Biography

Music to drink to. Music to dance to. Music to sit on the porch and ponder. The roots-rock sounds of The Matinée evoke memories of family camping trips, men with guitars around the campfire belting out tunes of broken things & the open road…rising tempos bring the faithful to their feet, clapping & dancing until someone throws an aerosol can on the fire & everything explodes…

Formed in 2007, The Matinée have quickly gained radio play and a reputation for packed-house shows. Their first single ‘San Diego’ – as ode to an unpaid speeding ticket in California, charted on College Radio across Canada, while ‘Mama’ – their heartfelt nod to their moms – became a Mothers Day anthem that continues to see the song broadcast on radio stations around the world come Mothers Day. Countless tour dates followed, as the band paid its dues performing everywhere from prisons in British Columbia, to High Schools in the Yukon, to the Canadian Air Force Base in Cold Lake, Alberta.

Their live performance has been described as ”dynamic, whimsical and enthusiastic with a rootsy do-it-yourself flavour” – a sharp contrast to their crisp professionalism and unflagging work ethic. With all six members growing up within 5 minutes of each other in rural Vancouver, this group of high school friends has formed a hardworking brotherhood dedicated to crafting fine roots-rock tunes and seeking out audiences wherever they can.

2009 saw the release of their self-titled follow up EP as The Matinée teamed up with award-winning producer Paul Shatto (The Higgins, The Mocking Shadows). Their first single ‘Let Her Go’ was featured on the 2010 Music BC Compilation Album, and the acoustic version of the song landed the band a spot in the top 10 artists for The Shore 104.3FM’s Sounds of Summer Contest. As ‘Let Her Go’ continued to make waves across Canadian radio, their song ‘Friends’ began gaining exposure across America as it was featured on the California based Errorcraft Records’ ‘Glory Road’ Compilation album.  The band was also nominated as the best Roots/Canadiana band at the 2010 BCCMA Industry Awards.

After the release of the EP the band continued to tour tirelessly through 2010, showcasing at Canadian Music Week, COCA, and NXNE. As the touring continued, so did the bands involvement with the B.C. Arts Council’s Artstarts Program and the B.C. Schizophrenia Society’s Reachout Tour. In 2010 alone The Matinée performed for more than 20,000 college and high school students, as well as countless bar and club and festival audiences.

In 2011 the band picked up where it left off, being selected as one of three finalists in the Peak Performance Project (through 100.5 The Peak FM) and performing to a sold out crowd at the fabled Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver.  This coincided with another inclusion for the band in The Shore 104.3 FM’s Sounds of Summer contest, this time riding the waves of their new single Sweetwater.  The song caught the attention of some industry heavyweights, and the band was hand picked by Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo) to open for him in Whistler, BC as a result.  By the end of 2011, CBC Radio 3 had declared The Matinée as one of the ’top 10 acts to watch out for in 2012.’

After four years of independent production and promotion under their label Blue Collar Records, The Matinée is currently putting the final touches on their next album, slated for release in 2012.

If you like The Band, The Black Crowes, and old Bruce Springsteen, you’ll love these six handsome lads from blue-collar British Columbia. Raise a glass, and raise the curtain…it’s showtime for The Matinée!!