ACL preview: Mario Matteoli

Mario Matteoli moved to Austin to play in The Weary Boys, but after growing weary (we had to! We had to!) he struck out on his own and released Hard Luck Hittin’ last year. Now he’s playing at Austin City Limits Music Festival, and we chatted with him about life as a solo artist, how it feels to be an Austinite, and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

That Other Paper Tell us a little about what we can expect from your live show at ACL.

courtesy Mario Matteoli 

Mario Matteoli I’m gonna have the rhythm section and guitarist from the Red Stick Ramblers — a great Louisiana band — back me up, as well as my keyboardist Matt Hubbard on Wurlitzer electric piano and Farfisa organ. It’s pretty much gonna be my full-blown rock show.

TOP What’s the biggest difference between your solo work and The Weary Boys?

MM The instrumentation is different, definitely leaning more towards rock than country. I’m also playing all original music now. With the Wearies it was about 30% original music.

TOP So what are your favorite places in Austin?

MM Enoteca is awesome. Continental Club is the best club in America. Barton Springs is pretty much heaven.

TOP As a kid, what did you tell people you wanted to be when you grew up?

MM I’m not sure. I probably said doctor or something. But from the age of three I was writing songs and performing them for my family from the fireplace — the stage.

TOP What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you on tour?

courtesy Mario Matteoli 

MM Not that many bad experiences, I guess. In Savannah once, this asshole would not stop requesting “Sweet Home Alabama.” Like seriously would not stop. He was getting kinda belligerent and scary, so I finally told him to get the fuck out of there and that we didn’t know the song and weren’t going to play it. Then a bunch of bartenders and bouncers jumped on him and threw him out while I reminded him, “We’re in Georgia anyway, dumbshit.” But I guess that wasn’t so much of a bad thing.

TOP What do you think makes a live show incredible?

MM When the crowd is really into it. It just kinda feeds the whole thing. Like a mutual energy thing. When the band plays hard and the people give that energy back, it’ll kinda keep building. You can’t really fuck up at that point. Then you encore and it’s done. It’s pretty addictive.

TOP Why should we come see you at ACL?

MM No gimmicks really. Just good music.