Matt Nathanson In Denver For GiveLive Concert

DENVER (CBS4) - Singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson was in Denver Saturday to headline the GiveLive Concert benefiting Bonfils Blood Center. Nathanson took time out of his day to talk to CBS4 about the concert, blood donation, and his latest album, "Show Me Your Fangs."

Nathanson and singer Keaton Simons will perform acoustically for GiveLive. Simons told CBS4 that he's looking forward to the concert.

"I love performing acoustically because it breaks down so many walls. Honestly, I love just picking up a guitar and just playing with one other person. I love playing a song for someone. When you do an acoustic performance and keep it super simple that way, you break down those walls and that's what it feels like. It feels like you're hanging out in a living room," Simons said.

Nathanson agrees. He said that he enjoys the intimacy he shares with the audience.

"It's fun to be able to do this in a room like this which is sort of beautiful. And everyone's going to be sitting and it's going to be a great vibe. It's fun to be able to deliver the songs in a kind of naked way," Nathanson told CBS4.

LINK: Matt Nathanson

Most of the songs come from his latest album, "Show Me Your Fangs," although he joked that he's going to play 80s hair metal the entire time. "Show My Your Fangs" came out in October and is his 10th studio album. He said that a song called "Bill Murray" is one of his favorites.

"I'm sort of proud of it. When I play it live, I want to play it. I want people to hear it," he explained.

The song describes Nathanson's dream of having a friendship with Bill Murray, although he said he doesn't know the comedic genius.

"Bill Murray would be rad to hand out with. That guy just seems to be a sage. He just lives his life unapologetically, passionately, unselfconsciously. And he just sort of represents, at a time when we lean Kardashian, you know Bill Murray kind of seems like the antithesis of that … sort of like a great representation of somebody you might want to hang out with, who could tell you some things about life that you didn't know," Nathanson said.

Another of Nathanson's favorite songs from the album is called "Giants."

"Living in San Francisco and being kind of a non-sports fan, but being swept up in what happens when the Giants are in the World Series. It's such an incredible community experience to see the city rally around this. And I had seen, on a bus, I saw an ad that said, 'We are Giants!'. And I was like, 'Oh yeah, what an incredible concept,'" he said of the song.

Nathanson is proud to be doing this concert for a cause like blood donation. He has a personal connection to the cause.

"I give blood at home. My wife gives blood. And then her sister had sort of a mystery illness that they sort of figured out and for a long time needed transfusions and stuff," he explained.

He said he doesn't always love the process of giving blood, but understands the benefits of it.

"You have a job as a human being, if you're fortunate enough to be in good health. You kind of have a couple of jobs and one of them is to … give blood is such an easy thing to do and it goes so far. So yeah, I'm not super into it. I'm not into being poked by a needle. I get freaked out. My brain goes crazy, but you know it's a small price to pay for the benefit of doing it," he said.

Libby Smith is a Special Projects Producer at CBS4. If you have a story you'd like to tell CBS4 about, call 303-863-TIPS (8477) or visit the News Tips section.