We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matt Warner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Matt, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I first was introduced to the dance music scene back in 2012 when my best friend, Max Barbour, took me to a Wolfgang Gartner show at Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. At the time, I had no prior knowledge of the scene or the music at all. The show threw me through a loop and caused me to immediately immerse myself in the culture. The next day Max hand wrote a list of 25 tracks he thought I would like on a piece of looseleaf paper and told me to go home and give them a listen, as he thought it would solidify my newfound passion for dance music. From then on I was hooked. In 2014 I purchased my first set of decks and downloaded Serato and hit the ground running playing music at obnoxious levels in my parents basement pretending I was headlining EDC (sorry Mom and Dad). In 2017 I left for University to study Engineering at the local state school, University of Maryland, and found myself playing various parties, still only seeing music as a hobby. In 2021 I graduated from college and moved back to Baltimore, Maryland where I started playing my first paid gigs at local bars. While playing the local scene, I was able to meet my dear friend (and later business partner), Francisco (alias IISCO) who saw great value in my ability to DJ and work a room. Fast forward to October 2022, IISCO and I were asked to open for Disco Lines in Philadelphia (my first ticketed support). It wasn’t until this moment that I realized that music was much more than a hobby to me but a true passion and something that I wanted to seriously pursue.
Matt, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Matthew Warner (SYRE), and I am a 25-year-old Music Producer / DJ based out of Washington, D.C. I have been DJing for about 10 years and making my own music for the past year or so. I primarily make/play house music and its various subgenres such as Tech House, Latin House, Minimal/Deep Tech as well as Techno. I recently gained traction in the DC scene about a year or so ago after opening for Joshwa. Since then, I have had the opportunity to open for numerous major DJs at some of the top clubs in the US (Echostage #1 in US, Soundcheck, Zebbies Garden, etc.), directly support some of the biggest names in dance music (Dillon Francis, Disco Lines, Chris Lorenzo), and was recently asked to play my first music festival this June in Charleston (High Tide Music Festival). I am forever grateful that music has given me the opportunity to travel to cities all over the United States to share my passion while providing me a platform to meet so many incredible people that share similar interests as myself.
In addition to my artist project (SYRE), music has given me the platform and ability to start my own Music Collective and Event Curation Company in my hometown (Baltimore, Maryland) alongside some of my best friends. In August of 2023, Francisco Vidales (IISCO) and myself founded Offstage, a company centered around growing the dancing music community in Baltimore, Maryland while providing local talent a platform to express their artistic self. Since August we have had the ability to book numerous touring acts such as Martin Ikin, Azzecca, and Gudfella while continuously providing local talent a stage to showcase their skillset. I hold Offstage incredibly close to heart and am super grateful for the team we have formed along the way. Special shoutout to Eric, Max, Ryan, Felicia, and Cam for all the hard work making this vision come to life!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
In my view, one of the biggest ways that society can support artists and creatives while furthering a thriving creative ecosystem in the dance music community is to support local talent (I can’t stress this enough)! The majority of shows held will bill local talent for doors slots or early times to warm up the room. Showing up early to these events with an open mind, willingness to dance, and excitement to share an artists passion with them not only helps support the artist playing but also the ecosystem as a whole (venue, promoter, etc.). Plus, you never know when you’re going to stumble upon your new favorite artist!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is watching the impact that music can have on those around you. There is no better feeling than hearing how much fun somebody had at your set, or how much they resonated or appreciated your most recent track. I go into every production session and DJ set with the mindset that I have to give it everything I have to hopefully one day provide a member of the audience the same feeling I had at my first show: carefree and removed for all the stress and anxiety that life brings in our every day lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/syre.sounds?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=a362c9cb-41dd-49e0-ad09-4cc604d6b99d
- Instagram: https://syre.sounds
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/h5JhiJaSVQJDPnC66
Image Credits
Felicia Budny
Kenny Afolabi-Brown
Josh Kenyon
Jordan Sabillo
Preet Mandavia
Tommy Melendez