Interview: Matthew Carlson
Matty C. stops by to talk music, the joy of house shows, and what every aspiring artist should do.
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Good morning!
We’re in for a treat today; Matty C. of What Am I Making stops by for a chat about life as a touring musician.
Being a professional musician has always been rough sledding. As much as we laud creativity and sound in our lives, we also tend to undervalue it. The age of streaming and an Internet run on advertising revenue has only increased the downward pressure on performers.
With ticket prices skyrocketing and royalties plummeting, it feels like something’s gotta give, like we’re at a real tipping point. The recent high-profile implosion of the Black Keys arena tour is a very visible example of a system that has gone totally sideways.
Fans are tired of paying more and more to receive less and less—doubly so, knowing that most of their hard-earned money is being siphoned off by the likes of Live Nation.
There’s also an undercurrent of people convinced you must suffer for your art. When the band Wednesday shared that they actually lost money playing SxSW a few years ago, the pile-on was swift. Their biggest crime? Wanting an AirBnB for a night.
Still, musicians persist. For every Taylor Swift, untold numbers of performers are playing their way to a middle-class income level. We can argue about the details, but it’s hard to make a case that the world would be better without music.
So what’s a musician (or fan) to do? Some people like are taking matters into their own hands and working to bring back house shows. He’s developed Couch Concerts, an app designed to match musicians looking for a performance space and hosts willing to supply it.
In the meantime, indie musicians like Matty C. creatively seek to deliver their music to audiences in new and thoughtful ways. That name will be familiar to many of you, as he’s also the man behind the fantastic What Am I Making newsletter and an active member of the #MusicStack community. In addition, he also hosts a radio show, runs a label, and is a member of other bands such as The Stick Arounds and Harborcoat. Somehow, in the middle of all of that, he also writes daily, does rideshare work, and runs movie brackets.
It’s a lot.
The tour will feature 21 shows over the course of 26 days. Over the length of that run, I’ll perform in 18 states and drive more than 6,000 miles. I’ll play dozens of songs, dole out hundreds of hugs, I will see a load of new friends, and hang with a bunch of old ones as well.
Matty’s in the middle of a 26-day tour as I type this (a second West Coast leg kicks off in the fall.). As a label owner, writer, and musician, he’s uniquely positioned to share what it’s like on both sides of the stage (and behind the wheel).
Like most touring musicians, he’s wearing many hats: manager, promoter, sales, rep, equipment tech, and more. As you'll see below, it's a lot of work, but the payoff is huge—both for him and the listeners lucky enough to catch one of his shows.
I recently had a chance to talk with Matty via email. In a wide-ranging chat, we talk about what the indie music landscape looks like in 2024, lessons learned from his last tour, and his advice for aspiring musicians.
Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.
Start now. Start with what you have and what you can do. You will not get better by waiting. No one is paying attention anyway. Make things. Get better. Make more things. Keep doing that and you will figure out what you want to do and how to do it the best way you know how. You are far more capable and amazing than you can possibly imagine.
You did a series of house shows last year. What most surprised you about that run? What was the big takeaway?
The generosity and kindness of folks never cease to amaze me. That bore out in myriad ways on last year’s tour. As great as the shows were or as awful as the drive might have gotten, folk were always warm and welcoming. It truly takes a village to mount a tour like this. I am still amazed every day at what my village continues to do for me.
Anything you’re hoping to duplicate? To avoid?
Last year, I brought too much stuff with me, and I learned that lesson for certain. There is still a lot of gear to lug, but I worked really hard this time around to minimize what I was taking with me and the number of trips required each time I load in and out of a venue. I also made it a point to keep the drives to six hours or less on the days I have a show. The driving takes a toll even though you’re just sitting there. I’m also doing my damndest to avoid fast food on this run. We’ll see how that goes by the end of June.
For our generation, there is still a bit of romance around the idea of “getting in the van” and DIY tours. As someone actually doing it, I’m curious how you view that sentiment.
I wouldn’t call it romantic, but I still get charged up about the idea of heading out on the road to share my songs and stories. It’s a remarkable thing to be doing at any age, but especially at 52. It really is a dream come true, but it’s not exactly what I had envisioned when I grew up with visions of rock stardom.
Mostly, the days involve a lot of driving, eating behind a windshield, and lugging gear. The hour or two on stage is almost the easiest part of the entire thing for me at this point. While I will get to see a few sights along the way, there is not the sort of time for tourism that one might imagine. Most shows involve arriving a couple of hours before the performance to give me time to set up and soundcheck. Couple that with the driving, and it eats away most of the day.
