Gallery: Matt Nathanson's "King Of (Un)Simple" Tour Brings Love and Light to Port Chester

Live Nation Presents: The King Of (Un)Simple Tour February 28th in Port Chester, New York

Words and Photos by: Chantel Malin | @chantelmalin

Matt Nathanson's King Of (Un)Simple Tour, in celebration of the album of the same name, stopped through Port Chester, New York's Capitol Theatre on Friday, February 28. The evening was advertised as both a promotion of Nathanson's new record as well as the return of the musician's famed "Wheel of Song," a beloved addition to the stage that sparks both nostalgia to longer fans as well as excitement and curiosity to newer fans.

Opening the evening was Rachael Yamagata; the singer-songwriter and pianist filled in for the originally scheduled Lisa Loeb, who was unfortunately unable to make it. However, any disappointment from fans was certainly short lived, as Yamagata brought a stunning, powerful performance to the stage that left the audience awestruck. Her songs cover topics of love and loss intertwined with a reverence for nature, including "Birds," a touching tribute to Yamagata's mother, and "Galaxy," a story about aliens and squirrels learning to live together as one with the land. Her performance was supported by the talented guitarist Michael Chaves.

Rachel Yamagata

Though Nathanson's infamous Wheel remained covered by a cloth for the first few songs of his set, it didn't take long for the man to infuse his signature style of humor and whimsy into his performance. Though the set was expectedly heavy on songs from the new record, concertgoers were still treated to previous favorites such as "Faster," which included a clap-along dedicated fans were well-prepared for and that newer fans caught onto quickly, as well as the anthemic "Giants," a U2-infused version of "Car Crash," the tongue-in-cheek "Modern Love," and soaring singalong "Suspended."

Now, onto the Wheel - arguably the most important piece of the evening. The prop includes wedges referring to songs spanning Nathanson's illustrious 30+ year career - but, as always, presented with at touch of humor. While some wedges indicated simple song or album titles, others were more open to interpretation, such as: "You Good, Bro?!", a collection of Nathanson's self-described "saddest shit ever"; "Unsung Heroes," songs that rarely get performed live (and collected in a hefty binder); and the beloved "Songs You Hear At Whole Foods." In discussion of the wheel, Nathanson joked of the device's seemingly supernatural power, recounting how he had attempted to defy its choice at a previous show, only for the power on the entire block to do go (save for the Wheel, which is battery operated.)

Some of the Wheel's picks for the night included "Stop! Thief!" which launched a rendition of the song "Princess" infused with Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl," a song he admits he "may have ripped off." The Wheel also landed on the album Show Me Your Fangs, which brought the audience performances of the songs "Adrenaline" and "Bill Murray" off the 2015 album.

Nathanson of course made sure to include plenty of music from his latest release and namesake of the tour, King Of (Un)Simple. Though the record's title hints at its subject matter, the confusing and often overly complicated themes of love, family, belonging and purpose, the songwriter has year after year displayed his ability to package such "unsimple" themes in an accessible package that resonates with listeners across generations. "Pablo Picasso" is both a cheeky love song and also a reminder to allow oneself to enjoy the good things in life."Vampires," performed with Rachael Yamagata, is a contemplation of toxic relationships and how easy they are to get sucked into. Set opener "Map At the Mall" has quickly become a staple amongst Nathanson's fans; at under three minutes long, the short-but-mighty track packs a hefty punch about the uncertainties of life and missing the good old days "when life was as simple as finding yourself / as a dot on a map at the mall."

Perhaps the thesis of the entire evening was the painfully timely "Move To The Moon." As an introduction to the track, Nathanson reflected on the overwhelm of the modern age, from the insurmountable influx of not only information, but also pain and suffering, to the struggle to find meaning within a machine that seems to discourage creativity and self-expression so heavily. The song expresses an escapist fantasy, a tale as old as time - the desire to simply up and leave when it feels your world won't accept you as you are. However, Nathanson insists that the solution isn't to escape, nor is it to repress; a hush fell over the venue as he uttered the words "it is really important we treat human beings as we ourselves like to be treated... we're all the same organisms on this rock floating in space... you can't peace out; you have to show up."

Nathanson then closed out the evening with his hit song "Come On Get Higher," with Michael Chaves returning to the stage; the guitarist had actually helped develop the song in its early days throughout its recording. The night was capped off with a snipped of "Defying Gravity" from Wicked, a fitting theme to intertwine with Nathanson's previous message - to wrap each other in support and kindness, and, most of all, to always let yourself dream and strive towards something better.

Check out the full gallery of Matt Nathanson below!