MAR 18
Thu • 7:00 pm

MAR 4
Thu • 7:00 pm

Matthew Curry is a prolific writer who aims to write and record a new release annually.  When asked about the new songs, he prefers to leave interpretation in some cases to the listener, while being transparently forthcoming with others.  The opener, "Blink of an Eye" finds the songwriter channeling inspiration from the Black Crowes, Eagles perhaps a bit of Chris Stapleton as he sings of the woes losing a woman, out of selfishness. The harder edged rocker "Caroline" is a feel good track.  Curry offers, "the song presents that scenario where many young guys and gals face a young lady's father not pleased about the relationship, and the challenges of sneaking away for the sake of love.  This one is a really fun one to play cause it always seems very easy for the audience to dance and sing along with it."  The title track "Shine On" displays the artist's connection to the beauty of Memphis Soul and Muscle Shoals Southern Gospel Rock that shines with simple purity as he delivers the uplifting yet heavy lyrics. "Matter Of Time" follows with a softer, easy listening tone.  Curry shares, "We've all experienced love that we thought would last eternity, and didn't quite end up working that way."  The final track "Draw The Line" is a bit ambiguous by intent leaving the listener to find personal meaning.  Curry continues to grow year after year as a writer, and is the antithesis of those who created in a confined space.  The songs reflect his style and sound yet no two sound exactly the same.  There is nothing cookie cutter about his approach or execution, and that trend seems to continue throughout his three offerings thus far.

Alongside a ton of headline dates across the U.S., and isolated appearances overseas, Matthew Curry has had the honor of touring with the Doobie Bros, Steve Miller, Peter Frampton, Journey, and others. 

Curry is a Midwesterner who proudly articulates it is an honor to call that part of the country home.  He offers, "We're more slow pace, say what you mean and mean what you say, decent type people around here. Somewhat unassuming. I think it also translates to my music as well - it is straight forward without the fads or gimmicks of the day."  He grew up with a father deeply interested in the arts, and as he thinks back on a man who had such an influence prior to his passing, he reveals, "We both shared a passion for music that went deeper than anyone could know. My father's dream was to be getting to do what I'm doing for a living. Though it didn't quite work out that way for him, he had a great ear and great advice to help me as I was growing up. Losing him was the hardest thing that has ever happened to me, not a day goes by where I don't think about him, and not a night goes by where I don't lay down in bed and think about how much I miss him and the bound we had through music. Often times the thoughts that cross my mind don't only involve music though, I often picture in my mind floating down the river in the canoe with him, going fishing and camping with him and my brother, and learning about working on motorcycles from him, simple stuff like that makes me smile and remember all the great times we had together!"

Matthew Curry continues to gain notoriety and his career in its essence is the  definition of a bright future.  It is his opinion that Rock n Roll is the genre within music that truly and deeply speaks from and to the soul. He simply aspires to build on the tradition that impacts listener in a way that is best shared as he states, "When you hear a great Blues or a great rock song, you can often get chills or it can make the hair on your neck stand up. I think the main reason being the soulfulness of both styles of music. That's one thing I've always strived for was to pour my soul out when I sing, play, or write. Because if you can do that, I feel like the better chance you will have of people latching onto your music." 

Hailing from the very birthplace of the venerable Canadian rock group it pays homage to, Road Apples formed in Kingston, Ontario during December 1992 and quickly established itself as the best, busiest and most sought after tribute show to The Tragically Hip.

The momentum the band was able to build in the first half of 1993 ultimately helped catapult it to national status and success.  In the wake of its concerts, word spread quickly that this was a band that was worth the price of admission.  From June 1993 until August 1998, the band members made their collective living touring Canada on a full-time basis.  From Newfoundland to Vancouver Island and northern Alberta to upstate New York, the band logged thousands of miles as it amassed a resume of close to one thousand performances – leaving no doubt that Road Apples is a band that has earned its favourable reputation through years of hard touring.

After 5 years of essentially living on the road, the band made a conscious decision to scale down its schedule to enable the members to focus on other life pursuits.  While remaining active from the fall of 1998 through to present day, the band has been more selective in the venues and events it has performed at. 

As a result of Road Apples’ success in the mid-90’s, there has been a proliferation of other bands offering what is billed as a similar service to the market.  However, there is one thing that ultimately distinguishes Road Apples from the other ‘Hip’ tribute bands:  experience.  Experience breeds confidence and confidence begets consistency.  With thousands of live performances now under their belts, the members of this band have collectively honed their craft to a level unmatched by any of their competitors.