Any Great Matthew Good Encounters?

[Guest Idioteque]

I'd love to hear your guy's because I really want to try and meet him before or after a show but don't know if he's okay with signing outside of V.I.P, I wouldn't want to bother him. Here is my story:

 

I was at his Vancouver show in 2013 for his Arrows of Desire tour. I had a V.I.P pass and planned to get all of my vinyl records and Avalanche cassette signed. The day of the show while I was on the skytrain my phone went off and I got an email reminding me about V.I.P and I realized near the bottom it said "1 Item Per Person" I was COMPLETELY freaking out. I had about 5 items with me (Not including the Arrows Of Desire record you get with the V.I.P and poster, so 7 items) BUT I intended to be the last one in the line so I didnt hold everyone up or be rejected in front of him by security for having alot of things with me. I did my best to hide everything under my jacket until I was the last one left, and I could easily tell Matt was tired and knew my heart would be broken if something came up about it. But as soon as he saw my vinyl and cassette he instantly woke up, excited like a boy on christmas day and had hilarious comments. He picked up my Avalanche record and said "Oh boy I had to sell a few of these to pay my bills" and talked about my Taiwan Avalanche cassette and talked about other cassettes of his music thats out there. He signed every last thing I had and before I left I quickly asked if there is anyway he would consider playing "I Miss New Wave" or "Inescapable Us" and all I was expecting was a yes or no, but he actually took a few minutes to explain the tuning and how its quite possible.

 

First time meeting him and all my expectations were met. The last artist I met who I tried to get an autograph off of was Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cuties/Postal Service, and he was an absolute dick, but that's another story.

 

(Plus Im sure Matt saw how passionate I was as a fan and not some guy looking to sell his stuff on Ebay, I intend to have everything of his framed and hung up on my walls someday)

Edited November 1, 2014 by Idioteque

[IamNick]

That's an awesome story. I've never had the chance to meet him, but I always get the impression that he's very considerate and grateful to/for his fans.

[Guest Idioteque]

Didn't realize I had some photos! Check them out. :)

 

(The lady who took the photos didn't know how to work an android lol, so out of 7, these are the least blurry)

Edited November 21, 2014 by Idioteque

[AnOceanPearl]

I am pretty sure I was a couple rows behind you at that show. I remember commenting to my wife about spying someone with an Avalanche cassette.

 

My favorite MG encounter was during the Nothing to Hide tour. I got to go see him play in Edmonton and then the next night in Calgary (obviously before I moved to BC). After the Edmonton show I went and got some stuff signed, told him I'd be at the show the next night and asked if he could play Sort of a Protest Song because it's my favorite. He responded that because he had so many songs to choose from it was hard to play everything that everyone wanted but he'd try. The next night, he plays it, and I'm pretty stoked about that. After the show, I get some stuff signed for a friend who couldn't make it and thanked him for playing Protest Song and he said "I remembered you wanted to hear it just before I got on stage so I added it to the setlist." That was pretty fucking cool and I'm pretty sure my avatar picture is the moment when we were having that chat.

[Guest Idioteque]

Man that is awesome! Those are the type of encounters you dream of when meeting an artist like Matthew Good.

 

I've hinted to him on twitter if he could play "Inescapable Us" at his Vancouver show on the 27th, I doubt he will since he's never played that song as far as I know.

But hearing "Sort of a Protest Song" live would be my #2 song choice to check off my bucket list.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Idioteque

[finboy]

First time I met matt was on the vancouver tour iirc. Knowing he was a huge fan of the film Brazil (the movie that inspired the Carmelina video), I managed to track down a replica of the mask used for the torture scenes. He was incredibly excited when he got it, and told me how he would use that movie as a litmus test for dating women when he was younger. It was awesome giving something back to the guy who's music has done so much for me, and seeing him getting that excited over a piece of his past. Shane picked up the amp I bough off him, apparently got to hear some awesome stories when he did.

