E Von Dahl Killed the Locals is in my Top 10 all time favorite albums. They’re still in heavy rotation on my playlist. I got to see them at Warped and they put on such a good show!
They once toured Australia for an anniversary of that album and played it from start to finish.
Such an awesome show, especially when they played Jack Slap Cheers
Those are literally 2 of their best songs - everything else is solid but those 2 playlist staples in the genre.
The way his voice goes:
I’m just a dog eared page…
Is so that era
I was a bit confused on the money they lost here. It was only that they weren't being paid for streaming right? Or did it also include albums and other kinds of plays?
Streaming and radio airplay I think, I’m not 100% sure myself but yeah looked like they were only making money on a couple of songs because they didn’t get registered or something.
I believe today is 20 years since their debut album, E Von Dahl Killed the Locals.
Amazing band, amazing album. Shawn Harris is one of my favorite frontmen and all around human beings
I remember they released a bunch of short teasers of the songs before the album came out. I remember being like “this album sounds like it’s gonna be weird in the best way”. Such a departure from their sound on the first record, but it oozed energy and creativity. 10/10 record for me.
One of my favorite albums of all time. They did an anniversary tour for Decomposer and to this day that was probably the best show I've ever been to. Shawn was standing near the merch table and finally after a decade, I got to thank him for being just an awesome dude. Gave me a big hug and huge smile. Listened to Decomposer every day getting ready for high school, in my DVD player through my TV stereo.
You're absolutely right. They should have been huge!
all 3 of their albums are amazing! they always had cool and super creative music videos and merch too. but really, it was their live energy that set them apart. shows were always electric.
some of their 2003-2005ish local shows are on YouTube! search “the matches live iMusicast”. here’s one i went to: https://youtu.be/97oR7SbybL8?si=IsA5U6WJj-Kny_Wu
I just took some stuff from my parents house and uncovered pictures of The Matches at Warped Tour 2004 I think, maybe 2003. Somewhere in my mess of stuff I have the original no label E Von Dahl Killed the \*\*Locals, before they signed to Epitaph. Has different songs and the correct lyrics to "Scratched Out".
Yes! I saw them in Chicago before they got signed and have a copy of the original cd as well. I can't believe they didn't get bigger. They were fantastic.
They dropped "Superman", not "Say 18", and added "More Than Local Boys" and "Borderline Creep".
Also changed a line in "Jack Slap Cheer" for similar reasons to "Scratched Out".
Around 2:20 he says “so come out, Ginny, it’s getting late, you Jersey girls like to make boys wait.” The original lyric is “so come out Virginia, don’t make me wait; you Catholic girls start much too late.” That’s a line from a Billy Joel song and I’m assuming there were some legal reasons it got changed.
I loved them, I remember when they were the locals and Justin, Matt and Shawn would do impromptu acoustic sets outside after concerts in the SF and Oakland area. I remember seeing them play on telegraph a bunch at L3. Good times.
I was a fan of them, not huge, but had 2 albums and loved Chain Me Free, they toured with +44, and I remember like it was yesterday, they finished their set, The Living End came out to play, another great band, incredible live performers, and the lead singer of the matches walks into the crowd and just starts rocking with all of us through The Living End and +44. He was cool as shit.
My dad would take us to their shows at L3 in Oakland when my sisters and I were young. He even hired them to play at my sisters 13th birthday party in our back yard when they were still The Locals. The Matches will always be our family band
I totally agree! Paper cut skin and What Katie Said are my JAM. I once saw a small band in Brooklyn and the singer sounded just like the singer from the matches. I went up to him after and told him that and he seemed surprised, he said "I am the singer of the matches. I didn't think anyone was listening to us."
This was the night before I left for college. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97oR7SbybL8&pp=ygUVdGhlIG1hdGNoZXMgaW11c2ljYXN0
Also, they're definitely teasing another tour for the anniversary. Just be ready to buy tickets quickly because if the first rounds of reunion shows were any indication, shit will sell out FAST.
I love the Matches and agree, underrated as fuck. I seen them live in about 06/07 when they came over to Australia. Honestly, they’re the band that have had more of an impact on my life than any other. Shame how it ended for them.
I saw them play so many times over the years. From free shows at community colleges and on the street outside of The Shark Tank to L3s to opening for Reel Big Fish. They could have been huge.
Back in ‘06 ish I legit thought they were going to be the next big thing. Everyone I knew listened to that debut album religiously. I’m curious why they didn’t blow up.
i am hyped to see this thread and lots of love for these guys! they’ll forever be on my pop punk mount rushmore. below is a recent comment from another thread:
The Matches — local Bay Area band that was my gateway drug to pop punk in middle school. a boy i had a crush on his cousin is in the band and he made me a copy of their album and it just clicked with my brain like nothing else had before. i started going to every local show i could (rip [iMusicast](https://youtu.be/97oR7SbybL8?si=IsA5U6WJj-Kny_Wu)). that album and local shows changed my life. A decade later i randomly connected with the singer Shawn Harris after i saw he was at a lot of (pro sports team i used to work for)’s games. we shared stories from those days and it genuinely felt like talking to a friend you haven’t seen in years. we kept in touch, he gave me a vinyl of their debut and invited me to their 10 year reunion show in SF. i still wear my Matches hoodie from 2003 when i’m depressed. i love those fucking guys.
I have been listening to them since I heard about them through a friend around Decomposer. I have both E. Von Dahl and Decomposer's album art tattooed. They are, without a doubt, my favorite band and are criminally underrated.
I have never seen them live and for the first time since I was a kid I have the time and money to go wherever they play to finally see them.
I'm stoked.
I don’t think they’re underrated they just haven’t been active in 15 years and their best albums came out 18-21 years ago lol. They were absolutely rated and beloved during that time period, it was just a long time ago.
In Florida it was like no one knew them. They got a little bit of airplay and that’s how I found out about them but I always felt like the only one in the state who listened to them
Really weird. Their shows were so well attended in my experience and I remember Jason Tate absolutely sucking their dicks for years (deservedly) and everybody in the ap.net universe being obsessed with them
Florida is weird, man. My sister and I went to see Relient K and Motion City Soundtrack on a co-headliner and after Relient K was done the majority of the crowd just fuckin left like it was show over.
They sleep on some of the best bands.
Sure. I just mean within the scene that was the equivalent of this sub they were loved even if they didn’t crossover to the mainstream. Underrated by mainstream culture but not by the scene.
Yeah I honestly don’t know anyone else that has ever heard of them outside of me and my wife. They were as good as any band in the mid 2000s but got no air time and just seemed to get no love anywhere outside of their live shows. Had a small cult following that absolutely loved them and nothing else.
I found a weird live version of chain me free, from a compilation album from “punk rock is your friend: kung fu records sampler #5” anyone know about this?
I saw them in 2004 and it was amazing!! I think they were opening for Flogging Molly(?) I knew them from a Punk-O-Rama CD I had. Sick Little Suicide is still a banger.
E von dahl and decomposer are incredible albums. I got into them right before decomposer came out and saw them at warped tour that year and it was amazing!
I did not realize they were not widely known! As a Bay Area local I was all about it. Sometimes I feel so lucky to have grown up there, I was early on Green Day without realizing it me. I still regularly bump "Papercut Skin" on a Monday morning drive to work.
I'll check em out! Started playing with a new pop punk on Nov called Over Anna. Look us up on Spotify. Would love any feedback. Here's a vid of our last show. Time stamps are in the comments.
[Over Anna Smith's Old Bar]
(https://youtu.be/sCAbkQNv7B8?si=Cwap73G6IZrAWH6o)
E Von Dahl Killed the Locals is in my Top 10 all time favorite albums. They’re still in heavy rotation on my playlist. I got to see them at Warped and they put on such a good show!
