The Tallest Man on Earth went on right on time at 8:00 on the dot and all eyes were on the handsome, charming, Swedish frontman, Kristian Mattson. Transmitting a kindness from the stage with a warm smile across his face and a guitar in hand, Mattson transcended a care-free vibe into the crowd. Twenty and thirty something ladies swooned like young teenagers at the top of just about every song and I was tickled by how many people around me sang along through out the set. Earnest yet modest, Mattson was intermittently, outwardly gracious for fans getting there early for what would be their last show of the tour and for The Head and the Heart for having them.
The Head and The Heart A wave of cheers and applause swelled from the crowd as the sound of the first single, “All We Ever Knew” off Sings of Light, filled the evening air. Opening with their current single was a risk worth taking: not only was everyone was delighted by it but it also eliminated the anticipation of hearing them play it, integrating a delightful audience experience from the start. Once they had fans dialed in they threw it all the way back to “Coeur d”Alene” from their 2011 self-titled debut. Jangly piano keys of “Ghosts” welcomed another oldie yet goodie early on before back to back to back songs from 2013″s Let”s Be Still filled the Autumn air. Fans positively adored when Charity Rose shared lead vocals on the album”s bitter sweet title track, “Let”s Be Still”: the track that quintessentially captures the essence that is The Head and The Heart. As their name suggests, The Head and the Heart ride on the (not so) subtle emphasis on both emotion and intellect, i.e the struggle between following your heart and doing what you think is best for your own good. A highly relatable, gut-wrenching juxtaposition.