[AnOceanPearl]

Adam, I think that would have been the LoES tour you met him - I remember us waiting at the bus for Matt after the Vancouver shows but he wasn't signing anything those nights.

[finboy]

You are right, how time flies, lol

[hoogie]

I've only met him once, at a VIP meet and greet for LoES. He was nice but I could tell he was tired. Don't blame him in the slightest. He signed my Avalanche CD booklet.

 

Would recommend doing it if you have the chance.

 

Also, funny story about Milos and Jimmy. We met them after the show where we did the VIP. They were smoking outside a side entrance as we walked back to our cars after meeting Matt. They were nice as well, but they happened to be talking to a couple of attractive blonde women, so I think they were preoccupied.

[Guest Idioteque]

Does Matt not usually sign stuff after shows?

I was going to bring a CD with me to his Vancouver show Thursday and see if I can get it signed,

But if he's not usually up for it after concerts I would understand.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Idioteque

[AnOceanPearl]

He used to do bus signings quite frequently, but got sick a lot, so the last couple of tours it's been for VIP only.

[Guest Idioteque]

That's why I was hoping there would be a V.I.P for his Vancouver show.

I'm planning on going early to get a good seat (I live way out in Langley, quite the journey for me) & I'd hate to bother him at all for an autograph.

I might bring a few CD's just in case we bump into each other on Broadway/Commercial. :b:

[hoogie]

You should definitely bring them. You never know what could happen. Since it's a one-off show, he might be signing stuff after.

[Guest Idioteque]

Got stuff signed after the show in Vancouver!

 

He was so nice!

 

Avalanche Vinyl,

In A Coma CD/DVD,

Vancouver CD.

[hoogie]

Awesome man!!

[Guest Idioteque]

Thanks!

I wish more people showed up. I was the only one behind the Rio after the show and Matt was in a great mood.

 

 

 

[LEManuel]

I'd love to hear your guy's because I really want to try and meet him before or after a show but don't know if he's okay with signing outside of V.I.P, I wouldn't want to bother him. Here is my story:

 

I was at his Vancouver show in 2013 for his Arrows of Desire tour. I had a V.I.P pass and planned to get all of my vinyl records and Avalanche cassette signed. The day of the show while I was on the skytrain my phone went off and I got an email reminding me about V.I.P and I realized near the bottom it said "1 Item Per Person" I was COMPLETELY freaking out. I had about 5 items with me (Not including the Arrows Of Desire record you get with the V.I.P and poster, so 7 items) BUT I intended to be the last one in the line so I didnt hold everyone up or be rejected in front of him by security for having alot of things with me. I did my best to hide everything under my jacket until I was the last one left, and I could easily tell Matt was tired and knew my heart would be broken if something came up about it. But as soon as he saw my vinyl and cassette he instantly woke up, excited like a boy on christmas day and had hilarious comments. He picked up my Avalanche record and said "Oh boy I had to sell a few of these to pay my bills" and talked about my Taiwan Avalanche cassette and talked about other cassettes of his music thats out there. He signed every last thing I had and before I left I quickly asked if there is anyway he would consider playing "I Miss New Wave" or "Inescapable Us" and all I was expecting was a yes or no, but he actually took a few minutes to explain the tuning and how its quite possible.

 

First time meeting him and all my expectations were met. The last artist I met who I tried to get an autograph off of was Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cuties/Postal Service, and he was an absolute dick, but that's another story.

 

(Plus Im sure Matt saw how passionate I was as a fan and not some guy looking to sell his stuff on Ebay, I intend to have everything of his framed and hung up on my walls someday)

 

Would love to hear that Ben Gibbard story. I am a huge DCFC fan, and he seems like he would be so nice !

[Guest girl]

I would love to hear that Ben Gibbard story too.

The last artist I met who I tried to get an autograph off of was Gord Downie, after his poetry book reading. He had a big, bulky bodyguard standing next to him. I took his picture and he said it was nice meeting me. Super nice guy.

