crowd. You will emerge from the mosh pit (that is to say, anywhere on the concert floor - there is no safe zone) sweaty, battered, bruised, and elated. The couple is known for their crazy concert antics, and they never disappoint, interacting with the crowd for every song and turning even their non-hits into musical events. Kim, especially, the powerhouse of the couple, absolutely refuses to sit still, jumping around the instruments, standing on her drum kit, and crowd-surfing. (crowd twerking?!) while at times you may fear for your life in the kicking, waving bunch of fans, even someone unfamiliar with their music will find it impossible to not enjoy the sheer energy and excitement they bring to the show. There are sing-alongs galore, 90s hip-hop interludes, and dance breakdowns to spare. Needless to say, it's not a show to take your parents (or your kids) to, but it's an endlessly memorable one. Matt and Kim both encourage and sass their screaming fans, mocking them (ok, us) for our cheers and enthusiasm but also raking it in. Still, they keep the onstage banter going in between - and even during - songs, making for a show that is not just musically memorable but funny as well. As expected, their music is by no means "thoughtful" or particularly impressive from a creative standpoint, but it IS flat-out fun while staying just a bit edgy and their concerts reflect that perfectly.

Matt and Kim, the infectiously upbeat New York duo have been touring their danceable indie around the globe since their beginnings in 2004. Despite having lacked any commercial successes, their bright sound has won them a massive following all over and the fun during their live show keeps them selling out again and again.

From the very beginnings the crowd are high energy and anticipating the huge live show they are assured to witness so just by the duo's appearance onstage cheers and screams are heard from the masses. After a couple of opening tracks, Kim whips her audience into frenzy as she stands triumphant atop her drum kit and begins the intro to 'I'm A Goner'. They make an impressive amount of music for just two performers, and the elaborate light show just adds to the atmosphere they try to achieve.

Taking equal turn to conduct, Matt appears at the front of stage to thank their loyal following which can be barely heard through the screams. A bizarre cover of Dr. Dre's 'The Next Episode' followed by an aggressive rendition of 'It's Alright' raps up a deafening set with an emphasis firmly on fun.

Once is an occurrence, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern. This was my third time seeing Matt & Kim and the pattern of an incredibly fun, energetic set is confirmed. Matt & Kim hit the stage just after 9 and kept it going full throttle for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Their rapport with the fans is evident - they orchestrated a "wall of death", synchronized a balloon blowup and tossing, and got a wave of crowd surfing going that kept security guards hopping. They will play all the songs you want to hear, anatomically correct blow-up dolls will surf the crowd, and you will almost have as much fun in the pit as they do on the stage. Now that the pattern is set, I look forward to seeing them again to validate the pattern.

This show was terrible. After arriving an hour after the start time (delayed because of the unavailability of parking in the area) my girlfriend and I were dismayed but confident none of the show had been missed, as typically the opening act would take an hour to perform. At 9pm my girlfriend and I were denied admittance to Lupos, being told that the show (who's start time was scheduled at 8) was ending and the venue was transitioning into the club. An hour long show is absolute bullshit and completely unheard of for a venue as reputable as Lupos. I don't know what happened, but I won't be buying tickets to either Matt and Kim or Lupos Heartbreak Hotel any time soon.

Matt & Kim - explosive - positivity infused -FUN!!!!
From the moment they bound onto the stage the room crackles with excitement. The crowd jumps, dances, screams and shout lyrics back to the duo whipping the venue into a electro-pop frenzy!!
The duo blends old favorites, brand new material and a few tongue-in-cheek covers into a seamless set list that keeps the audience in the groove.
You don’t have to be a hard core Matt and Kim lover to have an unforgettable evening of absolute fun! This is a show NOT to be missed- crowd surfing- confetti- and a 1000 watt smile that never leaves Kim’s face!

Matt and Kim rocked the house!

Tokyo Police Club opened amidst no pomp or circumstance. We didn't even know that TPC was the band playing! No introduction, no joy, just a paycheck apparently. They need to get straight quickly or they should be dropped from the card. They need to play their older and better songs or become irrelevant...

Matt and Kim, however, started with a bang and kept the energy high for the entire show. Funny, loud, pumping beats, with snippets of older songs from other artists, blended together for a nearly perfect effort. I'd see them again, and again...

Best. Concert. EVER. I saw Matt & Kim at the Alt 98.7 Summer Camp on the Santa Monica pier. Needless to say, they definitely shook the pier! I was so dazzled by their high-energy, carefree performance--it was definitely one of those concerts that makes you forget everything that is going on in life and just have a good time. Matt and Kim broke every rule (swearing, encouraging the crowd to jump over the barricades, starting a mosh pit), which is what made the concert awesome. Their engagement with the crowd is unparalleled, and I look forward to seeing them again any chance I get!

So incredibly amazing, they know how to bring out all the positive energy in you. They were so happy and fun and in turn the audience was too. I literally thought I was going to brake my face from smiling. If you want something different with variety, energy, thats a huge dance party and is just so visually and emotionally stimulating that you feel like it can't be real life, you need to go see a Matt and Kim show.

Matt and Kim was literally a life changing experience as far as concerts goes! I"ve been a fan since 2010 and saw them at Sasquatch 2011 and knew I had to see them again up close and personal! I am so glad I was FINALLY able to see them at a smaller venue! BEST CONCERT EVER! I hope one day I get the opprtunity to meet them! I am buying a ticket every time they come to AZ! Team Matt and Kim forever!