The wolfman has jumped ship to tour the UK and I have to be honest, after being invited to see Australian folk singer Matt Corby at trendy bar Queen of Hoxton in London I had no idea what to expect, even forgetting his name at one point. However I found myself mind-blown by his raspy and distinct tone which is a rarity only shared by the likes of Jeff Buckley. Not to mention his insane vocal ability as he tore up the stage in Shoreditch in front of a small crowd of 200 – max.
There’s something about an acoustic guitar that makes a live gig more intimate for the audience. He performed tracks from his latest album ‘Into the Flame’ which was a huge success in the Land of Oz and now us Brits have been privileged enough to get a taster of what this truly original artist has to offer.
After some tuning issues and a moment of humour after confessing ‘that sounds f*****g sh*t’, Matt Corby belted out arguably the best performance of the night with his track ‘Brother’ accompanied by a sing-along audience, including Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton who has since publicized the wolfman on his unforgettable gig.
After seeing Mr. Corby, I couldn’t help but head to the online source of music hype YouTube to check out some of his covers for bands such as The Black Keys, particularly his cover of their hit song ‘Lonely Boy’. As a Black Keys fan it’s safe to say the original is a tough one to beat and anyone who dare challenge to ruin this powerhouse tune should go f**k themselves, however Matt Corby did the impossible and put his own unique spin on the alternative track, captivating once again with that insane vocal ability and of course his much-loved guitar, which by the way was made for this man. I was also thankful to hear that his stint on TV talent show Australian Idol resulted in him placing second, which was enough to generate publicity but not enough to destroy the outstanding musician that he stands for.
The future is bright for Mr. Corby and I pray that he returns to the UK soon to share the stories of those who influence his powerful music.
mattcorby.com.au
