Matthew Howlett is a singer-songwriter based out of Reno, Nevada, and host of The Library’s open mic and the “Art after Dark” podcast.
1. How did you get started and who are your fans?
I was fortunate enough to attend a Fine Arts summer camp as a middle school/high school student and met some amazing artists, actors and musicians who showed me early on that Art can be your job if you work hard enough and have the passion to power through the moments that might sidetrack you from your goals. As far as my fans…my parents are my biggest fans. The people I meet playing shows and open mics are also awesome; it’s great to get feedback from the local crowds.
2. How would you describe your sound and style?
I try to keep my sound pretty simple by focusing on making the things that I record sound as similar to my live performances as possible. I’ve done all my recording so far independently… so keeping things simple is pretty easy. When it comes to style, I’ve been told my songs remind people of angsty mid ‘90s radio tunes. It’s cool to channel that kind of vibe when I write, because I was raised on those kinds of radio hits, driving around as a kid in my mom’s minivan.
3. Who are you most inspired by?
As a young musician just starting to write songs, I listened to a lot of local music from my hometown and I get a lot of inspiration from groups like Hazel and Vine, an old band out of Folsom, Calif. and The Andrew Heringer Band, a band out of Placerville. I’m also inspired by Max Bemis, from the band Say Anything.
4. Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I hope to continue to be a man-about-town here in Reno while also expanding to some other West Coast cities as well. I think Reno has a cool future ahead, especially in the next five years, and I’d love to continue to be a part of the music community, because I meet some really cool artists and just genuinely nice people. I didn’t grow up here, but I feel very welcomed and am grateful that there are so many great venues here that are willing to support music.
5. How can people get a hold of you?
I do most of my own promotion through Instagram; you can follow me to find live shows and other fun shenanigans at @visiting_the_station. I also have music from my solo project, You and Your House, online at youandyourhouse.bandcamp.com. Stay tuned for new music this spring. You can always find me Thursdays at The Library at 9pm, where I host a musicians Open Mic.
