"I have issues with my voice," admits Scott Matthews in an interview he gave me a few hours before transfixing 400 people during an intimate show at the Waterfront in Norwich. He must be the only person who has problems with his distinctive vocals. When he performs there’s no hint of his Black Country accent, just warmth and passion.  | | Scott spoke to us before his gig |
I was given Scott's album Passing Stranger last year and I didn’t immediately take to it. Only after I lent it to a friend who implored me to give it another go did I get hooked. Seeing Scott perform live was a strange experience. It seemed like everyone was spellbound, not by his presence as there was little interaction or showmanship, but by his sheer ability on the guitar and his lyrics. Josh PykeThis was complemented by the support act Australian Josh Pyke, who performed a 30-minute set on acoustic guitar without the support of a band. The crowd showed great appreciation after he finished his set with lyric-packed song, Middle Of The Hill, during which he barely had time to draw a breath. Headline actI was expecting each of the album tracks to be reeled off as Scott seeks to build his fan base, but he didn’t fall for the routine that some more commercial artists do. The first two songs he performed don’t even appear on the album. Alone on stage with an acoustic guitar, he opened with a track called The Wasp And The Jar. This was followed by Myself Again for which he played a long intro before the lyrics kicked in. He was eventually joined on stage by a cellist for a slower and stripped back version of the album track Eyes Wider Than Before. A more familiar song for the audience and they loved it.  | | Matthews strummed the guitar with gusto! |
The show continued to build as Scott swapped his acoustic guitar for an electric and was joined on stage by a bassist and drummer for the rocky Instrumental 16.
The lyric-free track gave him full reign to show off his talent as a guitarist and it was almost as if we were spying on a private jam session. Ebbs and flowsThe gig ebbed and flowed like the tide as Scott switched back to the acoustic to perform his last single Dream Song. The stripped back and pure nature of the show continued with City Headache, minus the accordion which can be heard on the album. The crowd didn’t seem to mind. He eventually left the stage after setting up his guitar to give off some interesting feedback from the sound system. But he couldn’t go without a solo performance of his debut single, Elusive. He says he doesn’t want to be known by just one song, but the crowd loved this, with many singing along. It certainly seems to strike a chord with people and was Jo Whiley’s record of the week on BBC Radio 1. The finale was Earth To Calm and the show ended to rapturous applause. Singer-songwriter fatigue?His album, Passing Stranger, which was released in April 2006, reached 45 in the album chart and I can’t understand why Matthews has yet to receive the chart success to match the critical acclaim. The music scene could be suffering fatigue from the host of male, guitar-led, singer-songwriters such as James Blunt, Paulo Nutini, James Morrison, et al. But Matthews has the potential to go places. He says he’s happy just making a living from music. He may lack the drive and ambition of superstars, but he’s not missing the talent even if he might be an acquired taste for some people. I would love to see Scott perform with a full band on a bigger stage. He's due to play Glastonbury this summer and there is a possibility he could tour America. It would seem how far he goes with his career depends on him. Scott Matthews played Norwich Waterfront on Thursday, 29 March, 2007.Photo credits: Ben Piper. | 
