Grand Rapids alt-rock/folk band Lighting Matches returns to ignite the Local Spins Wednesdays series at SpeakEZ Lounge tonight. Get the update on the band in this Q&A.
Eager to Return to SpeakEZ Lounge: Lighting Matches is creating new music in the new year. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
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Tonight, Grand Rapids alt-rock/folk band Lighting Matches closes out the 2024 Local Spins Wednesdays series at SpeakEZ Lounge downtown.
Local Spins writer Enrique Olmos recently chatted with Rachel White and Matt Plessner of the band — which also features Mark Jilbert and Scott Garrison — ahead of their mid-week show. Details about the 7:30 p.m. concert online here.
Q: Why are harmonies important to you as a band?
Matt: It’s essentially a way of playing chords with your voice. It adds another layer of emotion or intention that a single voice can’t convey. I can name you plenty of songs that, for me, harmonies made the song.
Q: What does wintertime look like for the band? Writing and recording?
Matt: Recording is priority 1 for the winter. We have three news songs almost ready to be unboxed, plus a number of new ones we have written that we have been putting around.
Rachel: With the slower gig seasons during the winter, we try to focus more on getting new material prepped for the following season, and new songs that we’ve written sorted out and prepared for recording. And then, of course, winter always involves more behind-the-scenes work on things like booking and creating plans for the following year, recording schedules, and things of that nature.
On Stage: Lighting Matches playing Very Merry Jingle Jam last Saturday at Butcher Block Social. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
Q; Guitars sound great on the record. What kind of guitars are you recording with?
Matt: I play a 1968 reissued Gibson Les Goldtop Standard Electric, a 2014 (ish?) Martin Om cutaway acoustic, an original Fender Hot Rod Deluxe tube amp, and a series of boss effects pedals
Rachel: Live, I usually play a Fender Strat and an acoustic Takamine. On the recordings, however, my parts are actually largely guitars that Joel (Ferguson, Planet Sunday Studios) has in studio. They’re a mix between a Gibson Les Paul Special, a classic Les Paul, a Stratocaster, and a Taylor acoustic. To be honest, I don’t remember what I played on which songs.
Q: What do you enjoy about the Grand Rapids music scene? What else does it need?
Matt: Grand Rapids has a very unique scene, and seems a to breed a number of sounds that I don’t hear much anywhere else. It challenges me to be more original with my approach to songwriting
Rachel: Grand Rapids is so unique. It’s such a melting pot of sounds… I really love how many of the musicians here are so encouraging of each other. It’s not uncommon at all to see other musicians at other bands’ shows, and I love that there’s a good sense of community between a lot of us.
Q: What are you looking forward to about the show at SpeakEZ?
Matt: We always look forward to the SpeakEZ shows. Very chill, friendly gig; we generally get to see a lot our friends, people appreciate it, and overall, I think the SpeakEZ is simply a downtown Grand Rapids treasure in every way. I always appreciate John (Sinkevics)’s willingness to have us back consistently. We are also looking forward to doing this show acoustically.
Rachel: I just always love these shows. Matt summed it up pretty well, but John Sinkevics is always so welcoming and encouraging, the SpeakEZ itself and their staff are always very kind and accommodating. It’s just always a fun time. We’ve played this series a number of times over the years and it’s one that all four of us always genuinely look forward to. With this one, we’re also actually pretty excited to be doing a full acoustic set with the band. We had a blast this year playing a lot of higher-energy shows, and it’s going to be fun to change it up a little and bring a different vibe to this show. There are a few songs that we play pretty differently acoustically and a few new ones that we’re throwing in.
Q: What do you want to convey with your live show?
Matt and Rachel: We just want to bring a fun, relaxed evening of music – the Local Spins series is always such a community-driven atmosphere, and we just hope to embody that as best as we can. We want people to come, hang out with us, have some good food and drinks, and enjoy some acoustic tunes.
PHOTO GALLERY: Lighting Matches at Butcher Block Social (Very Merry Jingle Jam)
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
VIDEO: Rachel White & Matt Plessner, “Espresso”
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