MadLucas
Well-Known Member
Onelinedrawing - Visitor.
I cannot emphasize this enough: if you ever get the chance to see Jonah Matranga live, DO IT. Easily the most engaging, moving live performer I have ever seen.
In 2003, I saw him open for a very heavy “emo-core” band called Thursday, along with an even harder band called Hot Cross. I remember raving to my brother and my friends and all of my brothers friends about how great Jonah and Onelinedrawing were before the show. I also remember how quickly, while he was setting up and when he finally took the stage, a disturbing amount of the audience had an attitude of “what the fuck is this? This is going to suck.”
I have never, ever in my life seen an audience be so quickly turned around as they were for Jonah. It’s not just that the stage banter was good, it’s not just that the songs were phenomenal, it’s not just that with every word in the story he pulled you in… But he could scream louder or harder than anyone else who took the stage that night and when he did it, you knew he meant it. His solo voice and guitar rendition of “Be Quiet And Drive” haunts me 17 years later.
Immediately following his set, I went up to his mercy booth and thanked him for the show, and told him how much it meant to be able to hear the song “Wings” live. He grabbed me and pulled me into the hardest hug a man has ever given me and said “I love you.”
I don’t know why I don’t pull this album or any of his others out more, now that I think about it.
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