Matt and Kim
I’ve had a soft spot for Matt and Kim ever since they sent me their debut EP when I was a freshman in college. Their cute-meets-clever pop music was so contagious that no form of aural vaccine could keep ears immune. Shortly thereafter, they started touring all over America without the support of a label, booking agent, publicist, or manager. Needless to say, the first and only time I saw the duo perform was in the living room of a suburban Cincinnati home with about 75 other people. One word: completelyfrigginawesome.
Times have changed, I’ve since graduated and Matt and Kim have soared to new heights that include an actual label, touring support, having your music pimped by Bacardi Rum, and even winning a VMA. Yet, even though they were playing to a huge crowd in front of the Solar Stage at Outside Lands Sunday afternoon, they still retained the same childish energy that resulted in a Cincinnati noise ordinance citation several years ago.
Without housewives to temper their sound and enthusiasm, Matt and Kim took the stage with faces full of pure glee. The only time I saw the ear-to-ear grins leave their faces, was when they were singing. Or, in Matt’s case, jumping around as much as his piano fingers would allow.
The type of genuine happiness they exude effects everything about their show, from the hilarious banter between them to the interactions they have with the audience. Matt remarked about how it’s “fun to run around Times Square naked” but “not so much when it’s February”. [editor's note: right outside the MTV offices!] Kim made fun of herself for not being able to sing and endearingly enlisted the entire audience as a backing chorus (of course nearly everyone obliged). After the song, Kim grabbed the mic to tell all women they had two options: “take out your Hoochy Hoops before drumming” or “rip them out with your sticks”. The latter she didn’t recommend and Matt said it was gross.
Although Matt and Kim ultimately closed with “Daylight”, Matt teased the crowd with the intro in hopes to sparking sunshine. He then looked up at the gloomy overcast sky and asked the sun to come out, “I mean we’re on the Solar Stage here, don’t f*** us over man!” The sun ended up being stingy that Sunday, but Matt and Kim provided enough sunshine with a stellar show.
