Mat Kearney Review

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February 20, 2012, 9:43 am

It's another KINK Community review

Mat Kearney/Eugene's McDonald Theatre Saturday February 18th 2012

Mat Kearney sets fire to the crowd with Adele torch song.

Is it a safe bet that if the warm-up music before a concert includes Coldplay's "Lovers in Japan," great music might be just around the corner? That's just what some of us were hoping while waiting for Mat Kearney to take the stage at Eugene's packed and sold-out McDonald Theater Saturday night.

Singer-songwriter Kearney and his 4-member band didn't disappoint. They opened with "Fire and Rain" from his 2009 "City of Black & White" CD, then delighted the primarily college-aged crowd with commanding performances of "Young, Dumb and in Love" and "Count on Me," both from Kearney's recent "Young Love" release.

His much-loved and revered hit singles "Closer to Love" and "Nothing Left to Lose" followed.

Kearney seemed to be in full command of both his band and the audience, and made frequent conversation with the crowd. Born and raised in Eugene, he tossed out crowd-pleasing references to the Eugene-Springfield area throughout the show. "O.K., how many here were born at Sacred Heart Hospital?" Kearney asked the crowd, and more than half the hands in the house went up.

Fans seemed well-familiar with his latest "Young Love" release, happily singing along with the chorus of "Learning to Love Again." "You sound very nice!" shouted Kearney, showing his appreciation with a walk-through the crowd about midway through the night.

The lively "She's Got the Honey" was another terrific crowd-pleaser. Kearney's band performed the pop artist's set list with a tight cohesion that, if anything, might have benefited with some surprises - some unexpected forays diverging from his recordings, perhaps? It would have been great to have heard some solo's from each of his teammates, for example, as all seemed adept at their respective crafts, the drummer, particularly.

But who's complaining? Kearney admitted to having jitters before this particular show, sharing that the band had practiced mightily in anticipation of the hometown performance, and it paid off with smooth delivery from start to finish. Other standouts of the night: the hit single "Hey Mama" and a wonderful, lengthy version of "Undeniable" with customized lyrics highlighting Kearney's hometown memories and catering specifically to this crowd, this night. "Undeniable" was undeniably great...bringing the house down with a standing ovation.

One of the biggest thunderclaps of the concert? Following the curtain call, Kearney and bandmates emerged to cap off the night with a heart-stopping, passionate and very impressive cover of Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain."

Check out Kearney at one of his future venues if you've a chance, and please, please, bring us all back a recording of his "Set Fire" version, will you?

Yonder Mountain String Band plays the McDonald in April; get tickets early, because they always sell out.

Thanks to Cynthia Orlando~ Dave Scott

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