Chase Matthew // Tyler Holder // Live Review// The Limelight// Belfast
Monday night, and it’s a school night, and that only means one thing! Gig!!! Tonight we have the pleasure of two young hot up and coming artists in Chase Matthew and his brother in arms Tyler Holder.
Just take a look at these lads’ socials, and you’ll see them burning up and trail across the US and beyond, bringing their very own brand of modern country to the masses. Tonight the pleasure is all ours in Belfast, Northern Irelandwhicho in just two weeks, Friday 14th to Sunday 16th, will host C2C (Country To Country) where the masses will indeed descend on this city in droves for some of the finest global country artists in the business today.
As we land at the venue we are takes into the Limelight III being used as a holding station temporarily as the bands are still sound checking, when the doors open the guys from Tyler’s band are still getting organised and it’s 8 pm before they start their set, so Tyler has to rush through his set but that doesn’t impact at all on the vibe in the room as he has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand in no time, a grin as big as a Cheshire Cat shows his appreciation for his music taking him across the globe and allowing him to share it with a brand new thirsty audience.
He even brings local hero Gareth up on stage to share a track with him. Gareth supported Corey Kent just here last month and has his sold-out show in this very venue one April. Tyler is on fire 🔥, tossing out lyrics like bullets as the Belfast audience sings along with every word. When he wraps up a short but impactful see, he takes to the floor to hang out with the crowd, getting selfies and chewing the fat with his fans, which is great to see. Sometimes, you have to make time to smell those roses while you can.
https://linktr.ee/taylerholder
Before you know it, Chase has made his way out onto the floor before the gig. Not to be outdone by Tyler, he’s already mixing with his fans, who are grabbing selfies and hugs as much as they can. Thihaser has never seen at ag, so it tells me these two lads are good old-fashioned salt of the earth, and you can’t beat that.
Chase is a talker and enjoys sharing his stories of his 24-hour journey from Florida, USA, to kick off his UK and European Tour, and he does appreciate a crowd in Belfast on a Monday night. His songs, whilst contemporary, still resonate like the old classics, made up of the dust and bones of a lifetime on the road, chasing a dream for those you love back home. That’s why country hits home every time. We all know the stories, and many of us have lived in them for a lifetime. Feeling like that song has been written for you means the world, and getting the chance to sing it out loud in a venue in your hometown- well, that’s priceless.
The thing I love the most about country gigs (as a photographer) is that they occasionally turn the lights on! And Chase the guys are lit up beautifully at times, now not always in the first 3 songs, but hey, when you stand back and take in the music and light show, it’s well worth your hard-earned money on a Monday night!
Chase keeps driving home. He’s here to party tonight and that he’s here till 4 am, dangerous talk in Belfast cos these lunatics will be there with you till the end! There will be a few sore heads in the morning and no doubt a few phoning in sick to work. #nosleeptillbedtime Chase and the guys have the room bouncing, Belfast is loving the feels, and as Chase takes footage on his phone as he sings live, the moment is captured for all to remember. At this point, Belfast treats Chase and Co. To the old “Ole Ole, Ole” and I feel scundered! We do this every time at every gig, and every international artist has a moment of WTF? Welcome to Ireland, Chase.
As the night flies by, we are treated to a stellar pop-rock-country soundtrack that sets the room alight. The ladies are dancing, the lads are fist-pumping and warbling along, and all is indeed well in the world once again- well, just for a short while! As the night wraps up and Chase once again joins his devoted fans on the floor for more selfies and cuddles, I head out the door into the cool evening air and ponder what I have just witnessed. Belfast loves country; regardless of the size of the venue, you’ll find a passionate audience who lose themselves in the music for a little while before joining the daily grind and counting down the next show on their calendar. Thankfully, here in Ireland, they are never far away.
