The best thing about local musicians leaving town is their coming back.
Some artists move to L.A. or New York and eventually move back. Others stay on either coast and gig in Denver when they come home for Christmas, which is why Gann Matthews is on the bill at the Lion’s Lair on Saturday.
Matthews left Denver for New York in March 2006 after the release of his lush EP “Silent Sound.” Matthews talked about the wait for the follow-up to “Silent Sound,” his life in New York and his suddenly twangy sound.
Q: You’ve been in New York for nearly two years now. How’s the city been treating you?
A: New York’s been a hard place to adjust to. I’ve had great times and hard times and generally gotten to a place where I feel comfortable. I’ve been very inspired by all the great songwriters that I’ve met out here. Most of the musicians here are very driven, and that rubs off on me, making me work constantly on moving forward with my music goals. There is also a very collaborative spirit within the group of songwriters I know. Most weeks if you can’t see me sing my own songs, you’ll be able to find me playing bass and singing harmony for another songwriter.
Q: Have you played out a lot since you moved out in March of ’06?
A: I started getting gigs right away after I got here. I actually booked my first gig on my third day, which was a great confidence booster. I started out playing to mostly empty rooms and worked up to playing more densely populated rooms lately. One time, no one came except my girlfriend and her roommate. That was hard; I kind of wanted to leave and go play in the living room instead. I’m starting to get a little following lately. It seems like it is a lot harder to do that here than it was in Denver.
Q: What do you miss most about Denver?
A: My big $350-a-month apartment! I also really miss the friendships I had there. The pace of life in Denver makes it easier to really get to know people and be part of each other’s lives.
Q: So we got the EP. But what about the full-length that you’ve been talking about for a while?
A: Yeah, that got a little delayed, didn’t it? I ran out of money after I got to New York. The album is actually in the final stages and about to be mixed. People can expect it sometime in early 2008.
Q: Has New York encouraged you to write differently? Or write more?
A: That’s a hard one. I’ve definitely written a lot while I’ve been here. My songs generally come from turmoil, and my life has certainly been hectic since I moved. I have a whole album worth of good songs, just waiting to be recorded, some of which I plan on playing at the Denver show. As for how I’m writing differently: There are a lot more falsetto vocal parts in my newer songs, I play a lot more finger-style guitar, and the demo recordings of the new songs have a strong tendency to feature two- or three-part harmony vocals. I’ve also been told that I’m starting to sound “twangy.” How that comes from living in New York and how that adds up into a sound you can define, I’m not sure.
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com
Lineup at Lion’s Lair
Gann Matthews plays the Lion’s Lair, 2022 E. Colfax Ave., 8 p.m. Saturday with Jonathan Byerly, Blue Light, Joshua Novak and Rachael Pollard. $6. Details: .
