Five Lessons For Opening Bands: Learn From Mathias Lattin

[@bluesdudetoo]

Have followed his career for over 7 years. He and his band were invited to be on Legendary Blues Cruise #39, and he was invited up to play with Kingfish, DK Harrell, Bernard Allison and pretty much every other headliner on the cruise. He was blowing them away at all hours of the day and night. Matthias is the real deal.

[@ckjjclan]

What a great way to show YOUR support for him… sharing your experience in a teaching way… I’m def checking him out - thanks! .

[@Brembelia]

Not only did Mathias not appear on stage with sunglasses (I don't think that was an accident), but when they were swapping call-and-response, his volume was down, and his settings weren't as bright as Kingfisher. Mathias is a very meticulous musician who likes to observe all the rules of the road. 🎸✨️

[@Texasbluesalley]

Great observation!

[@ChocolateJesii]

Great player. Saw him at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis a couple years ago. His band made the finals and he won the award for best guitarist. I believe he and Kingfish are both alumni of the Pinetop Perkins master classes held in Clarksdale MS. I know Kingfish is, and 90% that Matthias is as well. So they for sure know one another very well as Kingfish still shows up to participate in the jam sessions with the new kids down there from time to time.

[@Texasbluesalley]

I had a section of this video about who he is and what he's done so far, but I cut it out because I was rambling too much.

[@MrOsj14]

Great acts usually have really good openers in my experience

[@dukey558]

Before joining the lessons, SRV Little Wing lesson included in the Semi-Annual course?... The course deserves LOCALTHE4TH benefit for the first comer?

[@Texasbluesalley]

The Locals program is an all-access membership that gives you access to my entire library of courses (80+). My Little Wing course will be added to the membership as soon as it is done. You can look through all my courses here: texasbluesalley.com/woodshed/courses

[@chkm8k21]

He's not really an unknown, only to you. As Chocolate Jesii said below, he won the IBC Challenge in Memphis in January of 2023. Always good so show up early, never know what you might miss. Go over and watch his band performing at the IBC Challenge, it's an eye opener.....

[@Texasbluesalley]

Oh it's totally on me, it takes me way to long to discover artists that have been around for years already.

[@savethedandelions]

I get that merch is where bands make money now, but t-shirts are stupid expensive at shows now. I will spend money on other merch though. Stuff that'll last. I paid way to much for a Queens of the Stone Age tour poster, for example. BUT it was exclusive to that show 😂

[@Texasbluesalley]

The tricky thing about pricing merchandise (or anything really) is that there are people in the crowd who are absolutely loaded, and the reality is they'd probably pay twice whatever you're asking. But there are less of them than there are fans who genuinely can't afford a $40 or $50 shirt. This ratio will change from town to town obviously, but how can you simultaneously allow the fans with deep pockets to give you as much money as possible while still offering something that most fans can buy? That's the challenge, and that's why you sometimes see things like VIP packages etc.. offered for super high prices. The people who can afford to pay those prices are going to spend that money somewhere, and if a band doesn't have something for them to spend it on, it's gonna go to someone else.

[@savethedandelions]

@@Texasbluesalley it's great when a band can offer a whole range of stuff of varying prices, but i get how that's not realistic for smaller acts. I know personally, i shop at the merch table first by budget, and then by 'is it something i can only get at the show'. I've definitley walked out with nothing but memories when i can't tick those two boxes.

[@Rattnroll94]

Have you seen tyrone vaughan?

[@Texasbluesalley]

I've seen clips, but not live.