Tell us a bit about yourself and your upcoming show.
I’m Matthew and I’ve been performing as The Silver Reserve for a number of years. Originally a five-piece band, I’ve kept the name going but have mostly played solo since the pandemic although I do use layers, effects and loops to keep things varied! I’m really excited to return to Settle – I last played there opening for Thea Gilmore at The Victoria Hall and it was one of my favourite shows I’ve played. The venue is stunning (as I’m sure you know!) and Thea also invited me to join her on an extra date of that tour so that was a show that was really special to me – I’ve noticed she’s even started using the special bullet mic I use as part of her live show since too!
Your music explores powerful themes – what do you hope audiences will take away from it?
I mainly hope that they will enjoy it! My music isn’t uptempo but it is varied and melodic – often it gets described as ‘beautiful’ by audiences and sometimes people say they felt ’transported’ by it which is always lovely to hear. I suppose the shortest answer is I want them to hopefully think and feel something as they listen.
Stories often cross borders and generations. Which traditions, experiences, or voices inspire your work the most?
In my teens and twenties I was heavily into bands like Pavement and Pixies whose lyrics would be really oblique and mysterious – I would sing along and not really have a clue what they were singing about it but it just sounded really great so it didn’t matter! For a while I wanted to write lyrics like that until I discovered artists like Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy), Bill Callahan (Smog) and David Berman (Silver Jews) and these writers were the first that made me really stop and listen to words. They also used space in their music which demanded your attention and brought the words front and centre – their lyrics were more direct, but unique and idiosyncratic in their expression. I used to be very fixated on the idea of trying not to write songs and lyrics like other artists I admired but I suppose the influence seeps through regardless, and definitely the way I use space in my songs is influenced by these artists.
There has long been a storytelling element to my writing. I used to write more as an observer about things I’d read or watched but I’ve found that my songs have become increasingly personal in recent years and draw much on my own navigation through family life and life in general. It seems to a degree that the more personal a song becomes, that it can become more universal in some ways too, as often an experience that can feel entirely specific to a time or event will share much with that of another’s experience, especially when writing about relationships or parenthood for instance. I have a song about taking my daughter to a swimming lesson and noticing a frozen cobweb on the way, which seemed quite specific to our experience and yet it’s one that people seem to really connect with, as ultimately it’s about the broader relationship rather than the specifics.
Why do you believe storytelling matters right now, in 2026, and what role can it play in times of change?
 In a world awash with opinions, it can feel like the last thing anyone needs is another voice adding more noise at times. Many of us watch on in dismay as lessons we thought we had learned collectively from our past are ignored and it can feel like moderate voices are being lost amid all the shouting. Perhaps this is precisely when quiet, reflective stories or songs about the small moments that add up together to make our lives are most needed, to help remind us of our similarities and shared experiences.
Thea Gilmore wrote a beautiful line for me – ‘Songs of warmth and beauty that scratch at the inside of your heart. In a world that sits heavy on your chest, this is music that reminds you how to breathe.’ – and perhaps this answers the question in a more poetic way than I could.
Can you share a moment when a song of yours sparked an unexpected reaction in the audience?
I have a song called ’The Real and the Right’ which recalls a period of profound instability in my early 20s. Sometimes I just play the song, and in other rooms it feels important to share the details. I played this song at The Live Room in Saltaire with the context shared beforehand. It was an older audience, who perhaps haven’t been encouraged to open up about mental health as much as younger generations are now. I was astonished by the conversations it sparked and the similarity of my experience to so many others in that room. This is another reason why sharing stories is important – it can make people feel less isolated and able to open up, as though giving permission in some way. I played a few shows with a wonderful songwriter from Oklahoma called Gordon McKinney who shared a deeply personal song for the first time at a show in Otley about an estranged relationship – he finished and wiped away tears from his eyes and it would’ve been impossible not to be moved by this raw expression of emotion but what followed was a real opening up from the audience as people shared their own experiences. There were people in that room I’d known for years and knew nothing of these situations until this song encouraged them to share their story – music can be a powerful thing.
Your event is hybrid – what excites you about sharing your work with audiences both in Settle and across the world online?
Ah this is really lovely! It’s just good to know that finally I can say to those people who live further afield – here is a show you can come to! I have a dear friend in California who I’m hoping can make this one!
If you could describe your upcoming show in three words, which would you choose – and why?
Being succinct isn’t a strength so I asked google this one…. At the bottom it said other frequently used descriptors include unhurried, thoughtful, and textured. I’ll go with that….!
Tickets to see the Silver Reserve can be booked here.