For me, the romance still resides in spending time with the audience before and after shows. So much of what I do is based on storytelling, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to hear the fascinating stories of the folks who come see me play.
There has been growing pushback against firms like Live Nation and outrageous fees. Groups like the Black Keys ultimately scrapped their entire tour due to low ticket sales. It feels like we’re at a real tipping point with house shows seeing a resurgence. As a performer, do you see this as well?
I am certainly seeing an increased awareness of the concept of house concerts. I think for hardcore music fans and small artists, it’s a logical next step. These gigs are generally easier to book than conventional venues, and the payouts at the end of the night are higher. Audience members come to engage directly with the music. My songs are the focus, not background noise like they might be at a bar or a typical venue.
These evenings are a genuine experience. Yes, you will hear me play songs live and I will tell some stories, but the communal aspect of the evening is I think, what keeps bringing people back. A large chunk of my house concert audiences have never heard of me before. They are in the room because they have been invited, and they have an adventurous spirit. I wish more of us could find that sense of adventure to attend and host house shows and other similar events. I have yet to see a patron at a show having a bad time. I hope folks are becoming increasingly willing to try out this concept. It’s quickly becoming my favorite way to both play and see live music.
How long in the making was this tour?
It was eight months of planning, booking, and prepping for this thing.
Is there any city/state you’re specifically looking forward to seeing?
I don’t ever like to pick favorites, and so much of what is exciting about these stops for me is the people who are involved. But, to answer your question, I have a couple of shows in the Deep South that I am particularly excited about. It’s one of the few parts of the country where I have never spent any time, and I am excited about it. While I couldn’t secure an official date, I am also planning a busking set in downtown Memphis while I am out on the stretch of the run. It’ll be my first time in Memphis and I am really hoping that I have some time for the Stax Museum.
In your eyes, what will make this tour a success (financially, performance-wise, etc.)?
Certainly, there is a financial quotient for all of this. I am walking away from my regular rideshare driving to pursue this month of shows on the road. There are certain benchmarks that I’ll need to hit just to earn a living. Beyond that technical necessity, I would say success for this tour will mean that with each successive show, I grow this community one attendee at a time. Whether I am working on this tour or one of my bands or focusing on my work at What Am I Making, I want to be growing both as an artist and as a community.
The world can look like a very shitty place, but I find that it looks a lot less shitty in these living rooms and other intimate spaces that I am playing on this run. While I do not expect to make the world a good place with my music, I do hope to be reminded of the goodness that is out there. Seeing that goodness each day and feeling it both on stage and off sure feels a lot like success.
Lastly, There are thousands of people playing in their bedrooms right now, hoping to someday take their music to the people. What would you say to anyone who dreams of being where you are?
Start now. Start with what you have and what you can do. You will not get better by waiting. No one is paying attention anyway. Make things. Get better. Make more things. Keep doing that, and you will figure out what you want to do and how to do it the best way you know how. You are far more capable and amazing than you can possibly imagine.
To grab a ticket to one of Matty’s shows, click here.
His What Am I Making Substack is here.
You can find more info about artists, music, and merch here.
Got a question for Matty or want to share your thoughts on the state of the music industry? Sound off below!
Thank you to Matty C. for his time, and thank you for being here.
Kevin—
Dude, I just narrated a book written by a mother who so badly wanted to get tix for her daughter to see Taylor Swift on her Eras tour. The cost of tickets in the US were higher than the cost of travelling overseas to Europe and Asia to see her. So the book was filled with tips and tricks on how to create a database spreadsheet of ALL her concert dates, tickets prices, airfares, hotel rooms, transportation fees, etc...so "you too can afford to see Taylor Swift on her epic tour without having to re-mortgage your house!!!". It was astonishing to read. I can't believe this is where we're at!
I say BRING on the HOUSE SHOWS!! Make live music about the MUSIC again!! Sheesh!! :)
This was really, really great to read Kevin! It’s inspiring in the sense of how we (artists of any type/medium) have always had permission to DIY in whatever that looks like. As this conversation shows—huge amount of work, yes, BUT all of it ultimately serves the craft in some way. Regarding house concerts specifically: I’ve been to many and have good friends who run an awesome series in CO and it’s always a special experience across the board. I hope there is a steady uptick in these kinds of performance or art sharing opportunities.