Matt and Kim Bring Non-Stop Joy to Just Like Heaven Festival

If there's one band you can always count on to turn a festival crowd into a room full of grinning, jumping strangers, it's Matt and Kim. Their set at Just Like Heaven Festival was pure, uncut positivity from start to finish, a reminder that sometimes the best thing a band can do is simply make everyone in front of them feel unbelievably good.

"Block After Block" kicked things off with an immediate burst of energy, Kim Schifino's drumming as thunderous and joyful as ever while Matt Johnson bounced across the stage working the crowd like he'd known every single person in it personally. "It's Alright" and "Cameras" kept the momentum climbing, big synth hooks paired with a rhythm section that never once let up, and by "Yea Yeah" the entire front section of the crowd was jumping in unison, a wave of motion that rippled outward across the grounds.

What makes a Matt and Kim show so special live is how much genuine fun radiates off the stage. "Hey Now" and "Like I Used to Be" showed off the duo's knack for turning simple, hooky pop structures into full-blown crowd euphoria, while "Now" and "Silver Tiles" kept things moving without a single lull in the set. The banter between songs was constant and warm, Matt cracking jokes and hyping up the crowd between nearly every track, making a festival slot in front of thousands feel oddly personal, like a house party that just happened to have a few thousand extra guests.

"Daylight" brought one of the loudest singalongs of their set, the kind of song built specifically for a crowd to shout back at full volume, and closer "Let's Go" did exactly what its title promised — sending the whole area into one last burst of jumping, dancing chaos before the set wrapped. The sound mix stayed bright and punchy throughout, giving Kim's drums real weight in the outdoor space while keeping Matt's synths and vocals sitting right on top, crisp and clear even from further back in the crowd.

Few bands manage to make a festival audience feel this connected this quickly, but Matt and Kim have been perfecting that skill for nearly two decades now, and it showed in absolutely every song. It's the kind of set that turns strangers into a temporary community, if only for thirty-some minutes. Catch them live whenever you can — you'll leave with a genuine grin on your face, probably a little bit of a hoarse voice, and a renewed appreciation for just how good a straightforward, joyful pop show can feel.

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Courtesy of Goldenvoice’s Just Like Heaven