When Matt Maltese stopped by Brooklyn’s Warsaw on September 29 to indulge in an hour and thirty minutes of a rich and lively revisit of his discography, I knew I had to attend. It's no secret I have a soft spot for his music. As a long-time fan, I’ve found his growth as a recording artist throughout the years to be impressive, especially since he went from piano and production tricks in his first-ever EP In A New Bed (2016) to the honeyed smooth jazz band sound of Hers (2025) in less than ten years. Plus, I’ve always adored his lyrical portrayal of intimacy. Speaking honestly—even if it means cracking a few self-aware jokes, indulging in the sighs and swoons of yearning, or just dramatizing one’s emotions—allows for an immersion into the rich musical world he’s created. In fact, the whole concert felt perfectly engineered to make me ecstatic. From the setlist choices sampling every release, to the spectacular lighting design against the small yet regal backdrop of Warsaw, to the presence of the live band that includes jazz percussion and clarinet, Maltese put on a wonderful show that embodied the strength of his songwriting, composition, and performance.

Cornelia Murr began the concert with a hypnotic thirty-minute set, already setting the mood for a slow, warm, and sonically rich evening. Her crooning, alto voice, coupled with her electric piano playing, lulled the audience into a relaxed groove as her band—a drummer, a saxophonist/flutist, a bassist, and a guitarist—transported the crowd into a psychedelic rock swing as she sang tracks from her most recent record Run to the Center, as well as some older work. The live versions of tracks like “How Do You Get By”, an angelic track that sways with mystery and a bit of sensuality, were nothing short of dreamy. She’s the kind of artist who I could listen to for hours, allowing time to slip by as her melodies move like honey. For the show that was about to begin, she was the perfect selection for the opener.

Cornelia Murr Live at Warsaw on September 29, Brooklyn, NY Photo by Bobby Nicholas Ⅲ

The most obvious choice for a show would be to select the greatest hits from each record, maybe sprinkling in either one deep cut or an unreleased track. Yet, Matt Maltese had a bit of a subtler approach: while sure, no Maltese concert would be complete without songs like “As The World Caves In” or “Everyone Adores You (At Least I Do)”, and most of the tour was dedicated
to promoting the new album, I still found that many were delightful surprises that, while neither deep cuts nor greatest hits, do a great job at documenting his evolution in songwriting and sound. I appreciate that his setlist doesn’t try to hide the earlier attempts at writing about romance and love mainly because, despite their green nature, they’re vital to understanding who he is as a singer-songwriter now. Songs like “When You Wash Your Hair” from 2020’s Krystal (but written much earlier) or “Nightclub Love” from his debut record Bad Contestant (2018) are prototypes to the subcategory of love song that tackles sensuality. Whether through the lo-fi, super-serious, and intimate sound of the former, or the sillier, poppier energy of the latter, the elements of humor, self-reflection, vivid description, and the marriage between the piano and the soft rock band form here before becoming fully realized on later albums.

The live band amplified Maltese’s music immensely, pushing these otherwise gentle (albeit still well-composed) piano songs into ambitious, lush, and ballroom-ready crowd pleasers. He reimagined the opening number “Always Some MF” with a minimal instrumental intro, initially forgoing the piano to instead focus on the blend of acoustic and electric guitars. “Irony Would Have It”, played slightly faster than the studio version, felt much brighter and more energetic than its mellower, recorded counterpart, especially because the sheer volume from the live band spotlights the gorgeous piano melody that carries the song. I adored the updated
reimagining of “Studio 6”—the oldest song in his discography, back when he just had a piano, a computer, and a dream—that incorporated the full live band, as it made the romance at the core of the track all the more palpable and felt.

Yet most stunning wasn’t even the lo-fi section—where Maltese switched to the electric piano to play “Krystal”, “Jupiter”, and “Madhouse” (another delightful surprise for me, a fan of the eponymous 2020 EP)—nor was it the seamless transition from the swelling, grandiose “As The World Caves In” to the brief and coy “Intolewd”, but rather a brief duet with Cornelia Murr. The
two joined mid-performance to sing a slightly different version of “Arthouse Cinema”, an originally melodramatic track about recovering from heartache with film. The phenomenal clarinet solo that introduces the track with its film noir-like melody preluded their duet, which was equally cinematic. Murr’s voice beautifully complements Maltese’s, who also has a warm, silky, and inviting vocal pattern. Again, the two performers at this concert are a stunning match; hearing both in the same evening was spectacular!

So yes, it’s clear I had the best time at Matt Maltese’s Brooklyn show on the 29th. Each song, regardless of the lyric quality, lo-fi or lounge pop design, degree of melodrama, etc. was so sonically pleasing and indulgent, that I left giddy, thoroughly enjoying the warm buzz in my ears (and heart).

Review: Matt Maltese Live at Warsaw on September 29, Brooklyn, NY Photo by Bobby Nicholas Ⅲ

Order tickets for Matt Maltese HERE
Order tickets for Cornelia Murr HERE