PHILADELPHIA, PA — “Matties Grand ‘Ol Hoo Hoo Hootenany: Benefit to Help a Homegirl Out” took place on November 2, 2013 at the World Cafe Live. This special event was an effort to help Mattie Cassady raise money for surgery not covered by her insurance. The line-up of top Southeastern Pennsylvania musicians read like the “best of 2013 music festival bands”: The Whiskeyhickon Boys, Native Maze, Philadelphia Funk Hustle (PFH), Montoj, Catullus and The Happy Dog featuring Bernie Worrel. The benefit was supported by most of the Greater Philadelphia music festivals including Who Hill, Opple Topple and Stir Fry.
The show was one of the best we have ever witnessed. After the show, we interviewed Mattie.
Headspace: So… how did you manage to put together such a great line-up?
Mattie: When I came out, I kind-of had to distance myself from a lot of my friends. I was lonely, and my mom gave me the best advice ever. “Do the thing you love, and you’ll make friends,” she said. So, I started going to shows and taking pictures of bands. That’s how I met the Tritonix guys. Soon I was working with them, and it’s pretty much how I met Who Hill and Opple Topple.
Headspace: And, Stir Fry?
Mattie: And Stir Fry… but not that weekend.
From there I just started making friends and hanging with musicians. Really we just have a great community. When I wanted to do this… and I got the venue… everyone was in.
Headspace: It was like a “best-of” festival.
Mattie: Yeah! I mean it was cool because I really just got to ask my favorite bands, who are also some of my closest friends.
Headspace: How about Jesse Wagner? (Vocals / Guitar for the Happy Dog)
Mattie: Same. I met him at Who Hill. Me, him, and his bro just hung all weekend. I loved him before I even saw him play. The first time I saw Happy Dog I was hooked. It was the best phone call of my life getting to ask him to play with Bernie Worrel… no one deserves it more. He’s such an amazingly intuitive musician… and, well, yeah.
Headspace: This is good stuff. Do you have anything else you want to say? A message? Or, a moral to the story?
Mattie: We have an amazing city. Some amazing people. These people didn’t know me and took me in. They never asked me questions or looked at me funny. I’m so blessed. To everyone else, really my mom’s advice, “do what you love, and you will make friends.” You know I didn’t have any role models going through this. I was terrified of being alone, and even worse, that I would never be cool. You can be trans and people will love you. And, you can still play guitar and snowboard and be you.
I just want people to know the power of music to bring people together. It’s staggering how many incredibly talented people we know, and I just wanted to share it with the whole world.
Headspace: Beautiful. Thanks, Mattie… you’re a sweetheart.