The gospel according to Matthew E. White

Usually the opener’s job is to warm up the crowd. To set the mood, to entertain the early arrivals while taking up time until the room is full and the opener can safely take to the stage. Okay, there are other reasons for being an opener, but pretty much none of the opener definitions you could come up with could prepare you for the explosive performance Matthew E. White gave on Friday, Nov. 29, opening for The Mountain Goats at The Grey Eagle.

White’s sprawling, eight-man band filled the stage, with the singer-songwriter front and center. He was (disappointingly) not wearing a white suit (he’s often pictured in that sort of a getup). He (not disappointingly) opened with “Will You Love Me.” With a band involving three horns and two percussionists, it would be easy for a song (let alone a set) to get out of control. Unless the song and/or set belonged to White, in which case control is almost like another instrument in the mix.  White is more than capable of singing or playing loud, but he’s kind of like the parent who never raises his voice. Everything is mellow and precise until just the right moment when he eases the volume up just a notch and it actually means something.

On “One of These Days,” another track from White’s just-released debut, Big Inner, an undulation seemed to ripple through the band. Due both to their in-sync-ness and the tidal pull of the song’s rhythm (try to listen to one of White’s songs and not dance), the body wave built with the church revival feel of the music. As the horns climbed, White lifted his vocal just for a moment into its upper register.

“This one’s kind of groovy, so don’t be afraid to move around and find a partner,” he said by way of introducing “Steady Pace.” More rocking and bluesy that the earlier offerings of the evening, the song had echoes of gospel chestnut “Do Lord,” paired with a psychedelic warble of keys. And lots of auxiliary percussion.

Each song bubbled like a simmering pot, ready to reach a rolling boil, but not quite. Or, ready to reach a full-on tent revival climax. That pinnacle came with “Big Love,” White’s extended jam (sort of) that nods to both The Stone Roses and Blaxsploitation soundtracks. The organ snarled, the drummer grinned his way through a serious percussion workout (the obvious joy of the band is contagious), the guitar player traded in strings for tambourine just in time for a rhythm breakdown that lasted, like, five minutes until the full band returned with an absolute wall of sound. A kind of blow-your-hair-back blast that, then, stopped dead on a dime.

The final song of White’s set was “Brazos,” a return to the reigned-in pacing and controlled horn build. “Brazos” could be considered gospel (it mentions Jesus) but feels like a slow burn rocker. Spacey keys sample tempered the ‘70s influences until, at the perfect moment, the whole band let it rip into a singing/dancing/clapping/feeling-the-spirit rapture. So much so that John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats jumped on stage for the final crazy moments. Even the headliner couldn’t resist the charms of this opener.

Photos by Rich Orris.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.