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The Tallest Man on Earth played two full-band NYC shows with Hiss Golden Messenger (pics & setlist from MHOW)

photos by P Squared Photography

The Tallest Man on Earth

Matsson kept the arrangements varied, switching from a five-piece to a quartet to a duo with a few solo songs thrown in the mix. At various times, these numbers included fiddle, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, piano, pedal steel, and lots of guitars, with Matsson swapping out axes for just about every song, ensuring that each was beautifully tuned. There was also an array of crisp drumbeats and, at times, booming bass. Matsson played through every song on Dark Bird, and peppered those newcomers with an equal amount from his past catalog.

…For the two-song encore Matsson changed into a plain white T-shirt and, for the first time that evening, went guitar-less, leaving the playing to his band as he performed the hell out of “Dreamer.” The song had him transformed into a pop singer, grabbing at his hair and dramatically recoiling and waving his arms as the trumpet blared some rising tide of lovelorn despair behind him. [Village Voice]

The Tallest Man On Earth (aka Kristian Matsson) brought his tour in support of his fleshed-out fourth album, Dark Bird Is Home, to NYC for two shows this week: Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday (6/2) at Beacon Theatre last night (6/3). It was his first-ever tour with a full band, and as the review of the MHOW show above points out, it was quite a change from his days touring solo. Another great folk singer, Hiss Golden Messenger, opened both shows. We’ve got pictures of the MHOW show (including one of the setlist), and those continue below…

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth