Miami’s Concert Pick of the Weekend: Matador at Heart

Gavin Lynch – the electronic musician otherwise known as Matador – started young and started standard. After frequenting a number of local teen discos in his native Dundalk, Ireland, Lynch turned to his own turntables, began constructing a record collection, and commuting long distances (like over an hour to Dublin) to buy more vinyls. It didn’t take long for him to discover that vast sonic landscape beyond the crowd of hormone riddled teens shaking together to awkward dance pop. Soon techno hits by Richie Hawtin and Jeff Mills spun on Lynch’s decks.

But success wasn’t served on a silver platter. Lynch worked his way to the charts with the tenacity and passion of an artist in the making. He’d hit the kitchen after class, training as a chef before heading back to college to pursue sound engineering. It was this intimacy with the technical side of music that took Lynch from DJ to producer. As player he spun the songs he loved. As creator he made the tracks he wanted. Lynch told The Irish Times his training in the kitchen formed his work ethic. “I stayed with the same sort of working mentality of the chef. I’d start at midday and work until six or seven in the evening, then hang out, have dinner for a couple of hours, then go back in and work for another six or seven hours.”

Lynch is a self-proclaimed tech junkie with a want to discover the limits of his equipment as well as the boundaries of his sound. This efficient mix of curiosity and will has since steered him towards live sets where his music and crowd awareness tempt listeners to euphoria. Though he began as a DJ, with the support of Minus Records and the mentorship of Richie Hawtin, Lynch evolved into one of techno’s most adored live acts. Once on stage, he’s now known to deliver elaborate, engaging, and signature sets in an apparent act of transcendence.

When done well, the live set is a delicacy. On the other hand the DJ set is like the fast food of the music world. This Friday the DJ-turned-sous chef-turned-producer serves up his delicious dishes at Heart Nightclub. Bring an appetite and your dancing shoes.

Matador. 11 p.m. Friday, December 18, at Heart Nightclub, 50 NE 11th St., Miami. 305-912-3099; heartnightclub.com. Admission is free; RSVP via eventbrite.com.