Local musicians Matty Comer and the Experience have played various shows over the years to help raise money for the community. Their philanthropic ways have not only made a difference in people’s lives, it has also garnered the attention of the Valley’s highest profile concert promoter Chris Ricci, the man behind X-FEST 2010. On Aug. 7, all of the band’s culminated efforts will be recognized as they play with 50 other performers in downtown Modesto. According to Comer and Dr. Blue, the band is a tasteful mix of acoustic and electric instruments, making their sound unique and versatile. They are professionally trained and have been playing for decades in the Turlock area. Each musician derives his inspiration from a different area of life, which they say makes their songs relatable to an eclectic group of people. “All of our works are digestible,” Comer said. “Everyone can relate to something. Dr. Blue loves social commentary. I draw lyrics from the trials and tribulations of my life. It’s a great balance.”Behind their passion for music lies an even stronger passion – helping the community. When these musicians formed a band in January 2009, they knew that they wanted to do big things within their community; and they wasted no time in making their dreams become realities. “In not really a lot of time we have accomplished quite a bit,” Comer said. “We have completely immersed ourselves in the Modesto music scene.”While Comer said these big shows are great, he and Dr. Blue agreed that their favorite shows are the ones that benefit the entire community. “We are all about giving back to the community,” Dr. Blue said. “Whatever you’ve got, give it up.”In the short amount of time that Matty Comer and the Experience has been a band, they have raised money for their community by playing various benefit concerts such as A Mad Hatter Event that raised approximately $11,000 to assist the family of a young boy with leukemia. According to Comer, the band strives to be family-oriented and only agrees to play shows that promote a positive image. “We take a lot of pride in the face that all we do is well-done,” Comer said. “We are careful with events because with everything we do we want to put a good stamp behind our name. We protect our image and put our best foot forward.” Comer and Dr. Blue believe that bringing opportunities for local musicians is just as important as booking personal shows. The band seeks out local talent to play shows with, believing that each show is an opportunity for someone new to take a step closer to his or her dreams. “We are seizing these opportunities and are bringing them to the light of day,” Dr. Blue said. “We want to let others become a part of these opportunities with us.”The band also believes in giving the youth chances to play onstage. Dr. Blue teaches music to about 40 students a week at Dale’s Guitar, and he invites his students to perform at his concerts. “He has devoted himself to bringing music to his community,” Comer said. Matty Comer and the Experience will be playing a show at the Whitmore Mansion on Saturday, and they are hoping to showcase some of Dr. Blue’s students. The show is for all ages and will feature artists such as Tara Tinsley, Hickory, Joe Barretta, Ryan Toth, and The Fabulous Rojas Brothers, a band that is comprised of Dr. Blue and his family. As with all of the shows they organize, local food vendors will have booths to promote their businesses. “We really try to make (shows) advantageous for everybody that we work with,” Comer said. “We want to promote local business, and we are willing to put our time and efforts behind things when we can.”This is the last show that the band has before they play to 15,000 people at XFEST. Comer said that they take pride in each show because each performance highlights the progress the band has made, something Comer says the public can definitely notice. “We were booked for XFEST because we were noticed by Chris Ricci, the hugest high-profile man in the 209,” Comer said. “He threw us a bone and gave us an opportunity to keep progressing. We are going to give people the real thing.”Comer and Dr. Blue said that the opportunity to play to such a big audience in their hometown area is spectacular, and that they could not imagine playing anywhere else. “It brings me pride to see so many musicians playing here,” Dr. Blue said. “I love that feeling of ‘this is my town, but this is your town too.’”More information about Matty Comer and the Experience can be found at www.myspace.com/mattycomer.
Local musicians Matty Comer and the Experience to play X-FEST
