By Ron Evans
Philly-based performer Matt Riggle is coming to Wenatchee this June. Never heard of Matt Riggle? That’s fine - he’s not exactly counting Spotify streams. But if you’ve ever seen the fabulous documentary Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All, then you’ve already heard his voice behind the camera. These days, though, he’s the guy playing heartfelt, punk-scarred acoustic sets in basements, backyards, breweries, and even taco stands across the country. It’s a one-man, one-pedal, one-harmonica operation, and this summer’s DIY tour brings him through Wenatchee for a rare triple-header. I’ve been listening to a lot of his music since my pal (local music/event promoter) Joel Myrene sent it my way, and it’s fucking great. Expect smart songs, sharp wit, and the kind of homegrown charm that makes you wonder why more bands don’t sell merch next to the guac and salsa.
I chatted with the roving troubadour to find out more about his unique place in the indie music world.
Give us a little background about your creative output.
I’ve been writing songs and playing music since I was a teenager in the ‘90s—first in punk bands, now solo acoustic. I’ve released about 20 records, give or take, across different bands and projects. I also co-directed the documentary Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All, so music’s always the through-line.
I’ve been digging your music a lot. I get notes from a lot of genres - do you prefer any particular genre? Playing OR listening?
Thank you. I don’t prefer any one genre, but I’m mostly drawn to acoustic music. That doesn’t mean slow or sleepy—I just mean music played on non-amplified instruments. I don’t know why. I think it’s an anxiety thing. I grew up on punk rock, and even then, the Violent Femmes were huge for me because they showed how acoustic instruments could still have that tension, nerve, and bite. I also loved the mariachi bands in Tex-Mex restaurants. I’ve just always really liked the sound of someone strumming a guitar really hard.
My older brother introduced me to punk rock when I was 12. Before that, only the Beatles, Beach Boys, Monkees, and the Fresh Prince got through. Quite a bit later, I got into Tom Petty, Neil Young, Dylan—all the songwriters who I try to emulate today.
With your history of playing in/touring with/releasing records as a band. Do you find playing, recording and performing as a solo artist has given you a little more freedom in what you want to release? Or where you can perform?
Mostly it just means that, thankfully, I only have to worry about one person’s schedule. Ha. But seriously, I love being in a band—that’s my natural state. But it’s tough to keep things going all the time. Recording and, especially, performing solo is a completely different thing. It’s nice to have more freedom with setlists and arrangements, but also kind of terrifying when something goes wrong and there’s no one to blame but yourself. Also, when you’re a solo performer, a lot of venues (and bands) tend to treat you like you’re “lesser than,” which I’ve found really isn’t much of a loss.
I think the reason I play mostly solo now is because, during COVID, I started doing livestreams on Instagram. After a few of those, I got invited to play some in-person shows and really enjoyed it. I like the challenge of making people in a room pay attention to you without volume on your side. These days, I play a weekly slot at an open mic at Philadelphia Brewing Company. It’s kind of my version of going to the gym—a way to stay sharp, try out new songs, and hang with other people who are working on their own thing too.
Having moved to Philly from Texas, are there any major differences in the music scene between the two places?
Texas had waaay more parking. That’s the main difference. But really, both places have great musicians and cool people putting on shows in weird spaces. When I moved to Philly, I had to find my footing again. It’s much smaller in some ways, but that just makes you feel more part of it. Plus, if you can’t find a show, you can always just put one on in your basement. That’s what I do.
The production of your songs is fantastic. Snappy, punchy and satisfying. Talk about your recording/mixing process.
I appreciate that. I started recording in the 90s on a cassette 4-track with zero outboard gear, so since day one my recordings have always been very dry. I used to hate it but every time I added some sort of reverb, it sounded like I was trying too hard. So I still just keep things very, very simple. When it’s a band, I will usually record live with the drummer and then add stuff on top. For my solo stuff, I start with a “guide track” of me playing and singing the song. Then I lay drums down over that. Then, annoyingly, the guide track usually sounds off beat, so then I redo guitars and vocals to the drums. I bounce back and forth a few times, eventually adding bass, etc. It’s kind of maddening, honestly. But it eventually falls into place. And for mixing, I just keep things as clear as possible—just EQ and compression on most everything.
Tell us about your current tour - what kind of venues and spaces are you playing in?
My first show of the tour is tonight in Los Angeles—at a taco stand! I was trying to end the tour at a burrito shop in Spokane, but that one didn’t pan out (yet?). Between those, it’s a mix of house shows, breweries, and the occasional traditional venue. The house shows came together through my email list, which is how this whole tour came about. Someone invited me to one in LA, and I put the word out. Now I get to play in very nice people’s living rooms and backyards, which is kind of the dream.
What can folks expect from your upcoming shows in Wenatchee ?
Thanks to my buddy Joel Myrene, I’ve got a Wenatchee triple-header on June 14: an in-store at Cashmere Records, a dinner-time house show (private event), and a closing set at Wally’s House of Booze. It’ll be me with my acoustic, my distortion pedal, and yeah—my harmonica—playing songs I’ve written as recently as last week and as early as 1994. I mostly just try to get heckled and have fun.
Will you have any merch in tow? Vinyl?
I will have CDs with me. I’ve always been a “CDs with me” kinda guy. And stickers. No vinyl unfortunately, but there are plans to release my latest solo album One And Only on vinyl later this year.
Let’s talk about Filmage. How did this project come together? How was it handling all the interviews - and what has the reaction been?
When my friends and I first started making the movie, a documentary producer we knew said something like, “Making a doc, eh? That’s three years of your life.” We giggled to ourselves, thinking we’d be done in a few months. Three years later, Filmage was completed.
How it came about was that my co-director, Deedle LaCour, and I have a band called 41 Gorgeous Blocks, and Stephen Egerton (guitarist of Descendents/All) had produced one of our records in 2005. So we got to know him and one day pitched him on the idea of the film. It was a total labor of love for all of us. Descendents and All were our favorite bands, so getting to tell their story was both nerve-wracking and a dream. There were a few people who couldn’t or wouldn’t sit for an interview, but I’ve let go of all that. The band loved it, the fans went wild, and it still connects with people all over the world—a testament to a fantastic band with incredible music. I’m super proud of it.
What’s up next for you? Any more movie stuff coming?
I have a couple of documentaries in the works, but no details to give right now. Coy, I know—sorry. But I’ve learned I can jinx myself if I talk too much. On the music side, I’m just trying to play as many shows in as many places as I can right now. I’m booking more house shows around the country, and I’m even heading to Lithuania this July to play a festival. I’m also recording new songs for a solo album, and there’s talk of my old band doing something again soon. We’ll see.
Where can people follow your future doings
If you want to have a little fun, you can get on my email list, which I spend way more energy on than social media. I send out music, stories—even rambly voice memos—on a weekly basis. It’s free. That’s what I’d recommend.
See Matt play at Cashmere Records, Saturday June 14th - 4pm an all ages show with Icarus |Then later at Wally’s with Calaverdes and Make Up Sax - starting at 9pm. | Filmage is available to stream on Amazon Prime