Photo from digboston via Wikipedia
By Abigail Chasteen
Nic0 blue: “this is the best thing of the lockdown, thank u Kristian”
Nic0 blue, I think I agree with you.
The Tallest Man on Earth might have the biggest heart for his fans. His quarantine live stream concert series, consisting of seven Youtube videos and good tunes, is the perfect distraction from the craziness of the world outside. I felt at peace while watching the show and for the next hour and 20 minutes, I really did forget about the craziness of a pandemic, an election year, and everything else going on.
Indie singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson from Leksand, Sweden, otherwise known as The Tallest Man on Earth, did not try to make his quarantine series perfect by any means. There was no pressure of a well-lit stage, screaming fans or an orchestrated setlist. Instead it was just Matsson in a buttoned shirt, a room filled with household items, fans commenting online and a home set up sound system.
I describe Mattson’s music the same way I describe his concert atmosphere: relaxed and folksy, almost like I’m sitting outside at a campfire with my best friends. You don’t need to know all of the lyrics or know what’s coming up next to let loose and enjoy the flow. With the keys or his guitar in hand, Mattson goes from joking with you about his shirt to intriguing you with his unique raspy voice.
What I really loved about Matsson was his comfortability with the way everything was. He was not ashamed of his lack of streaming knowledge, admitting he wasn’t sure if it would even work, but he used what he had to make his fans feel comfortable. Instead of pretending to know all of the ins and outs of a perfect livestream, he made the most of the moment. While separated through a screen, we were still all together. Although he said the video quality resolution was “weird and funky,” nothing about the concert atmosphere felt that way.
Starting with the beginning of his series back in April, Matsson consistently held between 50,000-60,000 viewers, calling his livestream concerts “Live From the Finger Lakes” and adding hashtags #StayHome and #WithMe. As one who hates staying at home and misses social interaction, these experiences were just what I needed to feel like I wasn’t so alone —just me, 50,000 people and Matsson’s tunes.
At the show on the first of May, a day after Matsson’s birthday, fans blew up the comments with belated happy birthday wishes, and Matsson was caught off guard and thankful. This is one of the few moments I knew I was not alone. We were together, going through our own crazy lives but also being connected by music that we love and a musician we admire.
Bulldog Beat 
