Interview with Matt Wertz
Do you play with anyone else or are you strictly solo?
I love having friends along for the ride when i can afford them.
This time out im bringing my friend Justin Rosolino to play guitar
and sing with me- he's a baller.
What city do you claim as your hometown?
Nashville, Tennessee
How do you feel about playing Boston?
Boston is, truthfully, one of my favorite cities to play. Y'all LOVE
music and have made me feel so at home when I've played there in the
past. Coming through with Matt (Nathanson) is going to be over the top.
What¹s your favorite venue to play both in and outside of Boston?
Why?
Honestly, the Paradise is one of my favorite rooms of all time. I
played there with Gavin DeGraw a year and a half ago and it's still
one of my favorite concert experiences. Outside of the Paradise,
Stubb's in Austin has been really good to me in the past.
Where have you toured in the US and elsewhere?
I haven't been out of the U.S. yet, i'm totally looking forward to
that though. Being from Nashville, I've done a lot of touring around
the Southeast and Midwest, but I've pretty much made it through every
major city in the U.S.. Lately, I've been able to spend more time in
the Northeast and also the West Coast, which has been great.
Who are the largest names you¹ve performed with?
Marc Broussard has a pretty large name...9 letters in his last
name... uh... Gavin DeGraw, Jason Mraz, Ben Folds, Switchfoot,
Stephen Kellogg and the 6ers...I think that's it for big names.
What was the most memorable show you played? Why?
It's funny- i still think my most memorable show was about 3 years
ago in Indianapolis. I was playing at this cool little listening room
and we had left the venue to go back to the hotel to get ready for
the show. I get back to the venue a little late with the band, we
open the doors to the room we're playing in and we hear the opener
say 'Is he here yet?'- apparently he had been stalling for
us...anyway, the room is overflowing with people and 300 heads turn
around as we walk from the back of the room, stepping over people as
we make our way to the stage. We jumped right on, threw on electric
guitars and ripped into this rock song called 'I'm Sorry, Mary'. I
still don't think i've felt more like a rockstar in my whole career...
What message are you trying to get across to your audience?
I want to communicate love. I'm trying to do it through writing
songs that are authentic that will hopefully resonate with people's
hearts. I really love connecting with people through music. It's
pretty amazing. I also want people to dance...is that allowed?
Who do you consider to be your influences?
Everyone from Stevie Wonder to James Taylor, U2 to Sting, Led Zepplin
to Marc Cohn.
Who produced your latest album? Where was it done?
A guy named Ed Cash here in Nashville. He's a super talented guy and
my dear friend. He's my secret weapon.
What, if any, is the message behind your latest album?
The message behind this lastest album, i think, is Hope. it was
written in the 2 years following my graduating from college and i did
a lot of growing up over that time.. It's amazing how fragile that
period of life is, and i spent all of it on the road.
Who is your current record label and management?
I'm currently Independent, but am managed by Dalton Sim at Nettwerk.
Dalton's a Boston guy and he's a freaking baller. He manages one of
my favorite bands, Guster.
Where have you played before this coming Boston show? Where are you playing afterwards?
By that time I will have played my way through Florida, Georgia,
Tennessee, Virginia, Pennsylvania, DC, and New York. We head through
the Midwest on our way out to the west coast after this. I can't wait.
What do you want our Boston Live readers to know about you?
That i think y'alls city is my favorite. Rock and Roll.
