Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

With a voyage to Australia just a few weeks away, a trip in which in he has arranged himself, somewhat expertly it could be suggested for such a young man and in which will see him play gigs in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and Sydney, Matt Breen seems to take a particular delight in playing infront of an audience at The Baltic Social as part of this year’s Threshold Festival.

It is the measure of the man, the growing confidence that surrounds the musician that he is equally as comfortable and adept and playing in a room full of people taking in the early Spring sunshine as he is travelling thousands of miles at a young tender age and immersing himself into a culture in which many, even as seasoned travellers, might think twice or even three times about.

This though is Matt Breen, no ordinary teenager. He was wowing crowds at Ian Prowse’s Monday Night Club when most young lads were dreaming of playing football for Everton or Liverpool, of when the allure of the opposite sex was uppermost in their minds. For Matt Breen music has always been a saviour and a blessing and the way he plays, well sometimes you just have to watch him closely, to see the mannerisms and charm up close and then still wonder how he manages to do it.

With only a short set in which to perform, just enough time to get the dust off the fingers and get the groove going for the evening’s other performers at The Baltic Social, Matt Breen played some of his own tracks and a fantastic medley of songs in which to get the foot tapping as is if your leg had found the world’s most discreet drum peddle in which to join in the fun and games.

With tracks such as I Do, Vienna, a really impressive version of one of his own favourite tracks Katy, one in which he slowed down just enough for his acoustic guitar to make you think of decay rather than being a hindrance, of time passing rather being in the way and that there was no regret in his voice, and a new track in I Don’t Know Who You Are Anymore in which he played with dynamism and control, the first part of the session was as good as you could want to witness.

The medley though, although being made up of covers suggested that the music he would play in this way whilst on tour would be one in which to be jealous of the Australian public for the first time since they unearthed the talented Shane Warne. A string of songs including Go Johnny Go, Blue Suede Shoes hung in the air like the legends they are and the set was finished off with a superb full length version of Don McLean’s American Pie, Australia may have had the talents of spinner Shane Warne to terrorise the England top order with, Liverpool sends Matt Breen in exchange in which to admire and bowl audiences over with.

As ever an experience worth enjoying, Matt Breen just plays like a man possessed with subtle greatness.

Ian D. Hall