Fort Wayne’s iconic Embassy Theatre is celebrating its 20th Down the Line concert on Feb. 21 with a special show featuring five local bands, each paying tribute to a different era of music.
Down the Line was founded in 2007 by Matt Kelley, owner of One Lucky Guitar, to offer a meaningful opportunity for local musicians to play legendary music on the renowned, historic Embassy stage.
Concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early to be part of the decade-inspired lobby experience, featuring themed cocktails, interactive games, photo moments, and immersive lighting — setting the stage for an unforgettable night of music, nostalgia, and community.
This year’s unique playbill showcases The Legendary Trainhoppers (60s), We Are Checkmark (70s), Kaitlyn Schmit & Friends (80s), Neighborhood Strays (90s) and Tuesday Atlas (2000s).
It will be the third time around on the big stage for Kelley’s band, the Legendary Trainhoppers, who are also dropping their fifth album, A Conspiracy of Ravens, the night before the concert.
Here WBOI’s Julia Meek discusses the evolution of this signature series with Kelly and Trainhoppers cofounder, Chris Dodds, and what it means to be a part of such a music scene.
Event Information:
The Embassy Theatre’s
Down the Line 20 Concert
Saturday, Feb. 21
Doors at 6:00 p.m.
Show at 7:00 p.m.
Find ticket information and details at the Embassy Theatre Website.
Connect with the band and its music at the Legendary Trainhoppers website.
The song at the end of this interview is May the Shimmer Guide You Home, from the Trainhopper’s album #5, A Conspiracy of Ravens.
This is a transcript of our conversation:
Julia Meek: Matt Kelley, Chris Dodds, welcome.
Chris Dodds: Hello, Julia.
Matt Kelley: Happy to be here.
Julia Meek: Okay, your brain children, Down the Line and The Legendary Trainhoppers band were born in that "first era" as you call it, so let's start there.
In 2006, the Embassy folks needed a fundraiser of sorts, plus new connections in the whole community, so how did it all come together?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, the Embassy's Board of Directors approached me and my day job at one lucky guitar, and said, do you guys have any ideas on an event that can draw a new audience into the theater?
And we pitched a few ideas, and one was this notion of local original artists covering artists that inspired them to make music in the first place, and that became down the line.
We'd been doing a series like that at Columbia Street West, and we took that idea and put it on the big stage.
Julia Meek: Meanwhile, your band's short but active first chapter saw its last performance at that first Down the Line, number one in 2007.
How did the concept of Down the Line work back then, and honestly, what was that first-time rush on that stage doing Down the Line?
Chris Dodds: Well, any musician who has ever stepped foot on that stage will have to admit that is the best thing that's ever happened to you.
The problem is a half hour seems like two minutes. So Matt and I were fortunate enough that we, on the first Down the Line, not only got to play it, but we actually hosted it. We emceed it.
So, Matt and I were out on stage, on and off all night. And that's probably one of my favorite aspects, because it really just elongated the time you got to be on that stage.
Matt Kelley: And the Trainhoppers, we were members of other bands, and kind of met one another, actually, predominantly at Columbia Street West and at those tribute nights.
And so, the fact that that was kind of one of the ways the band got to know one another and formed to end that chapter with our performance at the first Down the Line was was a really special thing for us.
Julia Meek: So, you continued as producers those first few years, finally merging and passing that torch to the Embassy to carry on itself.
Okay--local bands doing legends, that is a surefire crowd and band pleaser, for that matter. What was the initial reaction within the community, within the audience?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, we had pretty modest goals the first year. The Embassy holds 2,400 people, and the goal was 1000.
And the first Down the Line had 1,800, the second had 2,100 and then three and four sold out. And it was remarkable. I mean, I think it gave both performers and attendees a chance to experience something in this community that they had never experienced before.
And there's a reverence built into it, because you're playing the music of an artist that inspired you, and it just has such a great communal vibe.
Julia Meek: In a space that inspires everyone, seemingly.
Matt Kelley: Absolutely, absolutely.
Julia Meek: Also, this is the basic time of year it was conceived and is executed. That's not always a surefire good weather weekend, is it?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, it's always in February, which can be a blessing when there's not a lot of other things to do, but also a challenge when the weather is unpleasant. [all chuckle]
Julia Meek: In a crazy year, like this one in particular. So, a word on the Embassy's program management, once they took over, kept going on this journey.
