Videos
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Biography
Straight out of Oakland, The Matches have impacted the California music scene thanks to twelve explosive, hook-injected songs recorded on the cheap in their basements and living rooms. These recordings were combined with a strong work ethic that included the band's very own "Commotion Promotion" tactics and a buzz that surrounded the quartet's self-released debut E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals. This helped them gain fans up and down the Garden State and, as they toured small venues, across the country. Formed as The Locals in 1997, when vocalist/guitarist Shawn Harris, drummer Matt Whalen and bassist Justin San Souci were early in their respective tenures at Oakland's Bishop O'Dowd High, the group grew frustrated by the turn of the millennium at the lack of under-21 venues in the Bay Area. Commandeering a web-casting warehouse called iMusicast in their home city; they launched a show called L3: Live, Loud and Local. In an effort to promote these L3 shows, the band - now with guitarist Jon Devoto in the fold - initiated "Commo Promo," accosting potential fans exiting concerts and clubs, student unions, dorms, high schools, malls and fast food joints, welcome or not. By performing these brief acoustic attack sets in the days prior to L3 gigs, word soon spread and the shows started selling out, without advertising or publicity. Changing monikers in time to self-finance and release their February 2003 debut, The Matches strayed from their educational pursuits to focus on music. They veered from headlining West Coast, all ages venues to touring opportunities with Reel Big Fish, Lit, and Zebrahead. Around that time a new tune, "December is for Cynics," appeared alongside Blink 182, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and New Found Glory, on the Immortal Records benefit compilation, A Santa Cause.