I also met David Suzuki who signed my book. Another nice guy.

Edited August 21, 2015 by girl

[Guest Idioteque]

Sorry for the late reply, I was in Whistler for a week.

 

Gord Downie is somebody I'd love to meet but he seems unapproachable before/after concerts.

 

Soooo basically Ben Gibbard treated me like an ex-girlfriend. Now as a disclaimer I don't SEEK autographs like what you see jerks do with celebrities following them shoving pens in their faces or selling crap on ebay I just like capturing that sort of memory of meeting somebody I respect, like how fans take selfies with famous people I'm too ugly for that so I resort to signatures on vinyl lol. I wait really far away from a bus and usually I'm reading a book or listening to music, then when you see the artist you desire you make eye contact and point to w.e you're looking to get signed and at least 90% of the time the artist will walk over and be really cool, sometimes you have to walk to them but thats fine.

 

So I was in Vancouver the day of the Postal Service concert & my class ended early so I decided I'd just go wait at the venue since by the time I got home I'd just have to leave for the show anyways. I was probably a good 5 hours early & I brought my vinyl with me to class so bam it all worked out. I got to the venue and no tour buses. So I just sat down where I'd assume the tour buses would pull up (behind the venue) and started to read a book. 2 hours pass and the tour bus rocks up, mind you I'm the only one waiting for an autograph at this point. Crew members get off and one of the female musicians for the band (Jenny Lewis) came off and walked right to me and started talking to me, signed my vinyl and said that the rest of the band will be out shorty. so 30 minutes go by and Jimmy (another member for Postal Service) came out & said "Hey I have to do soundcheck but I promise I'll be back out" no problem with me. 10 minutes go by and Ben mothafuckin Gibbard walks out (which by the way I was a huuuge death cab for cutie fan at the time), so he walks out and my hand goes up to wave to which he ignores me and speed walks to the back door of the venue *1st snub*.

 

COOL, that hurt but like I said I'm the only one there but maybe I was too far for him to notice so I move closer, so at that point I was probably 5 feet away from the door which a security guard said was fine.

 

I'm reading a book & I hear the door open, Ben Mothaduckin Gibbard. "Oh hey mr.Gibbard" is all I could say before he crawled back onto the bus completely ignoring me again *snub #2*.

 

so it's getting closer to an hour and a half until the concert starts and I'm waiting on a few friends to show up & get in line with when all of a sudden a couple people show up to try and meet Gibbard too.

 

A small asian exchange student,

An old lady with a DCFC shirt on,

2 parents with a kid wearing a Postal Service shirt.

 

And they cannot stop talking about Ben, I figured either he would have a heart and walk over just to make 6 fan's day awesome, or ruin it. I already knew the answer.

 

So Ben Gibbard walks out of the tour bus with his new girlfriend and the rest of the fans around me start applauding for Ben and saying "Hey Ben! Love your bands!". It's hard to describe the sounds of hearts breaking around you but oh lord did they ever. Ben mothaducking Gibbard completely walks past all of us with his girlfriend into the venue and doesn't even look at us, mind you that 12 year old kid is infront of us all, *Snub #3*.

 

The fans start leaving the back parking lot sad, some even confused. Sucks for them but made me even more determined for that autograph, and I didnt want the autograph as much as I wanted to have some sort of acknowledgement.

 

So a few minutes pass and my friends show up, I tell them the situation and they're pretty confused why somebody would purposely be ignoring fans. They go off to smoke the devils leaf while my determined soul is trying to convince me to stay and wait it out.

 

It's just me and right before Im about to give up, Ben mothaducking Gibbard walks out with his girlfriend. Mind you at this point I'm the only one there and have been for the majority of the time since the tour buses pulled up. They walk out of the back door and I decide to just say my case right there and maybe he will look at me or come over or just say hi back. "HI Ben thanks for playing Vancouver" to which his girlfriend looks back at me while they're walking and says "awww I think he wants your autograph" to which Ben tugs her hand towards him and pulls her onto the bus. (Not in an abusive way or anything like that but more in a telling his girlfriend in a not so subtle way not to acknowledge me) *Snub #4*.