Michael Brett's one of the names that was there, fierce warrior, with a band of really hard-working people making this go. How do you describe how they did really take this and run with it and shaped it as it is today?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, and I think the idea with Down the Line was that our community's music scene, arts and cultural scene, is influenced 51 weekends a year by these musicians.
Performers who are out playing in small venues, basements, clubs, music rooms, and to...it's almost a recognition of, hey, you're making our scene happen, and let's have it, and let's also give you the chance to play on the big stage.
And I think that the Embassy, over the 20 years, you can imagine, it's four or five bands a year, it's nearly 100 bands have been able to perform on that stage now.
And the Embassy, when they took over, they just really had a real intentionality about making sure they were hitting a lot of different genres, a lot of different scenes, and making sure it really felt like the community stage.
Everyone's welcome up there, and I think you'll see that this year too. There's a lot of diversity.
Julia Meek: We're not likely to run out of locals or legends anytime soon?
Matt Kelley: Absolutely, absolutely. [both laugh] thankfully!
Julia Meek: Indeed. Now back to your band, your core members, besides the two of you, you've got Dan Smyth, Phil Potts, Casey Stansifer, he's the newcomer, since 2015.
And the eras that you speak of, of your band after that brief hiatus, which they all include an album for each of your eras; live gigs, events, a lot of just feel-good music that the whole city seemingly can relate to.
Finally, another Down the Line performance in its 10th season, splitting the difference between then and now. So how did it all grow, your band, your spirit, your mission, your sophistication?
Chris Dodds: I think the time off that we had made it all the more important. 2015, when Casey came on board, there was a renewed, probably even more enthusiasm for the second go around than even the first one.
Julia Meek: Important to note that included plenty of live music and fan building, and you and your fans are. It's family--fan-imily, perhaps I could say. [all chuckle]
But a lot of it is, even since that first go around, the studio, work, the albums and such. Why is that important? How could you even focus on all of that?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, I think that in that time off, and it was just life got busy for all of us. We were starting families, getting going in our careers, we were maturing.
But actually, I think the band itself feels more youthful. The creativity of it feels more youthful.Chris will often say that, you know, we have friends that are in, it could be bowling leagues, poker night, you know, guys nights that are outlets.
This is kind of our outlet, and it's fun as can be, but it's also like, creatively so healthy. And like, we're collaborating and we're batting ideas around. And you can kind of apply that to the rest of your life, and it informs the rest of your life.
And it's just been, like, a really super healthy way for us to have fellowship with one another, and then, yeah, to share that with friends who come out to see it.
Chris Dodds: I genuinely feel sorry for people who have never been in a band. Being in a band is the best thing. It's just the best thing. [All chuckle] Uh, yeah.
Julia Meek: And signature sound then, compared to now, Chris. What have you learned about that signature sound, making it better? What have you learned about you?
Chris Dodds: I think as young, younger men, we were all about high energy. You know, knee-slapping, 100 miles per hour. And as we have matured, mellowed aged, with that has come the exploration of maybe some more creative U-turns or left turns.
Of which this latest album that is imminently coming out is probably the biggest departure in a lot of ways for this band, in a new direction, sonically, musically, songwriting, style, that sort of thing. So it's been great to be able to expand in a different direction.
Julia Meek: And in fact, this whole pace projects you guys in this new direction.
Matt Kelley: Absolutely, and I think we're not super interested in repeating ourselves. We certainly when we play live, we play songs that go back 20 years, and that's part of who we are.
But we're pursuing new recording experiences, new ways of performing with one another, just always seeking to keep it feel very alive in the moment.
Julia Meek: Good for you. And so far so good.
Matt Kelley: Yeah, and we're doing different things on stage than we ever did before.
Julia Meek: Okay. Back to that line and the lineups. What bands have you Trainhoppers covered and why--including the one coming up?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, so for the first Down the Line, we closed the night and we played the music of Bob Dylan.
Chris Dodds: Which is all Matt and I wanted to do! [all chuckle] The rest of the band, they just went along with it. Like Matt and I are huge, huge Dylan fans and that was a dream come true, to be able to play only his stuff.
