Andie Matten, 15, and her sister Roxy, 14, from Clifton. Photo Contributed
Centreville — Stop by the Main Street Pub on Sunday’s or Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot on Saturday nights in Clifton, and be treated to live music performed by some teens. Thanks to the generosity of the business owners, two musical duos earn their living — tips are welcome — entertaining patrons with acoustic music.
Andie Matten 15 and her sister Roxy 14, from Clifton, play the first Sunday of each month at the Main Street Pub, rotating playing piano, guitar and ukulele, while harmonizing to songs such as Patsy Cline’s “Walking after Midnight,” to Lady Gaga’s “You and I.” Their piano lessons, taken over the last six years from a Clifton local teacher Marie Koneczny, have paid off.
Max Synder, 16, from Clifton teams with his friend, Jason Saitta, 15, of Chantilly, entertaining folks at Peterson’s Dog Pound.
Though mostly fun, the duos’ performances took a lot of work to create — requiring preparation of close to two hours of music, coordinating vocals, and in the case of the Matten girls, figuring out what instruments fit best with each song. With the help of their parents who serve as roadies, they haul amplifiers, microphones and other equipment to each performance, and they try to keep things fresh by adding new songs.
The Matten girls’ next performance is Sept. 9; the boys can be heard most Saturday nights. The four teens will also be performing with their bands at Kid Fest on Sept. 15 in the Clifton Park, under the tutelage of Pat Sommer’s Rock Shop.