SPILL LIVE REVIEW: MATTHEW SWEET @ TD MUSIC HALL, TORONTO

MATTHEW SWEET

@ TD MUSIC HALL, TORONTO

APRIL 13, 2024

“We haven’t been here in decades! I don’t know why it’s taken so long,” declared singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet from the stage of the TD Music Hall. Grizzled, and wearing a baggy shirt and a Greek fisherman’s cap, Sweet looked every bit the rumpled elder statesman of power pop. There was a lot of love in the room as the Toronto crowd welcomed their old friend, and Sweet was clearly glad to be back.

The band got right to work, leading off with 1993’s “The Ugly Truth” followed by “I Wanted to Tell You” from 1991. This band is a crackerjack outfit, playing faithful renditions of Sweet’s hits from the 1990s, as well as a few tunes from this century. Included in the group are Paul Chastain (of Velvet Crush) on bass and harmony vocals, and Adrian Carter on acoustic rhythm guitar and harmony vocals. In addition to their solid instrumental skills, this pair also covered a lot of ground vocally, fleshing out the sound, and hitting the elusive high notes. Lead guitar duties were ably covered by the talented John Moremen (of The Orange Peels, Flotation Device, and The Paul and John). Moremen’s playing is eccentrically fluid, and he threw riffs to the crowd like parade candy. His musicianship truly elevates this band. Sweet proudly introduced the legend that is Debbi Peterson (of the Bangles) on drums and vocals. Peterson is a solid and adept drummer, who kept this unit moving throughout the show.

Sweet and company presented the songs well, which went a long way toward making up for his long absence. There were a lot of great musical moments onstage, but one of the highlights of the night included “Pretty Please”, which featured (one of many) incendiary guitar solos from Moremen. Additionally, “We’re The Same”, and “Someone to Pull the Trigger” were also outstanding. Sweet shared the fact that the latter song had been written in Toronto, and that he was “not in a good mood” when he wrote it. Conversely, Sweet’s charming between-song banter centred on his love of cats. Throughout the evening, he gave his road stories, recording studio stories, and personal anecdotes a hilarious feline connection.

The main set ended with a stunning version of “Evangeline”, after which Sweet and band left the stage to the sound of staccato guitar distortion. They were not gone for long, but the extended distortion effect was the perfect segue to their perfect performance of “Girlfriend”. The finale, “Sick of Myself”, was equally strong, and included five fun false endings led by Peterson.

Before playing the encore, Sweet appeared to be genuinely touched, saying, “You don’t know how awesome it is to come up here and have a sold-out show. Thank you for coming out to see us.” Hopefully, it will not be decades before fans get to see Matthew Sweet again. Don’t be a stranger!

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