Performance:
- March 7th, 9:00pm after the feature film Bleeding Audio at the Hammer Theatre.
The Matches are four guys who started playing together in high school in Oakland, CA. Recording an album in basements, making fans one at a time at clubs and community centers all over the Bay Area, to creating their own all ages show series in Oakland for fans that still couldn’t get into over-21 clubs. Initially, the band honed their skills and gained notoriety through guerilla concert-making: the band played impromptu shows in public thoroughfares, venue queues, and high school corridors, inciting a scene before fleeing. The Matches created their own path through DIY (Do It Yourself) persistence and dedication which drummed up a rabid and equally dedicated audience.
This debut, independent album, E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals along with their incendiary live shows, drive and passion led The Matches to a worldwide record deal with the quintessential punk rock label Epitaph Records.
While at Epitaph, the band rereleased E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals, and released their follow up albums, Decomposer and A Band in Hope which featured production from icons from the rock world, including Tim Armstrong (Rancid/Operation Ivy), Nick Hexum (311), Mark Hoppus (Blink 182), John Feldmann (Goldfinger), Matt Radosevich (One Direction, The Hives), Mike Green (All Time Low, Yellowcard, Paramore).
Between 2002-2008, The Matches played over 200 shows per annum worldwide and their live performances-raucous, sweat-drenched, and aerobic- were meant to be seen, not read about. Spontaneity was a lingering theme: The Matches still played encores in parking lots, whether they were headlining tours or supporting acts like Motion City Soundtrack, Biffy Clyro, OKGO, The Format, Plain White T's, Rancid and Plus44.
After 7 years of non-stop touring and recording, in 2009 the band announced their “hiatus” and went on to pursue other ventures.
In 2014, 10 years after the release of E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals was released, the band decided to re-release the album as a limited-edition vinyl and perform a show in San Francisco to celebrate the anniversary. Unexpectedly (to the band), the show sold out in 2 minutes and the grassroots fanfare that followed this announcement led to more shows being added and selling out throughout the U.S. and, organically moving to a full-on reunion.
Since 2014 The Matches have performed shows around these celebratory events connecting one hundred percent back to how they started it . . . Doing It Yourself and for the fans that were there with them from the beginning.
The Matches and their fan base are what make The Matches special. The band uses the hashtag #YouBelong, which comes from the song, “Salty Eyes” from their album Decomposer because being with The Matches, you always have a place where everyone can belong.
The Matches are bassist/singer Justin San Souci, drummer Matt Whalen, guitarist/singer Jon Devoto, and singer/guitarist Shawn Harris.
Facebook Page: https://m.facebook.com/thematchesband/