Comments on: Off The Record :: Matthew Ryan (Nashville, TN)

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:45:01 +0000

Matthew is a great songwriter, and Rockford, IL is the armpit of America. I saw him as well in Rockford, a Monday night, which is hard sell in a ‘poor under appreciative of the arts’ market. Matthew did get drunk and played songs to a half attentive small gathering of people while the other half, mainly the bar staff and a few random emo wannabe idiots with tattoos at the back of the bar made tons of noise, that he had to play over. No wonder Rockford gets slammed in the media- because the media hasn’t educated its people here to be respectful of good songwriters, or to even help them. Rockford is the armpit of America, it’s radio stations are stuck in some other decade, it’s newspaper coverage lacks wit and balls, it’s lack of overall community support for the arts is pathetic. I hope Matthew has washed the stink off from even having to travel through this God-Awful place. But thank you for playing for us.

By: theMike

theMike — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:37:59 +0000

yes, that was a pleasure to read.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:45:00 +0000

great read. guy is a great writer.

By: B.Leaf

B.Leaf — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:51:33 +0000

Saw Matthew solo in Rockford, IL. Great show. Real talent. He was worried before the show that he wouldn’t be able to pull it off without a band behind him. Unfounded. He writes great songs and delivers them with great dynamics and textures, a voice that’s as if Tom Waits swallowed Bono and they’re channeling through Paul Westerberg. The only thing that hurt him was the whiskey that his pals bought him. After an hour and a half set, he quit, unable to play my request, “Drunk and Disappointed.” He left drunk; I left satisfied, glad I gave up a Monday evening for his impromptu show.

By: Phil Long

Phil Long — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:03:42 +0000

matthew ryan’s new disc is great, highly recommended