Matt and Kim, Live at the Troubadour, February 4



Did y’see the Superbowl commercial for Careerbuilder that asks if your daydream of punching small animals serves as evidence that you need a new job?

Why is it that we want to punch that koala wearing glasses in the face? Is it so cute that it makes us violent?

Matt and Kim are that cute. Watching Matt and Kim perform at the Troubadour on Wednesday, February 4, was like watching skittles — a girl skittle in a cut up “Brooklyn” tanktop named Kim Schifino on the drums and a boy skittle in a striped t-shirt named Matt Johnson on keyboards and vocals.

This is going to sound unusual but their music is happy. No guns and broken hearts here. Matt and Kim are a happy couple from Brooklyn who make happy new-wave-ish rock, banging it out on drums and a synthesizer with the smiles and enthusiasm of a pep rally.

Their music is uncomplicated, like running for fun. Just a two-person band (like the White Stripes), their sound is big and energetic. The crowd knew every word, singing along and crowd surfing to the short anthems off their two albums “Grand” and “Matt and Kim.” The duo jumped up on their instruments, clapping along to songs like their first single “Daylight” and “Good Old Fashioned Nightmare.” They closed the show with a version of “Final Countdown” and Matt walked out onto the crowd’s shoulders.

The natural end to the night? Everyone meet down the street for a pizza party! Not even kidding.

Matt and Kim return to LA on March 10 and 11 to open for Cut Copy at Henry Fonda Theater.