Mat Day and Jesse Garwood at the Tuesday Night Music Club.

Review and Images by Ken Jackson 

Mat Day and Jesse Garwood at the Tuesday Night Music Club.

Another fabulous Tuesday night at my music club of choice. This week we were here to see the Mat Day Band. Mat is a familiar face to many of us, best known as the lead guitarist with the Greg Coulson Band, who’ve graced the club’s stage many times over the years. Opening the evening was eighteen-year-old Jesse Garwood, and after a warm introduction from Richard Dunning, Jesse introduced himself as an acoustic singer-songwriter.

I don’t think anyone in the room had seen or heard of him before, but by the end of his set he’d won over the entire audience. In fact, he finished to a standing ovation, something I genuinely can’t remember happening here before. Confident, articulate, gifted on acoustic guitar, and with an excellent voice performing his own material, what’s not to like? During the interval, a quiet buzz ran through the crowd as a few people spotted Zac Schulze in the audience and wondered whether he might join Mat onstage. When the break ended,

Mat and his band, with Ben Maxwell on keys, Luke Palmer on bass, and Sam Round on drums, took to the stage. All of them have played the club before with Greg Coulson and are musicians of the highest calibre. They opened with a stunning cover of Eleanor Rigby, followed by a series of beautifully performed originals with, I believe, another cover. If the set had continued at that level alone, we’d have been more than satisfied, but then Mat invited Jesse Garwood back to the stage, where he proved he’s just as adept and talented on electric guitar.

The energy surged, and I found myself so caught up in the performance that I’d almost forgotten about Zac’s presence until Mat called him up to join the band to thunderous applause. As Zac stepped onstage with Mat and the band, the atmosphere shifted yet again. Mat and Zac traded licks, jammed, and clearly enjoyed every moment, giving us an unforgettable performance. Evenings like this are exactly why I try to see as much live music as I can: the magic of the unexpected, when something special happens right in front of you.

The audience rose for a full standing ovation and, after a two-song encore, stood once more to show their appreciation for an evening exceptionally well spent. Mike delivered outstanding work on the sound desk, ensuring everything we heard was the best it could be. And as always, thanks to Richard for another superb night of top-quality music.