First Avenue: What’s your name?
Kyle Matteson
FA: And what’s your relationship with First Avenue?
KM: I’ve probably spent as many waking hours here as I have at my house.
FA: So you’re basically a music enthusiast.
KM: Yeah. I think it’s easy to be like, “Oh you just go out to shows that you want to be seen at,” but it’s like fuck that. I wouldn’t be going to *those* shows, there’d be other shows I could be at. I’m becoming more picky.
FA: Membership-wise, you’re one of the lowest member numbers, right? (Note: numbers reflect how early one signed-up)
KM: I am member 0000001. It was actually pure luck. We knew it was happening and all that, but I just happened to check my email one afternoon at work and I saw the email saying “We’re live!” I hopped on and it wasn’t like right away, but within ten, fifteen minutes. I was kind of surprised.
FA: Didn’t you have a birthday here?
KM: Yeah. I had my 30th at the Nomad, my 35th at the Entry. I talked to the bands first to gauge interest because if I don’t have the band it’s not worth trying. It was Actual Wolf, Prissy Clerks, and All Tomorrow’s Petty. It was super fun.
FA: Was it a private event?
KM: It was open to the public, like $5 or $8 bucks.
FA: So you created a bill of a show you wanted to see.
KM: Yeah, I didn’t even bill it like [my birthday party]… It was actually on the news! Jana Shortall was doing a story on the flu and she came down to interview Prissy Clerks because they all had the flu. They panned past the poster that said “@Solace’s 35th Birthday Bash” and it I think my parents saw it and rolled their eyes. They’re old, but I think they get it, too.
FA: Are you going to have your 40th at the Target Center?!
KM: [laughs] With Arcade Fire and the National.
***
It’s only a matter of time before you’ll run into Kyle at a show. Let him persuade you that Guster is a secret-great band.
