Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 1, 1995                   TAG: 9505050021
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

A LOW TURNOUT FOR LOW-KEY MATTEA

For her effort, Mattea was nicely rewarded with an especially enthusiastic reception, given the small audience that turned out for her concert Sunday night at Virginia Tech's Burruss Auditorium.

The big greeting even appeared to surprise Mattea.

``Is Elvis here?'' she cracked, looking over her shoulder. Then she turned to the crowd. ``Gosh, where have you been all my life?'' At other times during the evening, she added, ``Now I know how Garth Brooks must feel,'' and ``I think the cheerleading team is here.''

In appreciation, Mattea didn't go through the motions, as some lesser performers might when faced with such a dismal turnout. Instead, she gave an enthusiastic two-hour concert that showcased her brand of thinking-woman's country.

It also probably illustrated why she didn't attract a larger audience.

Mattea is the polar opposite of current country queen Reba McEntire. She isn't glitzy. She doesn't change stage costumes as often as guitar chords, and she doesn't showboat. She's much more low-key.

Maybe too low-key.

On stage, Mattea was engaging and personable. Her singing was rock-solid and her seven-member backing band reflected her reputation for high musical standards. The show's highlights included ``Standing Knee Deep in a River,'' ``Lonesome Standard Time,'' ``Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,'' ``Harley,'' ``Train of Memories'' and ``Where've You Been.''

But truthfully, Mattea isn't as dynamic as she could be, or as some of her slicker country counterparts, such as Reba. As a result, she doesn't pack them in the same way.

That's too bad because, compared to many of her Nashville peers, Mattea offers up a smarter brand of country. Musically, while remaining commercial, Mattea doesn't settle for the usual cookie-cutter country fare. And lyrically, the material she chooses to sing equally reflects a more sophisticated approach.

She deserved better.

Still, for all her musical integrity, perhaps the most memorable moment from Sunday's show came, not from her music, but when Mattea and crew said farewell to their longtime bus driver by reading a Limerick they wrote for him earlier in the day. Then they showered him with Silly String.

``And you thought this was going to be just a regular country music show,'' Mattea said to the audience afterward.