 

Okay I'm pissed, hurt, everything. I just watched somebody who I was a fan of basically go out of his way to make me feel like I didn't exist... I'm getting his autograph if it's the last signature I ever get.

 

Fast forward 30 minutes, friends come back and tell me the doors opened. I said I dont care I'm staying if I have to. At this point Jimmy comes out and starts smoking and enters a big circle of crew members infront of the tour bus talking & laughing. I just gave a quick wave to Jimmy in a last ditch effort to see if not all the members in Postal Service are assholes. He sees me, in mid sentence with somebody else says "ill be right back" and runs over to me and my friends to talk and sign stuff.

 

Jimmy is awesome.

 

***DISCLAIMER, I ALREADY KNOW IM GOING TO HELL:

 

Okay hear me out, I know what Im about to do is absolutely messed up, wrong, yada yada. But I was hurt & mad. Also I just really wanted to see how far I could go with seeing what a real asshole Ben Gibbard is, so I KIND OF told a story to Jimmy that was true but i was using it as a weapon which was unfair but i was young and stupid which I will not share due to the hate that would reign down on me from the heavens. But basically I said "Hey I have a friend who couldn't make it due to _______ and I'm trying to get this vinyl signed to cheer him up" I really can't say the full thing because it's bad, Jimmy had tears in his eyes and apparently I'm the greatest actor alive.***

 

So I tell Jimmy this story while my friends behind me try not to laugh, and I say "I saw Ben a few times but he didn't come over, I was wondering if you could maybe take this record and get an autograph from him?" Jimmy said "Dude absolutely of course I'll do that right now". Drops his smoke, walks right past the circle of crew members and climbs onto the bus Ben Gibbard & his girlfriend are on.

 

My friends and I wait 20 minutes (missing the opening band), Jimmy walks out of the bus and he looks pissed, and has the largest lump in his throat while talking. "Sorry man... he wasn't on the bus, tell your friend I hope for the best" and walks into the venue. Ben mothaducking Gibbard was absolutely on that fucking bus because there was absolutely no fucking way he could have gotten off since I was right infront of the door! Personally I think Jimmy walked onto that bus, told Ben the "story" and Ben still said no I'm not signing that to which they possibly had an argument. *Snub #5*.

 

I was pissed, decided to just leave for the concert and hope Id still be a fan after all of this. The asian exchange student from earlier showed up with his vinyl while I was leaving.

 

FAST FORWARD to the middle of The Postal Service concert and I hate it, Ben Gibbard was smiling at the crowd and waving and just looked so fake. I decided during the 3rd to last song that I was just going to leave, hugged my friends and left. Decided to walk around the venue one last time to see if anybody was there waiting & had war stories to share. The exchange student was still there and told me Ben snubbed him *Not my snub but a snub none the less* so I decided to stand with him and give this one last chance.

 

After the concert probably 50 people showed up, cutting my chances to an autograph down so I had to get space from them, a security guard told everybody that the band would be coming out of the backdoor *which I stood by for hours* and to wait there, I knew that was bullshit. They had a parked tour bus between the door and the band's tour bus so if you're waiting at the door, a band member would have to walk all the way around the 2nd bus just to get to the main bus, which I knew was only there for a decoy. Jimmy comes out of the backdoor and starts signing & taking photos while I snuck past everybody and went towards the band bus, to which BEN MOTHADUCKING GIBBARD is sneaking under a loading bay door and stealth walking towards the tour bus to avoid everybody.

 

The exchange student followed me to which the student walked up to Ben with his pen and vinyl & got ignored, Ben opened the tour bus door, about to walk in, the rest of the crowd figured out whats going on and started to circle the bus. Ben is just about to walk onto the bus when I finally said "BEN, I've waited outside for 5 hours man".

