An impressive 12-string guitar player and songwriter, San Francisco's Matt Nathanson has built up a loyal fan base through extensive touring. His live shows are stripped-down affairs, usually with just Nathanson and cellist Matt Fish on-stage, and are half music, half standup comedy, with the humor balancing out the frequently despondent introspection of the songs. Nathanson has released four independent albums, Please (1993), Ernst (1997), Not Colored Too Perfect (1998), and Still Waiting for Spring (1999), as well as an EP, When Everything Meant Everything (2002). His major-label debut, Beneath These Fireworks, was released by Universal Records in 2003, produced by Ron Aiello, and was followed four years later by Some Mad Hope. Nathanson's songs have also been featured on several television shows, including Dawson's Creek, Smallville, and Road Rules.