From classical chords to jazz, rock and blues

WHEN Matthew Armitage began playing the guitar as a child in New Zealand, it was under the guidance of a classical music teacher. But what she didn’t know was that he was spending every spare moment immersed in his father’s rock and blues records — Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and the like — teaching himself the chords by ear.

“It was natural for me, but my teacher was very much on the classical wavelength, so I didn’t share anything about the blues or rock with my classical guitar teacher,” he said.

After beginning his performing career at concerts his teacher organised for elderly audiences, Armitage responded to a classifieds ad and joined his first rock band, The Four Critters, in his late teens.

He later pursued a degree in jazz performance and composition at university in Wellington, and has since released two albums and an EP.

Armitage moved to Australia in 2013 after falling in love with an Australian woman he met while she was traveling in New Zealand. The couple now lives in Tweed Heads with their two children.

After introducing himself to Pete Murray on the street when the ARIA-award-winning singer was setting up a restaurant in Byron Bay, the pair became friends and Murray invited him to tour with him in 2018.

Armitage has also performed at Angus Stone’s 30th birthday and at Margot Robbie’s wedding at Coorabell in 2016, alongside Matt Swan, with whom he plays in the duo The Swamps.

He continues to perform at venues across the Northern Rivers, including Three Blue Ducks at The Farm. “That bluesy style really suits being out in the country,” he said.

Armitage is scheduled to perform an acoustic set at Three Blue Ducks on Sunday August 3, and at The Great Northern on Friday August 8.