Despite a low turnout the night after a packed show in San Francisco, Matthew Sweet gave an inspired, no-frills performance at the Mystic on Sunday, playing his classic 1991 Girlfriend album in its entirety. Sweet and his trio of backing musicians—including longtime drummer Ric Menck—were astoundingly on point, replicating every guitar lick, vocal harmony and drum fill from the power-pop masterpiece.
The show, like the album, started out strong with “Divine Intervention,” “I’ve Been Waiting” and the rocking title track. Getting the hit singles out of the way early allowed the crowd of diehards to relive the incredible album cuts, including the beautifully harmonized “Your Sweet Voice” and the lovely ballad “Winona” (and no, there wasn’t a mention of Petaluma’s own Winona Ryder, who was falsely rumored to be the song’s inspiration back in the day).
Although my repeated calls for “Superdeformed” fell on deaf ears, those in attendance were treated to an encore of favorites from Sweet’s ‘90s heyday, as well as “She Walks the Night,” the charming single off Sweet’s latest album Modern Art. 
Sweet himself seemed to truly enjoy the intimacy of the small crowd, joking with a fan who suggested giving Altered Beast the concert treatment and being generally chatty throughout the set. After a blazing “I Wanted to Tell You,” he told the gathering, “You guys are so fun and rowdy; if we had more people, it would only drag us down.”
Many Sweet fans (like me) are deeply connected to the album, having loved, lost and longed amid its song cycle. This bond to Girlfriend was surely strengthened for some by the lengthy post-show meet-and-greet that followed the shimmering performance. Each concertgoer received ample time with the writer of these incredible love songs. I’d like to believe these exchanges helped heal a little romantic heartbreak for someone—maybe even Sweet himself.
Setlist:
Divine Intervention
I’ve Been Waiting
Girlfriend
Looking At The Sun
Winona
Evangeline
Day For Night
Thought I Knew You
You Don’t Love Me
I Wanted To Tell You
Don’t Go
Your Sweet Voice
Does She Talk?
Holy War
Nothing Lasts
Sick of Myself
Encore:
Time Capsule
She Walks the Night
We’re the Same
.Live Review: Matthew Sweet at the Mystic Theatre
