Matt Duke with Dick Prall @ Burlap and Bean

An evening with Matt Duke.
To listen to samples, visit www.mattdukemusic.net

“When I first started out, I didn’t know what style I was,” says Matt Duke, a South Jersey-born, Philly-based, 24-year-old singer-songwriter. “I still don’t and probably never will.” Matt stands out in an industry that loves to categorize. His second full-length album and first for Ryko, Kingdom Underground, came out in 2008 and rocked a fairly big sound. However, Matt tours primarily as a solo acoustic singer-songwriter, so his fans have come to expect a slightly quieter fare from him, which is how the Acoustic Kingdom Underground EP came about.

“It’s a nice complement to the album,” says Matt. “I’m used to going out and touring solo acoustic and the fans often say, ‘We like the record but we like what your shows sound like too,’ so this is for them. Regarding his Philly-and-beyond fanbase, Matt says: “I have seen blue-hairs, 14- to 18-year-old girls and college kids at my shows. And Myspace has helped exponentially.” Some websites have lumped him in with other artists such as John Mayer and Jason Mraz, which is okay with him.

-- Opening will be special guest Dick Prall