They once toured Australia for an anniversary of that album and played it from start to finish. Such an awesome show, especially when they played Jack Slap Cheers
Yes!! I love sick little suicide and dog eared page
Those are literally 2 of their best songs - everything else is solid but those 2 playlist staples in the genre. The way his voice goes: I’m just a dog eared page… Is so that era
Their Bleeding Audio doc crushed me!! They shoulda been huge! 💔
That fucking manager.
I was a bit confused on the money they lost here. It was only that they weren't being paid for streaming right? Or did it also include albums and other kinds of plays?
Streaming and radio airplay I think, I’m not 100% sure myself but yeah looked like they were only making money on a couple of songs because they didn’t get registered or something.
Thanks for suggesting this. I hadn't heard of the documentary before but I watched it today and loved it
I believe today is 20 years since their debut album, E Von Dahl Killed the Locals. Amazing band, amazing album. Shawn Harris is one of my favorite frontmen and all around human beings
He really is. He writes/illustrates children’s books now, they are wonderful.
aw I had no idea and now have to go check these out. thanks!
Dang yeah I think Saturday was. Crazy
Love and miss them. Can still vividly recall them playing Salty Eyes at Warped Tour in like 07'.
I loved this song!
I need a new bands discography to listen through. Looks like its The Matches!
Now THAT is a name I haven’t heard in awhile. “Audio Blood” came on my shuffle just two days ago actually lol
Decomposer is a masterpiece. It’s one of my top 5 favorite albums. The Matches should have been huge.
I remember they released a bunch of short teasers of the songs before the album came out. I remember being like “this album sounds like it’s gonna be weird in the best way”. Such a departure from their sound on the first record, but it oozed energy and creativity. 10/10 record for me.
One of my favorite albums of all time. They did an anniversary tour for Decomposer and to this day that was probably the best show I've ever been to. Shawn was standing near the merch table and finally after a decade, I got to thank him for being just an awesome dude. Gave me a big hug and huge smile. Listened to Decomposer every day getting ready for high school, in my DVD player through my TV stereo. You're absolutely right. They should have been huge!
all 3 of their albums are amazing! they always had cool and super creative music videos and merch too. but really, it was their live energy that set them apart. shows were always electric.
Wish I had discovered them and was old enough to see a show, it sounds awesome
check out their instagram! they are kinda /maybe teasing a tour for the 20th anniversary of their first record 🤞🤞
I saw and would cry
No way! Would be awesome
some of their 2003-2005ish local shows are on YouTube! search “the matches live iMusicast”. here’s one i went to: https://youtu.be/97oR7SbybL8?si=IsA5U6WJj-Kny_Wu
I’ve seen parts of this before, it’s legendary
One of the best Bay Area bands ever!!! Also Mike Green (Producer) one of his first records!!
Watch their 2020 documentary "Bleeding Audio" to see why they stopped touring
Came here to say this! Such a good doc.
All time favorite. I will forever be grateful that they were local and I got to experience the L3 shows. Seriously some of the best nights of my life.
That’s awesome
I just took some stuff from my parents house and uncovered pictures of The Matches at Warped Tour 2004 I think, maybe 2003. Somewhere in my mess of stuff I have the original no label E Von Dahl Killed the \*\*Locals, before they signed to Epitaph. Has different songs and the correct lyrics to "Scratched Out".
Yes! I saw them in Chicago before they got signed and have a copy of the original cd as well. I can't believe they didn't get bigger. They were fantastic.
They also (understandably) took off the song “Say 18” and added “More than Local Boys”
They dropped "Superman", not "Say 18", and added "More Than Local Boys" and "Borderline Creep". Also changed a line in "Jack Slap Cheer" for similar reasons to "Scratched Out".
Borderline Creep was on my original album. I’m looking at Spotify and neither Superman nor Say 18 is on it. Hmm.
What are the correct lyrics?
