BrightestYoungThings: LiveDC: Matthew Hemerlein's CD Release @ SOVA

all photos: Mitchell London
all words: Wlada Kolosowa
bonus: our listening party feature with Matt here

No one will ever admit it, but I’m convinced that deep inside everybody's biggest wish is to discover an artist who is about to take off big time. Sure, it sucks to share your personal treasure, but also gives you this warm feeling of having been right all the way, a feeling of having been the first to know a secret.

I’ve been looking for such a clandestine jewel all my (granted, not very long) life. But since the project of scanning music blogs and tiny concerts is about as lucrative and tiresome as sieving sand for gold, my research wasn’t very fruitful. Either the “pearls” I dug out turned out to be common-sense for years or they never made it out of daddy’s garage. Long story short: I was about to accept the failure of my project, until …

[ dramatic pause here ]

… last Friday, when Matthew Hemerlein, probably DC’s most underrated musician (though not for long-ed), taught me that such discoveries happen when and where you least expect them. In a converted coffee room of an H-street bar for instance. Here he stood, the hidden diamond, wearing an embroidered thrift store shirt and striped socks, a violin tucked under his chin, gently, yet humorously, leading through his concert.

SOVA hosted the release of Hemerlein’s first full-length album – and this wine and espresso bar was the perfect setting for his very intimate and warm show. Although the room was bursting at the seams, the event felt more like a family gathering than a concert: No moshing but curling up on sofas, no euphoric sweat but incense in the air and wine in potbellied glasses. Vintage jewelry on sale and Elizabeth Graeber drawing life portraits on purchased CDs made everybody feel almost homey.

Comfortable on multiple instruments (guitar, violin, cello, upright bass) Hemerlein could easily fill two bands all by himself. This evening, however, Brothers Thornley from U.S. Royalty were helping out melting hearts and causing the arm hair to stand up. The performance was taking a soft note, aiming more on goose bumps and head-nodding rather than tush-shaking with extra-smooth interpretations of Talking Heads, Usher, MGMT and couple of Hemerlein’s own almost painfully beautiful songs.

It was one of these concerts that remind you why you listen to live music in the first place. It reached deep, and (warning! corny sentiment incoming!) made you all warm inside. It was music that for a moment caused you to feel close to strangers you share nothing with except for this experience, than people you've known since high-school.

I’m pretty sure I was not the only one to notice this effect. Since last Friday I finally have a secret I’ve been looking for so long. And this time I'm pretty sure that I'm not betting on the wrong horse. Remember the name of this multi-instrumental multi-talent! I wouldn’t be surprised to read about it soon EVERYWHERE.