Matt and Kim Keep Fans Dancing at White Oak Music Hall

Matthew Keever April 14, 2018 6:38AM

Photo by Matthew Keever

Kim seems to have recovered from her ACL tear just fine

[
          {
            "name": "Related Stories / Support Us Combo",
            "component": "11591218",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "4"
          },{
            "name": "Air - Billboard - Inline Content",
            "component": "11591214",
            "insertPoint": "2/3",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7"
          },{
            "name": "R1 - Beta - Mobile Only",
            "component": "12287027",
            "insertPoint": "8",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "8"
          },{
            "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size 2",
            "component": "11591215",
            "insertPoint": "12",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "12"
          },{
            "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size 2",
            "component": "11591215",
            "insertPoint": "4th",
            "startingPoint": "16",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "12"
          }
          
            ,{
              "name": "RevContent - In Article",
              "component": "12527128",
              "insertPoint": "3/5",
              "requiredCountToDisplay": "5"
            }
          
        ]

Matt and Kim
White Oak Music Hall
April 13, 2018

Some bands are disappointing. You buy their album, fall in love with a few songs and attend a show only to discover that they just can't replicate the studio magic. It's a discouraging experience, one that most concert-goers encounter from time to time.

Matt and Kim reside on the other end of the spectrum. Their records are fun, energetic indie pop that sometimes come across just a little too bubblegum. But their live performances are something else entirely. They elevate the duo from pleasantly infectious to downright inspiring.

Formed in 2004, the group consists of only two members: Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino, who met at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. The story, as recounted a number of times by Matt, is that Kim saw him walking across campus, approached him and gave him her number.

Nearly 15 years later, the two are happily married with a killer live show and nearly half a dozen albums to their names. Their upcoming sixth record, Almost Everyday, has been rumored to be their most intimate release to date. It was written and recorded while Kim was recovering from a torn ACL that she suffered during a performance in Mexico in 2017.

Fortunately for fans, Kim seemed to be healthy and in good spirits Friday night. At a sold-out White Oak Music Hall, she was all smiles and inappropriate comments — her old self. She stood atop her drum kit, pounded away on it while grimacing her iconic smile and even found time to use a pair of dildos as drum sticks.

The group's set included clips from Drake's "Started From the Bottom" and DMX's "Party Up (Up In Here)," among others. Hits and newer tracks were incorporated, including the iconic "Daylight" from 2009's Grand and "Forever" from their forthcoming album.

Balloons and inflatable emojis were floated above the crowd, and crowd-surfing abounded. At one point, the venue was split down the middle as fans stepped toward the walls before rushing at each other when the beat dropped. All in all, it was a sweaty good time that attendees aren't likely to forget any time soon.

There's something special about a band that can make an audience feel so good and carefree, and Matt and Kim provided as much in spades. Concerts can make or break bands and, in the case of this couple, their live performances and positive attitudes will likely continue to attract fans for years to come.