 

To hear an artist you liked look at you and loudly go "UGH, fine" and scribble a sloppy autograph on your record then slam the tour bus door in your face is basically the nail in the coffin.

 

Haven't listened to a single DCFC or Postal Service song since, haven't looked at the record since which is now my least favorite vinyl in my collection.

 

Apparently this has happened alot though, I've found a few forums where people have had similar situations with Ben.

 

I take into consideration the soundchecks and the tight schedule/stress a musician has during touring that may or may not factor in a few snubs, but it's the not bothering to even acknowledge a fan that makes me mad.

 

So imagine my mindset after that chaos trying to meet Matthew Good behind venues, knowing he's one of the "biggest assholes" in the music world, yet is the most down to earth, nicest guy I've ever come across. He respects his fans, Ben doesnt.

 

Anyways I scribbled this all down within 10 minutes so apologies to any spelling or crap, I have to get ready for Slipknot, woooo.

[Guest girl]

You're a good story teller. Thanks. That's rough, man. I feel your pain. He must be angry at the world or something.

I'm glad Matt's not like that. I've only met him twice at the meet and greet after his concert, and he was friendly and gracious. He even called me 'Dear' on both occasions. haha

Edited August 25, 2015 by girl

[hoogie]

Great story.  That sucks that he ruined his own band for you.  I totally get it though.  Some people are just assholes.  

[Sly Botts]

I've met Matthew Good twice.  In summer of 2005 in Sault Ste Marie during his Coma tour at the Roberta Bondar Pavillion, and in ?2007/2008? during his Hospital Music *acoustic* tour at Algoma University in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.  The 2005 meet was one of those tour bus signings after the show.  He signed my Avalanche CD.  I didn't have a camera at the time so I didn't take any pics. All I could mumble was a "Hi I'm Mike Size" *hand shake* "I enjoy reading your website".  (Imagine meeting the one person in the world you'd wanted to meet since you were a teen, *sort of a hero like figure from your teen years*, how would you feel?) I think he could tell I was nervous and responded with a "Yeah... *head shake* then *smile*.... that's great". I don't blame him for reacting that way though, I mean what do you say to that right?.  Afterwards when he was walking off with his buddies towards the hotel/bar I yelled something like "Take er easy there Matt" and he turned and said "Yeah, thanks".  In the end, it was a Great show and I got to meet the guy I'd wanted to meet for a long time up to that point.  I was really satisfied with that whole night. I was huge into the MGB and the Metro forums and stuff back then, so it was a bid deal for me.

 

However in 2008, I wasn't really big into it anymore and I was a different person by then.  He just finished playing his show at the University, did the bus thing, I went to meet him afterwards, he signed my HM CD, I said "Thanks for coming out Matt" (or something like that), and that was it. I wasn't nervous that time.  The next day, I read his blog and he had linked his Blog entry to a Soo Reporters (Sootoday.com) article about how bad the fans where at the show, and he commented on how he would most likely not be playing there again.  Now... I was at that show and I didn't see or hear anything I would consider bad or worth getting mad about.  I guess he felt differently however.  He was good about it though, as he did stay to meet fans and sign autographs after this (so called) horrible show. So you had to give him credit for that. I still don't think it was bad enough to warrant not playing in the Sault again but it is what it is.  Sometimes I think that maybe he used it as an excuse to keep Sault Ste Marie as a layover/day off kind of thing like other artists do, instead of playing there.  I would if I were him. :)

 

[Guest Idioteque]

I just read the "Sootoday.com" articles about the show. it seems like he was being bullied by Amanda Osborne who was not even at the show & just looking to make a controversial blog.

 

But I only found the article of her bashing him & him responding, I didn't find anything about him bashing the crowd which could have been a previous article.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Idioteque

[GuitarmanMCS]

I have been fortunate to meet Matthew Good three times, twice in Philadelphia and once in NYC.

