Following the release of their latest album, Matthew and The Atlas came to Liverpool on their UK tour, Getintothis’ Lewis Ridley was down at Leaf.
It’s a lovely May evening on Bold Street, when Matthew and The Atlas call on Merseyside for the latest leg of their UK tour.
It’s in support of their new album, Morning Dancer, which brought fans of the band upstairs into Leaf‘s music room.
It’s a charming venue, and equally charming is Sonny Santos, tonight’s support act, who has followed our man round the country. He’s from New York, and the US band The Shivers. But there’s no shaking when it comes to what is a compact, firm yet delicate set.
He exhibits careful guitar work, an impressive set of lungs and an encapsulating stage persona. A fine ‘support’ indeed.
Our headliners come on soon thereafter. With only a few less guitars than tea offerings Leaf has, they adopt the stage, the lights drop further.
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Then, the five instrumentalists begin to turn the cogs on their performance. It is less dull Mumford and Sons, as other pages might suggest, and far more encapsulating.
In fact, it’s far more everything. It’s more solid, more soulful, all much more interesting.
Following a mic-less track, the band rejoin frontman Matt Hegarty and begin again filling the room with their brand of anthemic indie folk.
It’s a set that gets full marks. Despite perhaps ill judged critics, Matthew and The Atlas do their thing well.
Images from Getintothis’ Conor Baxter
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