Solo
showman By SARAH RUFFATTO "The Telegraph" July 24, 2007 - 11:03PM |
Matt Livasy, 23, performs as a one-man band on Thursday nights at Laurie’s Place in Edwardsville. |
Decatur native Livasy
enjoys coming home!
Updated: Friday, January
9, 2009 7:17 AM CST
Matt Livasy
Musician Matt Livasy has
found himself making
more and more trips back
home to Decatur to
perform.
And according to the
Collinsville resident,
he may be making even
more trips if he and
Decatur's Cornerstone
Tavern work out a
schedule for Livasy to
play regularly.
Livasy will appear at 9
p.m. Saturday at the
Cornerstone. He will be
joined by percussionist
and friend Patton
Penhallegon, formerly of
Mount Zion.
Livasy moved away from
Decatur nearly five
years ago to attend
Southern Illinois
University-Edwardsville.
He ended up staying in
the college town
permanently and has no
regrets about doing so.
He found success,
playing one to four
shows a week.
"I've been playing my
music for six years, and
it has been my sole
source of income for the
past three years," he
said.
Livasy's gimmick helps
in booking shows
regularly. Usually
performing on stage by
himself, Livasy puts his
whole body to work as a
one-man band.
"I develop my loops live
so the audience can see
every step it takes as I
control the three Boss
loop pedals with my
feet, amongst other
pedals that influence my
sound," Livasy said on
his Web site. "I first
create the beat box and
sample that, then I add
bass and either my
acoustic or electric
guitar, or other
instrument of choice,
and not necessarily in
that order. I control
all of my sound by my
lonesome."
None of his music is
prerecorded. He plays a
variety of original
songs and covers from
punk to reggae and from
Led Zeppelin to Ice
Cube.
But lately, booking
shows hasn't been as
easy in the Southern
Illinois bars.
"I don't know if it's
been because of the
economy going down or me
becoming lazy," he
joked. "Lately, it's
been a little tough for
me.
"The no-smoking ban had
a huge impact on me and
some friends."
The 24-year-old is
hoping to book a steady
gig with the
Cornerstone, after
performing at the bar 14
times last year.
Kostaki Chiligiris,
co-owner of the tavern,
said Livasy brings in a
crowd when he performs.
"It's really cool to
watch him play and see
how he loops his music,"
he said. "He appeals to
all ages."
Livasy has begun
recording his impromptu
live shows and putting
them on CDs, which he
sells for some added
income.
He continues to work on
new music, yet his
schooling remains a big
part of his life.
Livasy is pursuing his
master's degree in
professional counsel
from McKendree
University in Lebanon.
He said a master's
degree is "something to
fall back on, in case I
break a finger or
something." He graduated
for SIU-Edwardsville
with a bachelor's degree
in psychology and a
minor in music in 2007.
Performing in Decatur
more often doesn't mean
Livasy is moving back
home, but each gig gives
him a chance to visit
with his family, his
biggest supporters.
"My music gives me an
excuse to come home and
see familiar faces," he
said. "I get to talk it
up with people and all
that good stuff. I
always like returning
home."