 

I have been a MG/MGB fan since I was in middle school and I heard "Beautiful Midnight" (yes, I know...the U.S. bitched up version). I may have used some Napster/WinMX since then to acquire his other albums (I bought them later). I have been fortunate to see so many shows throughout my life but live approximately six hours from Canada...so shows down here were not going to happen for a teenager with a car with 200,000 miles on it. 

 

In 2008, he finally decided to do a solo acoustic tour across the US and I did my best to get tickets but no venue in Philadelphia or D.C. would allow me in because it was 21+. Sucked. Knowing I was missing one of my favorite artists of my lifetime and he was performing only 2 hours from me was a big blow.

 

Experience #1: In 2010, I saw my first Matthew Good show at the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia and it was full band. Remember for all of you Canadians that Matthew Good has all but no following here (compared to Canada)...there may have been maybe 200-300 people at the show max. After the show I was fortunate enough to be parked out back near the bus and told the drummer how much I enjoyed the show. Shortly after all of the other band members came out to smoke and hang out with the maybe five fans that stuck around. Matthew was sick but was still gracious enough to sign some stuff for me. We (one at a time) were invited on the tour bus where Matt was signing at the front in his PJs. I remember telling him how grateful I was that he finally decided to tour the U.S. Matt said not a word. I remember thinking that he was either really ill or just did not like being in the U.S. Oh well...good thing my other experiences were so much better.

 

Experience #2: In 2012, I saw Matthew Good (again) in Philadelphia at the World Cafe Live but it was solo acoustic. I actually recorded the whole gig (shhh!!!) and made a DVD out of the like 2 hour show which was posted on Dimeadozen a few years back. The video quality is decent and the audio is excellent. Once again, met Mr. Good out back of the venue where the cars parked. Dare I say this show was even less attended then the first..there may have been 200 people. Matt was friendly as could be and took some pictures with my wife and I.

 

Experience #3: In 2013, Matt played a one-off in New York City at Joe's Pub. Being the nerd I am, I face booked him a few days prior and asked if he'd sign my vinyl at the NYC show. He responded that he would. At the show, he remembered on his own and said, "Where's the guy who messaged me about the vinyl. Bring your vinyl up and I will sign it." If you have a bootleg of the show that was me called up.

 

It's a damn shame Matt isn't popular down here in the states. I had tickets to his full band tour in 2012 in Philadelphia but the tour was canceled due to a lack of demand in ticket sales. I sorta figured my days of seeing Matt live are done as Toronto is a seven hour plus drive for me and with the hassle of boarder crossing, etc. I just do not know if it is worth it. 

 

Anyway...my experiences with Matt have been good. I found him to be a very thoughtful and introspective individual with no pretentiousness or arrogance. If anything he sometimes can come across a bit self-depreciating. 

 

That's my story...still kicking around the idea of Toronto 2015....

[Guest girl]

Shortly after all of the other band members came out to smoke and hang out with the maybe five fans that stuck around. Matthew was sick but was still gracious enough to sign some stuff for me. We (one at a time) were invited on the tour bus where Matt was signing at the front in his PJs.

 

Experience #3: In 2013, Matt played a one-off in New York City at Joe's Pub. Being the nerd I am, I face booked him a few days prior and asked if he'd sign my vinyl at the NYC show. He responded that he would. At the show, he remembered on his own and said, "Where's the guy who messaged me about the vinyl. Bring your vinyl up and I will sign it." If you have a bootleg of the show that was me called up.

 

Cool stories. You were invited on his tour bus? I sometimes wonder what it would look like on his tour bus. Was it a swanky tour bus? He must feel right at home on the bus, lounging around in his PJs watching movies or TV programs. haha.

That's awesome that he called you up on stage to get your vinyl signed. It sounds like you have a lot of great memories.

Edited September 10, 2015 by girl