i know what i’d like and i can’t say anymore

The weekend was packed with lots of things to do with almost not enough of doing nothing much at all. The Matthew Good show over at the Commodore on Friday night was quite the experience. The guy is, fair to say, huge in Canada. You must understand that this country exists more separately from the states than many tend to imagine. In my high school days, I become immersed in finding out what was going on in the Canadian mainstream and discovered a wealth of things that were vaguely mentioned yet alone played in the U.S. Matt Good is one of those people.

One of many.

I recall when KRUI got in Beautiful Midnight from his original Matthew Good Band project and I took it to review without knowing anything about the guy. Listening to the disc, I was impressed and liked what I heard. I gave it a glowing review, tossed it towards our draconian music director at the time, and never saw it again. Sadly, I saw a lot of artists, Canadian and the like, get the same treatment from that guy. The same guy who would take pleasure in throwing anything punk and ska related against the cement basement walls like frisbees only to chuckle at the way they shattered.

The show Friday really put into perspective the difference of the two industries; the one I’ve been well immersed in and the only I’ve watch from the other side of the border. I like Good. The people at the show love his music. And there’s more to him than just being a rock and roll star up here. He has a lot to say about the problems in the world. A rock star using his social status to help bring world issues into the limelight, and it’s hardly an act. It’s just the things that are close to his heart. You have to respect that.