Syd Matters- Live in Brussels

One of our favorite artists at BTB, is the under looked French group Syd Matters. The band are largely unknown outside of France and the rest of Europe, but have still managed to draw some weighty comparisons that range from Radiohead to Nick Drake. Seeing the band live is always a treat, as they bring a completely different dynamic to their live performances. Where on the albums, SM's melancholy songs can be finely understated, live the band tend to hold nothing back, launching songs in new and bold directions with extra nuances and layers. The other night in Brussels was no exception, as the group brought everything to the table. Opening the set with a simple acoustic version of "Heartbeat Detector" from the soundtrack of the same name, the band then segued flawlessly into "Everything Else" from their most recent Ghost Days. From there on out it was a perfect mix of new and old, which saw the group play personal favorite, "Cloudflakes", which received an addition of drums and more electrified ending, to "End & Start Again", which is as close as the band gets to resembling Radiohead. Newer track "Anytime Now" was rollicking straight ahead rock n' roll, while crowd favorite, "Obstacles" was a steady building wall of guitars.
Three of the best moments of the show might have been saved for last though, starting with the epic "Me and My Horses" closing out the main set. This track is the perfect example of SM showing restraint on the LP and turning it up a notch in concert. The song swells into a crescendo of crashing cymbals and a feverish guitar solo that left the crowd buzzing. The encore then included the dreamy "To All Of You", which sees singer Jonathan Morali's longing for an American girlfriend, and "Bones" from 2004's A Whisper and A Sigh. Bones closed out the set and took the audience on a roller coaster of emotion, with explosive flourishes that finally led into an extended full on 4-5 minute powerful outro.

To see all the photo's from the show click here and to check out our interview w/ Syd Matters frontman Jonathan Morali from this past May, click below.