On Thursday, March 23, WLOY presented Loyola favorite Matt Hutchison for an exciting performance as part of their concert series supporting local Baltimorean talent.

Hutchison had all the aesthetics of a coffeehouse performer, making him a great act for the Starbucks area. With an acoustic guitar, Hutchison typifies the singer-songwriter genre, but with an alternative spin. At one point, he even jammed out on a harmonica with Stevie Wonder-like zeal.

“I know it sounds cliché, but I love all kinds of music. If it has a great melody, I’m there for it,” he said.

His broad music taste definitely showed during his eclectic set, which comprised mostly of what he calls love songs and anti-love songs. While he notes that songs about love make the audience feel good, he says it is important to have both kinds of songs in the mix.

Hutchison performed songs from his two studio albums, “Three Minute Man”  from 2014 and “Sell My Heart to the Junkman” from 2012, as well as covers and a brand new single called “Girl,” now available on iTunes and Spotify. He gave his CDs out for free to the audience, joking about how obsolete they are becoming: “You can use them as coasters if you like!”

His covers included a moving rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” and set closer “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”

When it comes to his musical influences, Hutchinson pulls from artists far beyond the walls of Charm City. “The Beatles were definitely one of them. I thought I was Paul McCartney when I was younger,” Hutchison said, who cites the British Invasion as his musical awakening.

On new music, Hutchison says it has become increasingly difficult to record now that he has children, likening what was once “a steady flow” of the recording process is now “drops in a sink faucet.” Nevertheless, he has hopes to crowdfund a new album soon.

This series is esteemed amongst the student body. “I love how WLOY supports local artists who are based right here in Baltimore,” Erin Schnappauf ’19 said.

The series’ performances are nice escapes for students who usually use the area as a homework hotspot. “Loyola does a great job of thinking of ways to bring students together. I look forward to attending these performances every week with my friends and fellow students,” Caitlin Curtin ’19 said.

Stay tuned to WLOY to see what’s next in the concert series and to stay in touch with all the happenings at Loyola.