Pop Sensations - Phillip Phillips, Matt Nathanson, and A Great Big World

We have finally come to the end of the line for me this summer! It feels like the time really flew by but this is the last show of the season for me. It has truly been an honor and privilege to serve as a lawn usher again and the hope is that one day I can come back, either as an usher or patron. Luckily, Wolf Trap sent me out with a bang! Each of these artists were better than I thought they would be and even though I have seen Nathanson before, I forgot how could of a performer his is! A Great Big World is a band that formed by Ian Axel and Chad King at NYU in 2011. They are widely known for their piano balled "Say Something" but their artistry goes a lot deeper than that. They released their 2nd album late in 2015 and also won the Grammy Award in 2015 for "Say Something". Matt Nathanson is a singer-songwriter who got his start in 1993 with the release of his first album. I have already reviewed him in a post a couple years ago do I won't go into detail but he has released 9 solo albums so far and has no signs of quitting. Phillip Phillips is best known for winning the the 11th season of American Idol and has released 2 albums since his win 2012. His singles "Home" and "Gone Gone Gone" were quite successful and his blend of folk rock has differentiated himself from the other winners of Idol in the past. Together, the three artists have toured around the country and Wolf Trap is actually their third to last stop in this summer tour!

I really thought this show was fantastic. People tend to put pop down a lot but honestly it hits home just as well as any rock song if done correctly. A Great Big World are a true band and I actually thought "Say Something" was not a good representation of how good they are together. Their driving pop sound is quite refreshing and I believe they have a lot of good music left in them. Matt Nathanson was just as good as I remember him and he actually came on to the lawn during the performance! He was really engaging with the crowd and one of the funniest and most down to earth performers we've had! His softer acoustic set contrasted well with the raucous show of Phillip Phillips. You might think Phillips is just another Idol product but he can rock like the rest of them and is actually a very good acoustic guitar player. He was able to spread out his hits while keeping the audience interested and let his band play out in many of his songs. All together these artists presented one of the better pop performances I have seen and I have gained more appreciation for each of these performers!

My favorite part of the show was when all 3 artists came out together and sang a tribute to Prince, "Raspberry Beret". That's my favorite Prince songs and they all put their forces together and did a fine job. I think he would be proud.

As always, I look forward to coming back to Wolf Trap in the near future and to enjoy more shows!

DC

Phillip Phillips

Matt Nathanson

A Great Big World