On Aug. 2, indie duo Matt and Kim took to the Ogden Twilight Concert Series stage and filled the night with their high energy dance music. The duo, comprised of Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino, are well known for their live performances that involve the entire audience.
The night up at the Ogden Amphitheater slowly eased audience members into the festivities of the night. Up first for the night was the local Ogden-based group Ugly Boys. While people were still filtering into the venue, this band introduced us to their brand of indie-pop.
Closely following on the heels of the Ugly Boys, the Ladies of LCD Soundsystem quickly took to the stage. While at first I was not sure what to expect from just two individuals and a large DJ mix table, I was quickly surprised by what they created. These two artists and DJs brought remixes and loops of soundbites that, like a stream of consciousness, flowed right into one another. Their electric music was captivating and encouraged the ever-growing audience to join in and dance or sway to the rhythm.
Then, as a blue fog seemed to wrap around the audience, Matt and Kim took to the stage and brought an incredible energy that was miles above what the openers had showcased in their performances. Almost immediately, Matt and Kim were drenched in sweat from dancing and pouring their entire selves into their music.
By the time that Matt and Kim arrived on stage, the entire Ogden Amphitheater seemed to be filled to capacity. While the Salt Lake Twilight Series takes place at the Gallivan Center and can support larger artists and more audience members, there was a special energy present in the amphitheater. The audience ranged in age, but everyone was there to have a good time. The layout of the amphitheater was great for hanging out and grabbing a quick bite to eat while the openers got to work, but for Matt and Kim’s time on stage, everyone was on their feet and dancing all together in a house party kind of fashion.
For Matt and Kim’s set, they highlighted key songs from throughout their discography, including their latest album, “Almost Everyday.” Some key songs that the duo played were “It’s Alright,” “Like I Used To Be,” “Now,” “Get It” and “Daylight.” Yet even more impressive than their carefully curated set list was how the two interacted with the audience and played their music with an unwavering energy.
For almost every song, Schifino climbed on top of the drum set to get the audience to dance, clap and jump along. In between songs, Johnson acted like a DJ, queuing up samples of other songs and displaying a few memes and GIFs on the screen behind the duo. With Johnson’s crowd directing and Schifino’s dance moves, the two created a space that was much larger than the simple keyboard and drum kit set present on stage.
Some of my favorite moments from the concert were all audience members simultaneously releasing hundreds of balloons into the crowd, Matt and Kim teaching everyone about the “Wall of Death” and Schifino spontaneously deciding to trade shirts with an audience member.
Personally, my absolute favorite part of the concert was hearing Matt and Kim play “Let’s Go” as their final song of their night. For the longest time, that was the only song of Matt and Kim’s that I knew, and it was incredible seeing the new level of their music in their live performance.
