A Quick Chat with Matty Groves

You’ve just released ‘Innocent Dread’, which carries this late-night, inward-facing energy. How does a track like that translate to the stage?
“Innocent Dread” explores a darker, more introspective side of escapism, not just the desire to break away from the world, but the unsettling urge to escape from oneself. It reflects on how disconnecting from reality can come with emotional consequences. Performing it live brings a different kind of intimacy; it creates space for the audience to reflect on their own forms of escapism. My hope is that, even in its heaviness, the track offers a sense of connection, that people recognize this inner tension as something deeply human and shared.

With your Cactus Room show coming up in September, how are you thinking about building the live experience around ‘Innocent Dread’? Does it inform the mood of the whole set?
While ‘Innocent Dread’ definitely sets a tone, introspective and immersive, the show will be more of a celebration of the album as a whole, since it's the official launch. I’m shaping the live set to take the audience on a full psychedelic journey, with Innocent Dread as one emotional peak among others. The aim is to highlight the album’s dynamic range—its light and dark, its tension and release—and to create a space where listeners can move through those shifting moods together. I will also be playing songs from my previous album ‘Aurelia’.

The song seems delicate and dreamy, but there's a quiet tension beneath it. Do you lean into that emotional duality when performing it live?
Absolutely. That emotional duality is a core part of the song’s identity, and I try to bring it to life in the performance. There’s a softness and vulnerability on the surface, but underneath, there’s this quiet unrest and I like to let that tension simmer during the set. It creates a push and pull that audiences can feel, even if they can’t quite name it. That contrast is what makes the live version feel alive.

You’re playing with the Magical Speckled Band—a seven-piece outfit—and working with Sarita McHarg, Katia Mestrovic, and Electric Light Brigade. How do those collaborations elevate a track like ‘Innocent Dread’ in a live setting?
For the album launch, my vision is to create a mini folk/world music festival, something that celebrates the diversity and richness of Melbourne’s music scene. Since the album leans heavily into folk influences, I want the event to reflect that broader cultural scope. Rather than a standard band lineup, the aim is to offer a more immersive and varied experience, one that introduces the audience to folk artists they might not usually encounter, and opens them up to new sounds and perspectives. I’m also thrilled to have the Electric Light Brigade doing psychedelic lighting—contributing to the psychedelic nature of my music and making the evening even more immersive.
The night’s eclectic line-up features the mesmerizing Sarita McHarg on sitar, accompanied by tabla, and the enchanting Katia Mestrovic weaving delicate harp melodies.
Headlining the evening is myself—Matty Groves and the Magical Speckled Band: a kaleidoscopic seven-piece ensemble performing selections from my debut Aurelia, alongside fresh material from my new record. Expect a hallucinogenic journey through sound, with a vivid blend of flute, guitar, saxophone, organ, and more.

You’ve mentioned your music channels influences like Syd Barrett and early Pink Floyd. Do those inspirations guide how you shape your performances visually or emotionally—especially with a song this layered?
Definitely. The psychedelic nature of Syd Barrett’s work and early Pink Floyd has had a big influence on both the sound and the atmosphere I aim to create, especially with a track like ‘Innocent Dread’, which really harks back to that era in its mood and structure. Emotionally, there's that same tension between fragility and otherworldliness, and I try to bring that out in the live performance. Visually, their influence is just as strong, like Pink Floyd’s iconic use of psychedelic lighting. For my album launch, I’m collaborating with Electric Light Brigade to do a psychedelic light show, which adds that immersive, dreamlike element. It’s about creating a full sensory experience.

As the first single from The Magical Speckled Band, why did ‘Innocent Dread’ feel like the right track to lead the way into this new era of Matty Groves?
‘Innocent Dread’ was the first song I recorded for the album, so in many ways, it marked the beginning of this whole journey. It holds a special place in my heart, not just because of the timing, but because it was a real collaboration between friends. I recorded it with Noah Brewer on organ, Alex Flaskas on guitar, Eden Starr on drums, and myself on vocals and guitar. We captured it during a difficult period, around the time of the COVID epidemic, which directly shaped the emotional weight of the lyrics, especially the themes of escapism and isolation. Sonically, it has a warm, full band feel that eases the listener in, while hinting at the album’s broader themes. A lot of the other tracks are more stripped-back and folk-driven, so this one felt like a strong, accessible first step into the world of The Magical Speckled Band.