Guitarist and singer Eliza Lutz has been an integral part of Santa Fe’s music community and a touring artist for a decade.
She became serious about learning how to play the guitar by the age of 11 and eventually played in the bands Prolly, As in We and GRYGRDNS. Her current project, Future Scars, features Lutz, As in We’s drummer Ben Durfee and bass player Paul Wagner, who provides back-up vocals.
“In previous bands, including As in We, there was a lot of collaborative writing,” Lutz explains. “Some songs were overwritten. Now, I do the majority of the writing, and songs are more concise.”
Lutz refers to her current musical style as “post most things,” like post metal, rock and funk. “We draw on a lot of influences,” she says. “Our songs are heartfelt. Every song feels like a ballad, even though we get very, very quiet at times and very, very loud at other times.”
Future Scars’ tunes use personal experiences to tell a larger story. While lyrics are about personal and internal struggles, sadness and difficult emotions, they’re also uplifting and talk about how to work through the difficulties.
A musician with a strong entrepreneurial spirit who has taught herself a wide range of computer and marketing skills, Lutz not only writes and plays music but also promotes her band through her record label Matron Records, a company she founded in the beginning of 2016.
Recently, she moved Matron Records’ headquarters out of her house and into a space off Siler Road that has a history of local musicians as tenants. “I was really happy to find out that this space was available, because it has great energy,” she says.
Lutz also diligently works to promote the success of the eight individual artists and bands who are signed with Matron Records and other musicians who are not associated with the label. Lutz does everything from creating logo designs to social media management.
Matron Records, Lutz says, helps artists tell their stories through everything from logos to kitschy merchandise. “Musicians have compelling stories about what their music means to them, but they often don’t communicate these stories,” she adds.
Always open to new challenges, Lutz has recently engaged in a new project. She’s booking touring and local bands to play at Second Street Brewery’s new location at 2920 Rufina Street, which opens in early June, with the goal of creating a young, hip environment.
Lutz says she gets satisfaction from all of her endeavors. “When I look out on a crowd of people at a concert I organized and see people grinning and dancing, having a good time, it’s better than anything to me.”
Check out Matron Records at matronrecords.bandcamp.com
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