"The song got a lot of mileage and really helped me and my career out," Nathanson said.
That was not the only thing that helped out Nathanson's career. He has toured with such artists as John Mayer, Howie Day and Maroon 5. Along with playing for and becoming friends with everyone he has toured with, it got him in touch with a lot of new artists.
"Charlotte, Howie [Day] and I toured together a year ago and it was so much fun," Nathanson said. "I knew we were going to have a lot of fun on this tour as well."
Nathanson, who is touring for his 2003 major label debut Beneath These Fireworks, describes going on tour and playing live as being like throwing a party.
"I like to tell stories about the songs, bust into stupid sing-alongs, it's about doing whatever you can to get the crowd excited," Nathanson said. "The tour so far has been really fun, the crowds are super energetic. It's connecting with people in a new town every night."
Nathanson is not the only one who likes to connect with his fans. His opener Charlotte Martin, a former Miss Teen Illinois, enjoys seeing her fans connect with her lyrics.
"My song 'Something Like a Hero' is the most challenging to play technically, but it covers a lot of topics and it always is the one that connects with the fans," Martin said.
Maybe because the song touches upon such topics as anorexia and struggling that the audience can easily see Martin isn't the next Hilary Duff.
"I don't know much about Hilary Duff's music," Martin said, "but I do know that she looks hot in a dress."
Martin, a classically trained vocalist from the age of seven, intended on starting a career in opera after college, but that changed when a close friend of hers committed suicide while they were in college at Eastern Illinois University.
"I wrote my very first song for her after she passed away and kept on writing through college," Martin said. "When I finished school, my songs sucked but I just couldn't shut it off."
While Martin was not a big fan of her lyrics, today, critics are raving about her new full-length release On Your Shore and the honest lyrics she delivers on each song.
Martin describes her style of music as classical music wrapped around a pop song.
While she was on the Chicks With Attitude tour this past summer, she had the opportunity to hook back up with Nathanson.
While in San Francisco, Nathanson came out to see Martin at a show. A week later Nathanson called Martin and asked her to join him on his tour.
"I love touring with Matt. I grabbed every date he asked me to tour with him because we have so much fun on the road together," Martin said.
Martin also has an impressive list of people she has toured with, but said she has found out from touring that she enjoys playing with other women the most.
Liz Phair even taught Martin to not worry or even read reviews about her music, she said.
"I don't read any review, unless I know it's going to be a good one," Martin said.
That isn't the only thing that she learned while on tour this summer; Martin also learned how to come into her own when it comes to performing.
"While I toured with the ladies, I thought that maybe I would bring a band along with me, but then I decided to just get up on stage with just me and the piano and I learned that is the best and so much better than a band," Martin said.
You can be sure that on Monday, Martin will be up on stage with just her piano and lyrics as well.
"I guess you could say I have control issues, but I prefer being solo on my piano," Martin said.
While Nathanson has played at Crowbar before, this is Martin's first time in State College.
"I am so excited to play in Pennsylvania, it's my state," Martin said.
"For some reason this is where I have the biggest following and that's fine by me. A radio station in Philadelphia plays my music all the time and I found that Pennsylvania gets me."
Dave Wells, Crowbar operations director, also gets the type of music Martin and Nathanson play.
"The type of entertainment that these two bring to the stage requires building," Wells said. "The loyalty of the fans at the shows helps bring others in, especially if they're spreading the word to their friends about these artists. Getting Matt Nathanson and Charlotte Martin known is a building process and we're happy to help."
It's a building process that takes time, and these two artists know all about that.
"I have booked Matt Nathanson before and he was very good," Wells said.
"Everything I have read about Charlotte Martin is that we're in for a real treat. We're really fortunate to have her and Matt, they're both very talented."
