Photo of Matthew Barber taken at the Grad Club 21 Oct. 2006-10-21 by theplot

Last week I featured one half of the mightily talented Barbers, Jill, and today I will focus our attention on the elder sibling, Matthew Barber. Like his sister, Matthew has a gift for writing lyrics and crafting melodies. Also like Jill, Matthew has a great stage presence, confidently chatting with the audience in between songs. He does, however, tend to rock a little harder than Jill, although he is equally wonderful at the softer stuff. And according to the blurb posted about his new record, called “Ghost Notes” and due out March 4th on Outside Music, Barber has taken a more down-tempo approach to things. Judging from the songs he previewed at the show last April and the three tracks posted on his myspace, I have a feeling I’m going to like the record a great deal, which means you probably will too. To support the release of the new album, Barber has many, many dates through February March and April. Matthew and Jill will hit Kingston with their band “The Sevilles” (heh) at the end of February. Tickets are going fast so scoot on over to the Grad Club and get yours asap. Here are a few on the current tour and be sure to check out Barber’s myspace for full dates on the West and East coasts:

02-28 – Wakefield, PQ @ The Black Sheep Inn
02-29 – Kingston, On @ The Grad Club
03-05 – Hamilton, On @ The Casbah
03-07 – London @ London Music Club
03-08 – Guelph @ Dublin United Church
03-13 – Austin, Texas @ Velveeta (SXSW)
03-15 – Austin, Texas @ The Saxon Pub

Here’s a set from Barber’s appearance, a fantastic hour and a half long solo set featuring a number of new songs as well as all of the old favourites. Enjoy.

Matthew Barber, Grad Club, Kingston, 13 April 2007

1. go old school here (talk)
2. Beautiful Things that we Waste
3. another oldie (talk)
4. Cinnamon Hearts
5. all about the weather (talk)
6. Like Lightning
7. Story of Your Life
8. hibernating all winter (talk)
9. “Somewhere in your sleep” (title?)
10. being good (talk)
11. Easily Bruised
12. hovering behind me (talk)
13. You and Me
14. pied piper (talk)
15. Sleep in Peace
16. magical way of jumping out of my pants (talk)
17. Easy to Fall
18. another new one (talk)
19. Settle My Accounts With You
20. how quiet can I play (talk)
21. Anywhere Else but Here
22. my money-maker (talk)
23. Soft One
24. some blues? (talk)
25. Dust on My Collar
26. still familiarizing myself with this instrument (talk)
27. “Tell me what you think” ( title?)
28. never played this song before (talk)
29. Bad Fog of Loneliness (Neil Young cover)
30. Van Morrison (talk)
31. Morning Light
32. a real friday night (talk)
33. Tilt-a-Whirl

Pick yourself up Matthew Barber’s cds.

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