Matt & Kim
Mezzanine - Jun 5, 2010
review by nikkiroddy

Matt & Kim are the two happiest performers I've ever seen in my entire life.

Sure, I had watched the dancepop duo in various YouTube clips, and I was aware of their lively stage act (they are known to prefer warehouse and basement venues over clubs, and encourage crowd surfing); however, nothing could have prepared me for the band's live performance at the Mezzanine.

From the moment they ran out on stage (and they did, literately run), the crowd exploded into a giant dance party. I was squished on the side of the stage, momentarily taken aback by the sudden rush of excitement, until a stranger next to me grabbed my shoulders. "You've got to dance!" She happily and drunkenly shrieked into my ear. OK! Let's do this.

For the next 45-minutes, I bounced along with the crowd as Matt & Kim tore through a brilliant mashup of their best songs, plus hooky throwbacks I usually only hear during sports events, but which worked surprising well. Example: At one point, they broke into a rousing rendition of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Jump On It," as the audience joyfully sang the chorus.

Formed in 2004 by Matt Johnson (vocals/keyboards) and Kim Schifino (drums/vocals), the Brooklyn-based twosome has always made good time, party music, but their live show emphasized how excellently the spirited team blends modern pop with 80's new wave nostalgia. Matt's vocals were clear and pitch-perfectly whiny (his vocals have even been described as "snotty"), but in a way the works with Kim's spastic drumming.

Throughout the show there was stage diving, and at one point, Kim took a turn at it. She jumped into the crowd and was gingerly surfed across our extended palms, before being gently delivered back on stage, minus the beer she had in her hand at the start. "Did you guys see that beer handoff?" She yelled into the mic, and pointed out the guy cheering and raising her beer into the air.

Often times when I looked over at Matt, he was standing on his drum stool on one food, his opposite leg stretched into the air like a contorted yoga pose as he sang. Kim also got a marriage proposal from a rowdy audience member, and later confessed that she and Matt were really drunk, but that it was OK, because the entire audience was like "one big drunken house party."

The most shocking, refreshing moment of the night came at the end. After ripping through a rambunctious, sing-along version of their hit, "Daylight", Matt and Kim did something I've never seen before. They walked to the edge of the stage, were helped down by the audience, and then proceeded to engage the crowd in a massive dance party. No encore. No aloof little wave to the audience before retreating to the backstage. Matt and Kim wanted to dance with us. Who can think of a better way to end a show?

posted Jun 18, 2010
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