Watching him perform with his band Friends, banging out party-style percussion grooves, dropping synth hooks, or sneaking in some some smooth guitar licks (all in the span of about 10 minutes) you get the feeling Matthew is somewhat of a musical renaissance man. If you've been fortunate enough to chat with him at a show, you become aware pretty quickly that this guy can back it up with a deep knowledge of tunes-- the kind of person that you sort of hope has too many beers and leaves his iPod behind. As you would expect, it appears as if "Magic" Matt has done his homework in the archives, going pretty far back in the vaults to highlight some key early live sets by a handful of bands who would go on to win the hearts of many, much like his own band has done. Check out a live cut from the first ever Widowspeak show, as well as some more old school performances from the likes of Prince Rama, Beach Fossils, and Big Troubles. - AR