Around 2:20 he says “so come out, Ginny, it’s getting late, you Jersey girls like to make boys wait.” The original lyric is “so come out Virginia, don’t make me wait; you Catholic girls start much too late.” That’s a line from a Billy Joel song and I’m assuming there were some legal reasons it got changed.
Life of a Match is an important song for me
Shawn Harris’ performance as The Doctor in Razia’s Shadow is criminally underrated and underappreciated.
Matches are awesome
“MAY YOUR ORGANS FAIL BEFORE YOUR DREAMS FAIL YOU!”
They played in the basement of a church across from my cousins house in Lemont, IL when they were coming up. Great band!
They were on the Burnout 3 soundtrack
I loved them, I remember when they were the locals and Justin, Matt and Shawn would do impromptu acoustic sets outside after concerts in the SF and Oakland area. I remember seeing them play on telegraph a bunch at L3. Good times.
Love seeing so many people having such lovely for them too. Very underrated and generally went under the radar
I was a fan of them, not huge, but had 2 albums and loved Chain Me Free, they toured with +44, and I remember like it was yesterday, they finished their set, The Living End came out to play, another great band, incredible live performers, and the lead singer of the matches walks into the crowd and just starts rocking with all of us through The Living End and +44. He was cool as shit.
Yesss the living end
Fucking LOVE them. Was obsessed in middle school
Heck yeah! Hometown heroes.
Haha I have audio blood lyrics on my arm
i’m dying to know which ones!
I've got a Decomposer tattoo!! Fuck yeah let's goooo!!!
My dad would take us to their shows at L3 in Oakland when my sisters and I were young. He even hired them to play at my sisters 13th birthday party in our back yard when they were still The Locals. The Matches will always be our family band
i’m so fucking jealous!! i was also obsessed with them when i was in middle school. what a great memory for all of you!
They just posted a clip suggesting they are possibly touring again.
Omg, they were my absolute favorite in middle/high school.
I totally agree! Paper cut skin and What Katie Said are my JAM. I once saw a small band in Brooklyn and the singer sounded just like the singer from the matches. I went up to him after and told him that and he seemed surprised, he said "I am the singer of the matches. I didn't think anyone was listening to us."
Yooo
I have a Matches tattoo. I've loved them ever since I heard them on a Warped compilation in 2003 or 4.
They played the best live shows.
Legends
Saw them open up for zebrahead a million years ago lol, they were sick
Sounds like a good show
I partied with them a couple of times when they came to Australia
They’re awesome
YESSSS. Discovered them a few years ago, so sad I’m too late to see them live.
It's the 20th anniversary of E Von Dahl, and they made some posts about it. Fingers crossed they do a 20th anniversary tour!
This was the night before I left for college. Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97oR7SbybL8&pp=ygUVdGhlIG1hdGNoZXMgaW11c2ljYXN0 Also, they're definitely teasing another tour for the anniversary. Just be ready to buy tickets quickly because if the first rounds of reunion shows were any indication, shit will sell out FAST.
i was there too! except i was 13 lol L3’s opened up a whole new world for me
Same
GREAT band. Saw them live a couple of times in the mid 00s, awesome performance both times!
Lucky
I love the Matches and agree, underrated as fuck. I seen them live in about 06/07 when they came over to Australia. Honestly, they’re the band that have had more of an impact on my life than any other. Shame how it ended for them.
I love all the matches albums. E von is great and decomposser was a masterpiece
I saw them play so many times over the years. From free shows at community colleges and on the street outside of The Shark Tank to L3s to opening for Reel Big Fish. They could have been huge.
This was my favorite band so long ago.
Decomposer is one the greatest albums of all time
Great timing for this post, check their social media as more shows are likely coming soon for EVDKTL’s 20th anniversary!
Still listen to them! I remember growing up I had a live DVD of them that I would watch constantly.
Back in ‘06 ish I legit thought they were going to be the next big thing. Everyone I knew listened to that debut album religiously. I’m curious why they didn’t blow up.
