The show was sold out. People streamed into the auditorium at the Cape Town International Convention Center (CTICC), brimming with anticipation. The Tallest Man on Earth, more commonly known as Kristian Matsson, was finally performing in Cape Town. As usual, he attracted a great deal of hipsters, sporting their usual alternative dress code. One could even, occasionally, spot a barefooted person in the crowd. The lighting was atmospheric, in hues of red and blue, and there was one empty chair on the stage, anticipating Matsson’s presence.

The audience seemed excited yet subdued – this was not a man who would make your heart race with his upbeat songs. His music typically expressed emotions from the heart. More specifically, the negative kind of emotions such as nostalgia and heartbreak. Did this audience expect a mood of sorrow, an event during which they could publicly cry or feel anguish and not feel ashamed about it?

Matsson presented the audience with a range of his better-known songs with the emotion and skill Capetonians have come to know from his albums and EPs. Dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and black skinny jeans, his clothing complimented the mood his music was expected to set.

His dialogue with the audience, however, lifted the atmosphere into one of light-hearted entertainment. He responded well to audience members screaming praises such as “I love you man!,” “You are awesome,” and even “I want you!” Walking into the audience, he threw kisses in the directions of the compliments.

Matsson came across as a humble musician with a sense of humor. He apologized for the mood of his music after various songs. Most of his songs have been described as “whiners,” with him doing the “whining.” When he finished playing the popular “Where do my bluebirds fly,” he apologetically said “I’m not angry, I’m not angry at all” and, after a moment’s reflection, said “this song pisses me off too.”

In discussing his new album, he jokingly said that he tried to deal with issues in the album, but that it is “pretty much a whiner too.” The song he followed this comment with, “Sometimes the blues is just a passing bird,” was received with enthusiastic applause. His “whining” was received with definite approval.

Maybe the highlight of the concert was Matsson’s closing song, a tender love song called “Thrown right at me.” For a small part of the song, Amanda Bergman (Matsson’s wife and the singer known as “Idiot Wind”) ran onto the stage to sing a duet with Matsson. This special moment introduced a feeling of hope and optimism to Matsson’s “whining.”

It seems, then, that the Cape Town audience got more than they bargained for at The Tallest Man on Earth’s concert. The music he produced was stirring and beautiful. Yet his interaction with the audience lightened the atmosphere and his duet with his wife introduced an element of warmth, even cuteness, to the event. It is no wonder that passers by saw a crowd of smiling, content people leaving the CTICC after the concert.

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Not to be confused with the Swiss municipality called Beatenberg,  is a South African band which is challenging the confines of South African music. They categorize themselves as a pop band, yet their music seems to stretch beyond what one expects from pop musicians. There is an honesty and calm sincerity in their music, a quality which is difficult to come by in any musical style nowadays.

The band consists of lead singer and guitarist Matthew Field, drummer Robin Brink, and Ross Dorkin on bass guitar. The songs they perform are written by Field. The band recently opened for The Tallest Man on Earth‘s concert at the Cape Town International Convention Center. This gave Toonari Post a chance to catch up with them after the show and find out what they’re really about.

Beatenberg’s music has a very unique sound. It is not completely African, but not completely pop either. It seems to be more a mixture of the two. So getting right down to it, they were asked where exactly this sound comes from. Field explained that they were all educated on typical Western instruments as they were growing up in South Africa – instruments such as the guitar and drum kit. He recently returned from Boston, USA, where he studied at the Berklee College of Music.

The sudden culture shock of being in America, he says, made him more aware of his African roots. It gave him a desire, or ‘agenda’, to represent South African music. Coming back to South Africa, he incorporated these ideas into the band’s sound – already influenced by jazz and classical styles – to create their unique sort-of-African sound.

Their music, just like their personalities, is subtle and atmospheric. When asked which musicians inspire them, drummer Robin Brink claims “The Police” without a moment’s hesitation. This does not come as a surprise. As Field explained, their sound and aesthetic makes it difficult for them to fit into the usual categories such as ‘rock’ and ‘pop’.

The Police seems to rise above any such categories, producing music that is memorable and unique. The band was in agreement as to the influence of jazz on their music. And they were adamant that rock had no influence on their sound whatsoever. If anything, they described themselves as ‘anti-rock’.

When asked why they think they were chosen as the opening band for The Tallest Man on Earth, they all agreed that their sound played a vital role. The Tallest Man on Earth’s music was not intended to get the crowd jumping or dancing to the beat. The music he made was relatively slow and emotional. Beatenberg’s laid-back yet African sound seemed to match The Tallest Man on Earth’s South African concert perfectly.

This opening act sincerely impressed with their performance at the Cape Town International Convention Center. Beatenberg’s desire is to go international. With performances of such a high quality, they might just achieve this dream.

Main Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/Beatenberg

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It is perfectly normal to turn to the Guinness Book of World Records, or maybe just Google, to find out who the tallest man on earth is. This question has been circulating throughout South Africa, leaving many dumbfounded as to who this person could be. Imagine the added confusion when it is found that The Tallest Man on Earth is also the moniker of a Swedish folksinger who is making quite a name for himself and who will also be gracing the South African stage this month.

A South African rumor of an event entitled The Tallest Man on Earth has therefore recently spread, confusing many. Some shorter people refused to buy a ticket as they believed it to be a competition to see who the tallest man on earth currently is. Others wonder whether it is a circus-like event showcasing the actual tallest person in the world. A select few, generally belonging to the club of indie music fans, knowingly nod and smile.

The tallest man in recorded history is Robert Pershing Wadlow (1918 – 1940). At his death, he was 8 feet and 11.1 inches tall. Because of his height, Wadlow became a popular American celebrity. The folksinger who goes by the name of The Tallest Man on Earth, Kristian Matsson, might not be as tall, yet he is reaching for the stars.

Wadlow might indeed have been the inspiration behind Matsson’s choice of moniker. The tallest man on earth would naturally be closest to the stars. He would also attract a fair amount of attention. One of The Tallest Man on Earth’s songs, “The Gardner”, contains the lyrics: “So I could stay the tallest man in your eyes, babe.”

His moniker must then also refer to being the primary romantic interest to someone special. Matsson’s individual voice and alluring guitar-playing may soon have him as a primary interest in the world of music, or at least the world of folk and indie music.

Matsson is from Dalarna, Sweden. The singer-songwriter has released two albums (Shallow Grave and The Wild Hunt) and two EPs (The Tallest Man on Earth and Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird) since 2006. Matsson is regularly found touring and performing, often with his wife, Amanda Bergman, who is a singer-songwriter better known as Idiot Wind.

The Tallest Man on Earth will be performing in South Africa this month. He will be giving two concerts, one in Cape Town’s CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre) and one in Johannesburg’s Joburg Theatre, on February 10 and 11. Rumor has it that the Johannesburg concert is already sold out. If you are in Cape Town, however, there might still be a chance to get a ticket to this event.

Hopefully, Matsson’s performances will give him added popularity in South Africa. Locals will definitely benefit from knowing who this mysterious Tallest Man on Earth really is, and South Africans will benefit even more from the sounds of Matsson’s intimate voice-guitar relationship.

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