Matt Maltese @ Broadcast - 22/11/2018 (Live Review)

Words by Craig Carrington-Porter

I think I had been waiting for this night for years, I had first heard ‘Even If It’s a Lie’ some years ago through the tail end of a previous relationship. Being moved through it’s stark, realistic lyrics I was waiting for the next opportunity to see Matt Maltese play. However, it would take several years to actually see him. Friends, partners and even people I don’t get along with would go and see him first, most of them not realising who he even is. I missed him last time because I think I was away, or he sold out, or I was chasing some loose end telling myself that I would see him next time. Well, this was that ‘next time.’ Finally! I was going to see Matt Maltese live. And if he wasn’t going to play ‘Even If It’s a Lie’ then years of waiting would have been for nothing. Although his new album, Bad Contestant is insanely good.

The night began with my girlfriend and I agreeing that we would turn it into date night which I was glad for. I had kept dropping hints to everyone but again, none of them cottoned on. Either that or, they fucking hate going to gigs with me. Lets hope it is the latter. We dress, we feel good and we get our arses out of the door.

It’s Thursday, slightly gloomy and we left just after three, the gig wasn’t until seven o’clock. We get the subway because Glasgow has cut Ibrox off by trains and makes it as hard as possible for us dead beats to venture in and because fucks buses, yes fuck buses.

We hit up the lighthouse, a secret spot to Glasgow, not many actually know about it. Climbing the incased tower of art we reach the summit. A sprawling, enchanting view of Glasgow beats at our eyes; the ferris wheel in George square, the back of central station, the central hotel and the old, abandoned building of Glasgow City College. We hop back down and into the nearest pub, paying ten pounds for two pints we say to each other, ‘thanks a fucking lot but no.” We make our way to Broadcast but stop on the way for fried chicken. I fucking love fried chicken, especially at Buck’s bar.

We get to Broadcast where they have BUDVAR on tap, I have been so many times and never realised this great discovery.

Downstairs and FUR makes a quick entrance, sipping at bottles of buck fast, me thinking ‘fuck, they acclimatised to the culture fast.’ They weren’t a bad wee band, quite a nice, fast paced energy behind them. ‘Not Enough’ and ‘If You Know That I’m Lonely’ flex the range of the lead vocalist strengths.

Now it turns into a waiting game, FUR make an exit and Matt Maltese sets up centre stage but I am pretty sure we waited the best parts of forty minutes for him to start. He begins…

He is good, more than good. I don’t know if it is a combination of him begin so young, releasing albums, playing across the country and writing lyrics to another level of maturity but there is something about this guy. Back in June he released his newest album, Bad Contestant which was critically acclaimed. A majority of his set is built upon this, when first listening to this album my mind was trying to pick it apart which instrument plays which part and how is it layered. Seeing it live and how it all falls together was magic. Matt Maltese’s vocals have a superior crispy quality to them, not falling victim to carpeted reverb. The drums filled the room but didn’t deafen my ears, the guitar had presence without trying to nail the fuck out of everyone else and the bass player became quite the talking point of the night.

Matt Maltese held the audience well. These days, it can become quite a rarity to watch and listen to bands give you a bit of ‘stage banter’. Most of them will just bash out song after song. Maltese keeps us informed, he regals the crowd in a story where he met his nan after a night out, taking a pill and having to meet her on an ice ring. Of how his bass player is from Glasgow and his middle name is Gordon, so he is practically Scottish which sent the audience into a small fit of the giggles.

Matt Maltese is one of those strong individuals who has a talent and is crafting it. He has a vex territory which he is moulding into lyrics and producing them into albums. That gig he played that night was probably one of the best gigs I have ever been to, certainly in the top five. Taking his crowning place in his throne, he plays the introducing chords to ‘Even If It’s a Lie.’ Just him and his piano.