A powerhouse performer with a giant soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence, Canadian guitarist and singer-songwriter Matt Andersen has built a formidable following the old fashioned way – touring worldwide and letting the converted audiences and Andersen devotees spread his reputation through word of mouth. With widespread acclaim for his new album Weightless, a 2013 European Blues Award, and winning Best Solo Performer at the Memphis Blues Challenge, the entire world is now discovering Matt Andersen.

On Weightless, the New Brunswick native shifts his formidable talents as a blues performer to his song-craft, where Andersen comes out of the gate swinging with ‘I Lost My Way’, one of two co-writes withJoel Plaskett. Then he channels Van Morrison on ‘My Last Day’, before delivering ‘So Easy’, a gorgeous country ballad co-written with David Myles., while ‘Alberta Gold’., so-written with Dave Gunning, Andersen tells the all-too-common tale of Maritimers heading west to work on the oil sands. Tom Wilson (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) helps craft a rockabilly ode to a battered rust-belt town, ‘City of Dreams’, while Andersen’s Wolfville, N.S. neighbour Ryan Hupman lends a hand on three songs, including the title track, ‘Between the Lines’ and the spiritual ‘What Will You Leave’.

With 150 shows already this year, including a sold out solo performance at Toronto’s prestigious Massey Hall, after hearing the instant classic material on Weightless, it’s hard to imagine any fan of Matt Andersen - old or new - leaving unsatisfied.

MATT ANDERSEN • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014 UK & IRELAND TOUR

SEPTEMBER

Weds 24       London                                             The Islington
Fri 26           Newcastle                                        The Cluny 2
Sat 27          Sheffield                                          Shakespeares
Mon 29         Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare            Mick Murphy’s Bar
Tues 30        Dublin                                              JJ Smyth’s
 

OCTOBER

Weds 1        Belfast                                              The Errigle Inn
Thurs 2        Glasgow                                            The Admiral Bar, Glasgow Americana 2014
Fri 3            Liverpool                                          Johnny’s Blues Club, Liverpool Marina
Sat 4           Southwell, Notts.                                Southwell Library    JUST ADDED
Sun 5           Leicester                                          The Musician

Praise for Weightless

“a rich mixture of blues and Americana supplemented by excellent songwriting.” The Blues Magazine(9/10)

"If you haven't yet heard Matt Andersen, you really must, and you should start here. Not only weightless, the Canadian’s latest feels effortless too, that shoulder-rub of a voice putting the icing on some staggeringly good modern Americana." Classic Rock (8/10)

“With his distinctive smoky soulful voice and mastery of the guitar Andersen is made for the blues… However with this album Andersen is making a compelling case for the quality of his offering in a much wider range of musical styles.” Maverick (4/5)

“Weightless is a great album from a great musician.” Blues In Britain • “soulful … a powerful, commanding vocalist …” R2 (4/5)

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