Matthew C. Whitaker / Band on the Wall / Manchester
Last month we reviewed the new album “Songs for the Weary” from Manchester based artist Matthew C. Whitaker (check out our review HERE). A stunning album, we so wanted to catch a show on the album release tour. Unfortunately a show clash meant we couldn’t attend the Nottingham show, so where better to go, than Manchester’s iconic Band on the Wall, for the final home-coming date on the tour.
In support tonight is, Alan Keary who is a multi-instrumentalist and producer, with a strong musical heritage who goes by the stage alias of Shunya. Trained on classical violin and jazz bass, and having grown up with the with the sounds of Manchester's electronic music scene, he uses pedals and modern technology to create complex atmospheric sounds. Using laptop, drum machine, looper and effect pedals, and prominently featuring driving beats and warm bass lines, he creates complex, multi-layer sounds. In some ways similar to someone like cellist Jo Quail.
His music covers a broad church of subjects, one, entitled “Four Billion and One” is the story of conception, as seen through the microscope of a scientist, whilst others are more heartfelt, such as one about his best friend who was lost in the Amazon, and stranded almost died, as he yearned to hear one last time his other sing him a lullaby (he was found and rescued).
Alan, has a great stage presence, talking between songs with the audience, explaining the songs back stories and joking. The songs are stunning, delicate at times, and at others thunderous.
A wonderful start to the night.
After a short break, it’s time for tonight’s headliner, Matthew C. Whitaker. Who you say ? Many of you may know him by his alter ego – Zpor, the interplanetary traveller along with his friends Goo, Sol and Nom, who occasionally visit Earth to perform their unique brand of ‘Cosmic Dross’ for willing Earthlings, going by the name of HENGE.
But Matthew is an accomplished singer, songwriter and composer. A classically trained guitarist, his debut album “The Man with the Anvil Hat” was released in 2016. It’s been ten years, but now here is his latest album “Songs for the Weary”. During the set, Matthew explains the ten year delay as the result of buying a house with a hammock ! Seems a perfectly sound excuse to me lol. But those years have been far from silent, having releaed four albums with HENGE, with 2018’s “Attention Earth!”, 2020’s “ExoKosm”, 2023’s “Alpha Test 4” and their latest release, 2025’s stunning album “Journey to Voltus B”. A prominent member of the Manchester music scene for many years, prior to HENGE he fronted hugely popular bands Whiskycats and Gypsies of Bohemia.
His sound blends classical guitar, strings, and electronics in richly textured soundscapes, and Shunya (Alan Keary) was a key collaborator on the new album, and joins Matthew on stage for the main set.
Opening with You Can Only Let Us Down from his debut album, the standard is set, right from the off. The sound at Band on the Wall is crystal clear, and crisp, bringing out the best in Matthews vocals. It’s followed by Chestnut Tree a delightful soft musing before Matthew and Shunya are joined on stage by Jim Wallace, with whom Matthew has worked many times and was a key member of the group that worked on his debut album. He joins on guitar for Feud, Team Games, with it’s delightful gypsy jazz sensibilities and Bones, a slice of Americana, with a real Wild West ‘High Plains Drifter’ feel.
Returning to the new album, Matthew gives us a solo performance of the opening track Overture before Shunya joins again for Mind How You Go, the softest, and sweetest parental warning about driving carefully, and bringing yourself home safely.
At this point, Matthew praises Shunya and thanks him for all the work on the album and tour, and they joke how he was paid with a bottle of red wine and biscuits. This marks the point, where Matthew reaches into a bag, producing three packs of Hobnobs and instructed everyone to take one or two if you’re hungry and to pass them back. The three packs meandered through different routes to the back, and somehow NONE arrived back where I was standing ! Apologies were made of the lack of chocolate HobNobs, however, fan comments on Facebook lead me to understand chocolate biscuits were issued out in London !
Ignoring my rumbling tummy (lol) the set continued with two more from the new album, A Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man, a wonderful portrayal of the artist, from the perspective of looking back on life and his own career, and Stand Up to the Man which is the most polite protest song ever written. There’s a wonderful hint of ‘70s folk/jazz as well as beautiful nuanced ballads.
His interactions with the crowd are fun and enlightening, and at this point we engaged in a group discussion on our favourite roads ! The likes of Snake Pass, the A303 and A666 are offered up to various levels of laughter and agreement.
The highlight of the set is next, in Lucid Dreamer a stunning, delicate piece. As we noted in our review, the initial orchestral swell had me instantly thinking of Barry Gray Orchestra’s Aqua Marina from ‘Stingray’ and as it built it has that wonderfully nostalgic feel of a Matt Monroe hit, something like “From Russia with love” with its luscious cinematic soundscapes and nostalgic vibe. The strings from Shunya along with the electronic elements, create a magnificent ethereal whole - Dreamy.
Another interlude and a telling of the biblical tale of Daniel and the Lion, told in Matthew’s own unique way, suggesting that it could have been a miracle, OR the lions could have been drugged, like they are in Thailand for tourist photos with blokes in Everton shirts.
The night just flies by, as we’re carried along on a soft cloud-like musical journey through the astral plain. A wonderful night, of music and belly laughs, and thoroughly enjoyable, despite the lack of HobNobs at the back of the hall !
If you ever get the chance to see Matthew live – grab it !
Setlist
You Can Only Let Us Down
Chestnut Tree
Feud
Team Games
Bones
Overture
Mind How You Go
A Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man
Stand Up to the Man
Lucid Dreamer
Indigo Dust (Henge cover)
