New York-based singer Matt Butler, also known as Reckless Son, took on Rockwood Music Hall, sharing his inspiring stories and new EP, Reckless Son, prior to its release.
Reckless Son has been described as “a one-man show for a Generation of Lost Boys” and was written by exploring some of life’s darkest places. He stepped away from the hardcore and punk music he grew up listening to take on this folk music career. To find this inspiration, Butler went to the one place many artists don't ever dare to think of performing at; Butler went to prison, not as an inmate, but instead as a songwriter. Through performing in these prisons, rehab centers, homeless shelters, and more, he has gained a different perspective on life.
I had the opportunity to see Butler perform this show firsthand and was absolutely captivated by both the stage presence Butler had along with his way of storytelling. Butler has acquired a one-of-a-kind fan base; I even had the pleasure of getting to speak to one before the show. The fan held nothing but excitement and appreciation for Butler’s music, even mentioning how she adores hearing his stories live. As someone who was not very familiar with Butler’s music, this fan made me really excited for the show and to see what the night held.
Before I knew it, Butler had stepped on stage with nothing but him and his guitar. The audience immediately went silent, captivated by Butler and eager to hear the story of “Reckless Son.” The show is organized into nine chapters, each including one monologue followed by a related song. I was immediately intrigued by the stage presence, and storytelling Butler had. Each emotional story felt so immersive and flowed absolutely perfectly into the song that would be to follow. From Butler’s vocals to his guitar playing, each song was performed so beautifully. This set was so simple yet so perfect, something I’ve noticed is extremely hard to achieve. Along with this, he had such genuine talent as a one-man band that is so rare to find! Besides the incredible music, Butler’s monologues were genuinely inspiring. Some of them I related to, while others gave me a different view on my perspective of life.
In the blink of an eye, Butler had finished his final song and final story of the night. He said his thank yous to the crowd and made his way off stage. The erupting applause of the audience showed me that no matter how lost these people may have felt, Butler made them feel seen by sharing his story, the story of “Reckless Son.” I settled in my seat for a moment after the show had ended, taking in the touching words and stories I had just heard. A few moments later, Butler came up to me, introducing himself and showing his genuine appreciation and gratitude for my coming to the show. At the start of the night, I felt very disconnected from a lot of life, I imagine many other people in the crowd felt the same way, but the story of “Reckless Son” made me feel just a little bit more connected with my life and everybody in the room despite only being strangers.
Thank you to Matt for sharing your story and making the voices of these reckless sons heard. Reckless Son, the debut self-titled EP, is now available on all music streaming platforms.
Use the link below to check out Reckless Son!:
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