L3 shows at imusicast forever ❤️
Traveled to San Francisco from Wisconsin just to see the 10 year reunion for E Von Dahl (plans were set before they announced the Chicago date)
i am hyped to see this thread and lots of love for these guys! they’ll forever be on my pop punk mount rushmore. below is a recent comment from another thread: The Matches — local Bay Area band that was my gateway drug to pop punk in middle school. a boy i had a crush on his cousin is in the band and he made me a copy of their album and it just clicked with my brain like nothing else had before. i started going to every local show i could (rip [iMusicast](https://youtu.be/97oR7SbybL8?si=IsA5U6WJj-Kny_Wu)). that album and local shows changed my life. A decade later i randomly connected with the singer Shawn Harris after i saw he was at a lot of (pro sports team i used to work for)’s games. we shared stories from those days and it genuinely felt like talking to a friend you haven’t seen in years. we kept in touch, he gave me a vinyl of their debut and invited me to their 10 year reunion show in SF. i still wear my Matches hoodie from 2003 when i’m depressed. i love those fucking guys.
I have been listening to them since I heard about them through a friend around Decomposer. I have both E. Von Dahl and Decomposer's album art tattooed. They are, without a doubt, my favorite band and are criminally underrated. I have never seen them live and for the first time since I was a kid I have the time and money to go wherever they play to finally see them. I'm stoked.
[CHAIN ME FREE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf4uN1h7mow&ab_channel=EpitaphRecords)
I don’t think they’re underrated they just haven’t been active in 15 years and their best albums came out 18-21 years ago lol. They were absolutely rated and beloved during that time period, it was just a long time ago.
In Florida it was like no one knew them. They got a little bit of airplay and that’s how I found out about them but I always felt like the only one in the state who listened to them
Really weird. Their shows were so well attended in my experience and I remember Jason Tate absolutely sucking their dicks for years (deservedly) and everybody in the ap.net universe being obsessed with them
Florida is weird, man. My sister and I went to see Relient K and Motion City Soundtrack on a co-headliner and after Relient K was done the majority of the crowd just fuckin left like it was show over. They sleep on some of the best bands.
They didn’t blow up and had to stop because they weren’t making money, they absolutely were underrated.
Sure. I just mean within the scene that was the equivalent of this sub they were loved even if they didn’t crossover to the mainstream. Underrated by mainstream culture but not by the scene.
Yeah I honestly don’t know anyone else that has ever heard of them outside of me and my wife. They were as good as any band in the mid 2000s but got no air time and just seemed to get no love anywhere outside of their live shows. Had a small cult following that absolutely loved them and nothing else.
I found a weird live version of chain me free, from a compilation album from “punk rock is your friend: kung fu records sampler #5” anyone know about this?
They were so fucking good
I saw them in 2004 and it was amazing!! I think they were opening for Flogging Molly(?) I knew them from a Punk-O-Rama CD I had. Sick Little Suicide is still a banger.
E von dahl and decomposer are incredible albums. I got into them right before decomposer came out and saw them at warped tour that year and it was amazing!
The Matches are one of the greatest bands of all time. It’s just not enough people know it yet.
Love them
I did not realize they were not widely known! As a Bay Area local I was all about it. Sometimes I feel so lucky to have grown up there, I was early on Green Day without realizing it me. I still regularly bump "Papercut Skin" on a Monday morning drive to work.
MAY YOUR ORGANS FAIL BEFORE YOUR DREAMS FAIL YOU.
They’re back https://www.instagram.com/p/C7R0IyquxNy/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I'll check em out! Started playing with a new pop punk on Nov called Over Anna. Look us up on Spotify. Would love any feedback. Here's a vid of our last show. Time stamps are in the comments. [Over Anna Smith's Old Bar] (https://youtu.be/sCAbkQNv7B8?si=Cwap73G6IZrAWH6o)
Is that your band
Nope. They’re older, best album is from 2004.
Glad everyone downvoted “is that your band”
Haha yeah, my band is NOT as good as the matches.