Music to drink to. Music to dance to. Music to sit on the porch and
ponder. The roots-rock sounds of The Matinée evoke memories of family
camping trips, men with guitars around the campfire belting out tunes of
broken things & the open road…rising tempos bring the faithful to their
feet, clapping & dancing until someone throws an aerosol can on the fire &
everything explodes…
Formed in 2007, The Matinée have quickly gained radio play and a
reputation for packed-house shows. Their first single ‘San Diego’ – as ode
to an unpaid speeding ticket in California, charted on College Radio
across Canada, while ‘Mama’ – their heartfelt nod to their moms – became a
Mother's Day anthem that continues to see the song broadcast on radio
stations around the world come Mother's Day. Countless tour dates followed,
as the band paid its dues performing everywhere from prisons in British
Columbia, to High Schools in the Yukon, to the Canadian Air Force Base in
Cold Lake, Alberta.
Their live performance has been described as ”dynamic, whimsical and
enthusiastic with a rootsy do-it-yourself flavour” – a sharp contrast to
their crisp professionalism and unflagging work ethic. With all six
members growing up within 5 minutes of each other in rural Vancouver, this
group of high school friends has formed a hardworking brotherhood
dedicated to crafting fine roots-rock tunes and seeking audiences
wherever they can.
2009 saw the release of their self-titled follow up EP as The Matinée
teamed up with award-winning producer Paul Shatto (The Higgins, The
Mocking Shadows). Their first single ‘Let Her Go’ was featured on the 2010
Music BC Compilation Album, and the acoustic version of the song landed
the band a spot in the top 10 artists for The Shore 104.3FM’s Sounds of
Summer Contest. As ‘Let Her Go’ continued to make waves across Canadian
radio, their song ‘Friends’ began gaining exposure across America as it
was featured on the California based Errorcraft Records’ ‘Glory Road’
Compilation album. The band was also nominated as the best
Roots/Canadiana band at the 2010 BCCMA Industry Awards.
After the release of the EP the band continued to tour tirelessly through
2010, showcasing at Canadian Music Week, COCA, and NXNE. As the touring
continued, so did the bands involvement with the B.C. Arts Council’s
Artstarts Program and the B.C. Schizophrenia Society’s Reachout Tour. In
2010 alone The Matinée performed for more than 20,000 college and high
school students, as well as countless bar and club and festival audiences.
In 2011 the band picked up where it left off, being selected as one of
three finalists in the Peak Performance Project (through 100.5 The Peak
FM) and performing to a sold out crowd at the fabled Commodore Ballroom in
Vancouver. This coincided with another inclusion for the band in The
Shore 104.3 FM’s Sounds of Summer contest, this time riding the waves of
their new single Sweetwater. The song caught the attention of some
industry heavyweights, and the band was hand picked by Jim Cuddy (Blue
Rodeo) to open for him in Whistler, BC as a result. By the end of 2011,
CBC Radio 3 had declared The Matinée as one of the ’Top 10 acts to watch
out for in 2012.’
After four years of independent production and promotion under their label
Blue Collar Records, The Matinée is currently putting the final touches on
their next album, slated for release in 2012.
If you like The Band, The Black Crowes, and old Bruce Springsteen, you’ll
love these six handsome lads from blue-collar British Columbia. Raise a
glass, and raise the curtain…it’s showtime for The Matinée!!
The Six Fine Men of the Mighty Matinée are:
Matt Layzell - Vocals, Harmonica
Matt Rose - Guitar, Vocals, Mandolin, Banjo, Pedal Steel
Pete Lemon - Drums, Vocals
Mike Young - Bass
Geoff Petrie - Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
Dave Young - Piano, Organ
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