Out and proud singer/songwriter Matt Alber appeared at New Hope’s Rrazz Room on Friday, July 13th.

 

Entering the Clarion Hotel (where the Rrazz Room is located) and awaiting entry to the venue, you would immediately know to whom the singer appealed. The ticketholders were young and fashionable gays, burly men paired off in suburban dress, and a few women with hirsute, dangerous-looking men. This was Bear Country, as one found out when speaking with other men seated at a table inches from the stage. All three men were fans of Matt Alber. They all knew his music, and heard him in concert aboard gay cruises, gay and gay-friendly club venues, and Bear Weeks. This adoration may stem from the artist’s emotional, highly introspective songs. He is also active with LGBT+ causes. Some may only know Matt Alber from his few You Tube videos with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., with a string quartet, or solo. If so, you would be in the minority amid this audience.

 

Mr. Alber began late because as luck would have it, Branden and James, from America’s Got Talent, who were to appear the following day, met Matt Alber and were eager to collaborate with his program.  The fifteen minutes were all the rehearsal they seemed to require. They collaborated on several numbers which were warmly received. As it turned out, Branden and James are big fans of Matt Alber, so they admitted to being star-struck, which, of course, only added to the charm of the moment. Audience favorites this evening included Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Velvet Goldmine,” and “End of the World.” 

 

As a surprise, Matt Alber performed “How High the Moon,” inspired by Mel Torme’s version of the song. It is from his album out now with orchestra. He performed it a capella, with apologies. There was no need to apologize, since the song was beautifully rendered and received great acclaim. Matt Alber was a member of the famed male a capella group Chanticleer, so that would explain this wonderful rendition. He should pursue this more in the future.

 

His devoted fans have created websites such as the one on Pinterest titled, “The lovely, furry, and talented Matt Alber.” Devotees moaned in disappointment when he told the audience he had recently found a man who was “the love of his life.” For those cult followers, he also has his own website, www.mattalber.com .

 

Matt Alber’s folksy, soulful songs are sometimes somber, sometimes melancholy, but always suffused with an erotic incandescence. The perfect music to listen to during those quiet moments with the man you love.

 

The Rrazz Room is located in the Clarion Hotel in New Hope, PA. There is a full slate of entertainment for the next several months posted on their website, www.therrazzroom.com .