Song Spotlight: Matty Gottesman's Not Scared (Of Being Along) (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

I had just recently spent a weekend at USC for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Of course, it was time to support UCLA. That occurred when I crossed paths with a Matty Gottesman, an UCLA student, via WFNM's showcase at Hotel Ziggy. He and his four piece backing band are all UCLA students (or maybe by the time this posts some will have graduated). I'm also guessing that their photographer was a UCLA student -- every so often I run into UCLA photographers at various venues who are shooting for UCLA Radio. 

Matty Gottesman at Hotel Ziggy

His backing band included Chet Breister and Ryan Estes on guitar, Renna Allan on bass, and Maddie Ornest on drums. Gottesman on occasional took to the keyboard or acoustic guitar. To an outsider, it looked like they were having the time of their lives on stage, playing with friends. It was a bit of a flash back to my college days. I was never in a band, but I did get involved in organizing school events. I totally understand the comradery that develops. Their perspective no doubts differs from mine. Many of them (if not all of them) are music majors so there is potentially more at stake for them versus me just wanting to get involved in a University activity beyond studying.  

There was an interesting moment when Gottesman went over to pick up an acoustic guitar and do some tuning. The band continued to jam away (in a quiet fashion). It allowed for time to not stand still. I recently watched a set (it was actually a very good set) where the one problem was all this dead air that happened while the singer tuned his guitar between songs. That set also included a backing band and part of me just wanted them to do some jam sessions during the guitar tuning. 

Matty Gottesman at Hotel Ziggy

"Not Scared (Of Being Alone)" is a song that shows Gottesman's pop mastery. The music just glides through the lyrics: 

Now I'm not scared
Of being alone anymore
It's not fair
I thought when you walked out the door

A song about a break-up that hurt deep, but then seeing a friend's new relationship gave him some renewed optimism about love. 

Matty Gottesman at Hotel Ziggy

The set ended in a wonderful manner. After the final song of the night called "Voice of Reason," there was a call for an encore. There wasn't a new song to be played, but the band did invite up a drummer who was hanging out in the audience to join the band (Ornest stepped aside) and they all had a jam session. UCLA music skills on display.

Comments of the set. From the crowd, "Introduce the band!" Gottesman, "Oh, I will. Don't worry." From the crowd to someone else in the crowd, "He said he would."

Partial Setlist: If We're Friends, Tension, Not Scared (Of Being Alone), Since You, Drive By (Train cover), Voice of Reason.