LIVE REVIEW: Matt Maltese at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Photo Courtesy of Erica Gould
AUSTIN, TX | STUBB’S WALLER CREEK AMPHITHEATER | OCTOBER 30, 2025 | BY ERIC MARTINEZ
With a cold front in Austin, TX, it was the perfect night for Matt Maltese, alongside Sophie May and Cornelia Murr, to shed the warmth of their intimate performances from the FOR YOU MY WHOLE LIFE Tour onto Stubb’s Amphitheater. Despite Halloweekend and the numerous costumes seen at the show, it felt as though Cupid made a surprise visit as numerous couples were locked in arms at every turn. Rightfully, Maltese’s discography is quintessential for any person beginning to grasp the depths of what it means to love another human being.
Carefully making her way to the center stage, English singer Sophie May greeted the Austin crowd before strumming right into her opening performance of “Some Italian Mountain.” The slow pacing created a mellow atmosphere as May played on her crimson-red bass, lullabying many who were hearing of the singer for the first time. Since May is based in the UK, it came as no surprise when she revealed that the show had been her third time performing in the US. In mentioning this, she shared an eventful story that provided context to her next song, “Brian Cox,” which was admirably named after a renowned physicist. Despite a minor slip-up with her mic, May gave no mind and performed beautifully. After playing a couple more songs, including an unreleased ‘end of the world’-like track, May closed her set with a performance of “Lover Boy”.
British-American singer-songwriter Cornelia Murr took to the stage shortly after, accompanied by a live band, opening with the song “How Do You Get By”. The maturity in Murr’s voice was both luring and enticing as she performed selections from her recent album, Run to the Center. I was already in complete fascination with the sound coming from the stage, but Murr threw me completely off guard with her live whistling during the track “Meantime”. It was a first for me to witness something so profound, but it made a lasting impression and instantly had me adding the song to my playlists. Watching Murr and her band perform was almost comparable to watching the sun set.. She was the perfect fit, alongside Sophie May, as openers for Maltese as their tune had been right up his alley. She leaned into the lyrics of “Tokyo Kyoto” alongside her bandmates as her set was nearing an end. Before departing from the crowd, Murr revealed that the singer would return to Austin sometime in the spring for an even more exciting headline tour. If you missed out on Murr this time around, don’t miss out on getting tickets when she makes her return to Texas!
It wasn’t long before the lights went down and everyone in the audience was in an uproar. A wave of cellphones flew to the air as Matt Maltese made his entrance with the comedic yet relatable track “Always Some MF”. Silhouetted under a white stage light, Maltese welcomed the crowd before leading into the popular “Curl up & Die,” which he dedicated to a man he met on the tube. Having already shown his personality through his lighthearted humor between tracks, the appeal of the British-Canadian singer-songwriter was beyond apparent. He reminded me somewhat of the Boy-Next-Door type who’s just head over heels, both sweet and romantic as heard through his lyrics, “You’re the only one, Makes me feel alive…” As his set continued, Maltese went between two pianos on stage amongst every song played. Not a forehead was left un-kissed as he performed hits like “Jupiter,” “Krystal,” and “As the World Caves In.” With new renditions, each track felt even more polished and adaptable for a live performance. To my surprise, Cornelia Murr returned to join Maltese for two duets that played stories in my head as I watched the two give their all.
As I saw on his merch stand, the phrase “Yearning” was all I could sum up for the entirety of the night. Funnily, “Pined For You My Whole Life” had the lyric “I should get a PhD in yearning all the time,” which I think Maltese would achieve in with all honors. Right as the show neared its end, Maltese called for a lucky member of the crowd to go on stage and later be serenaded with the song “Happy Birthday”, undoubtedly becoming a major core memory for the fan celebrating her 20th birthday. Coming back for a much-requested encore, the singer finally concluded with the most chest-clutching track, “Everyone Adores You (at least I do),” a personal favorite of mine, before bowing with his bandmates and departing.
The night felt unreal. I’m not one to enjoy standing for the entirety of a show, but with the given lineup, it was more than worth it. Feeling all kinds of love and a mix of other emotions bleed from the stage was an experience I’ll always remember. The North American leg of the FOR YOU MY WHOLE LIFE Tour continues till early November, right before Maltese heads to Europe and the UK. If you haven’t yet, get your tickets before it’s too late so you can know what true romance feels like!
