This tour is one that I have been so eager for since the very day it was announced. Mat Kerekes came through Dallas with support from Jacob Sigman and Jetty Bones for a great night at the House of Blues. Due to the Switchfoot concert on the main stage, Mat Kerekes and Jetty Bones fans packed into the Cambridge Room, making this a smaller, more intimate show. Despite the smaller crowd, it was an extremely talented line-up and undoubtedly fun and entertaining night.
Starting off the evening was the Detroit solo artist, Jacob Sigman. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who came into the show not knowing his name, but with the persuasion of his soulful vocals and playful keyboard playing, I know I won’t be forgetting his name. Beautifully blending genres such as pop, electronic, and R&B in each of his songs, Sigman is sure get your head bopping along to the beat and have you humming along to his catchy tunes. He played through several new songs, yet to be released, leading to an impromptu playing of an older song and wrapping up with his most popular song “Think About You,” that reeled in some audience participation during the chorus. Definitely check out Jacob on your preferred music streaming platform and keep your eyes peeled for his new music.
Next to the stage was one of my personal favorite bands as of late, Jetty Bones. Frontwoman, Kelc Galluzzo, does a completely impeccable job of making my favorite type of music, really upbeat sad music. You can feel the passion pour out of her on stage, as well as from her eclectic and energized bandmates. The Bones gang played several fan favorite songs, such as “Clear Honey,” “No Lover,” and “Innocent Party,” as well as playing through a few newer songs from her newly released EP “-“ (pronounced hyphen). Galluzzo demonstrated the intensity behind the songs and issued a content warning as some of the songs describe sexual abuse. Despite the nature of the songs, their set was very fun to watch whether it be from the amped-up energy on stage, the several Switchfoot jokes, or the all-around pleasantly quirkiness of the personalities on stage. I can honestly say that Jetty Bones is one of my favorite artist to see play live in a very long time. “-“ can be streamed anywhere you listen to music, definitely give it a listen and see why Jetty Bones is going to continue to be loved by many.
On his first headlining tour in Dallas, Ohio’s own Mat Kerekes took the stage and the eager crowd immediately erupted with cheer and applause. While Mat is known for being the frontman of his band Citizen, his solo music draws in so many people on its own and is quite a different style from Citizen’s music, displaying just how versatile and talented he is. Playing a healthy mix of older songs off of Luna and the Wild Blue Everything, such as “Direction” and “Riding in Your Car,” and newer songs off his unreleased fourth solo album, Ruby (including the title track and “Diamond”), Kerekes played each song with passion and purpose. Kerekes was joined on stage by family and friends as his supporting band that played flawlessly together, each displaying devotion for the songs they were playing. As Mat’s set came to a close and he played his final song “My Lucky #3,” that he jokingly stated was by Switchfoot, everyone in the crowd was singing along and rejoicing in their final moments of a great night. After his set, Mat hung around in the room to meet his fans and get the interactions that elude him on a Citizen tour. Although Ruby doesn’t have a release date yet, you can pick up the album on vinyl at one of Mat’s shows, so go pick one up and spend an awesome evening with some talented musicians.
– Lauren Frederick
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