Matt Kelley: And again, that went back, I think, to 2005 with an event we helped put on at Columbia Street West where our previous band and the bands that many of the Trainhoppers were in, all played the music of Bob Dylan one night.
Julia Meek: Okay, number two?
Matt Kelley: Down the Line 10, we played the music of Bruce Springsteen.
Chris Dodds: And that came about because we asked, how come nobody's ever done Springsteen? It's never come up. Nobody's ever done it.
Matt Kelley: Yeah, and we had a special guest that year, Ed Renz played the horn part.
Chris Dodds: Yeah, clarinet. And Andy Paquette was on the Hammond,
Matt Kelley: Yeah, and so, for Down the Line 20, the Embassy has seemed to take a page from Taylor Swift, and they're doing the "Eras Tour."
And so, instead of individual artists, there's five performers covering decades, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s. They had an application process this year. We applied, and we were welcomed in, and we were tasked with the 1960s.
Julia Meek: Good for you. And what a clever idea. They've done different things, there was a Brit Down the Line one year, and soul...
Matt Kelley: Yeah, Brit Invasion, country nights.
Julia Meek: Keeping it all going. And now that you are ready for your third appearance. What's changed since your first trip Down the Line?
Matt Kelley: The interesting thing, I think, when we survey the community, is there's an awful lot more to do now than there was in 2007.
The first Down the Line was kind of the only game in town like that. And we are so fortunate to have so many new venues that have come up since then, new opportunities to see live local music.
And yet, down the line remains so unique, I think it offers an experience that patrons cannot get elsewhere. In our 30 minutes, we'll be first up with the 60s.
There won't be a lot of time to breathe for anyone, so make sure you're there in your seat when it starts. [all laugh]
Chris Dodds: Seven--7:00, 7:30. The other aspect is, who doesn't, who doesn't enjoy watching something at the Embassy, as opposed to anywhere else? You know, for the people in the seats, that's usually the cherry on top.
Julia Meek: Really, we are so fortunate. Does it ever get old--does it ever, does it ever feel plain old?
Chris Dodds: No, no!
Matt Kelley: One of the ways we first met the Embassy, Julia, if you rewind back to that era of '06-'07, we did our album release party for our first album in 2006 in the Indiana Hotel lobby, and that's kind of how we met the Embassy.
Julia Meek: Okay! And what a good way.
Matt Kelley: And again, that led to that first down the line appearance. Our second appearance, in 2016 we had released our second album a week or two before that.
And now this Down the Line, we're releasing album five the night before Down the Line. So big Trainhopper weekend, super excited about that.
Julia Meek: Big music weekend, yes, larger-than-life weekend for the arts and music scene. Love it.
And speaking of the increase on all kinds of music and venues, Matt, then versus now, the music scene, of course, was emerging. Downtown Development was regrouping after way too little happening downtown.
What do you make of that veritable explosion of both in the past 20 years? What does it feel like to be there helping it change, and be jumping right into that change?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, I mean, I feel like our community has so much that if you have just a slight sense of adventure and look at what's out there any given weekend, many week nights, and take a chance on something, there are great events happening.
Musical events happening, where you will be welcomed. You will experience something that maybe you hadn't experienced in our community before.
And I feel like when you go to shows, and it can be jazz night at the Club Room, or it can be a gnarly night at the Brass Rail, or all of our outdoor events in the summer, but I think that there's community in each of those.
I think folks should not be timid about trying to explore that kind of thing.
Julia Meek: And there's so much to be had. Live gigs versus studio work, now. How do you define your band and your sound, and how is one influenced by the other?
Chris Dodds: It's almost incomparable, because live is electric and upbeat and interacting with the crowd, whereas studio work, the finished product is the goal.
It can be tough, it can be laborious, but rewarding, and especially, especially now, you know, I'm an older person, but now that everything's digital, everything's forever.
The Trainhoppers have always had a focus on recording so that we could have records and CDs. But now that everything's digital, like our great, great, great great grandchildren will be able to listen to these.
Julia Meek: And you're all devil-may-care as you present your shows, and that's part of your charm and part of your spirit.
It belies almost the hard work that goes into each live performance, and certainly your studio performances and your multi-instrumentality and all of the stuff you put in any one of your recordings is really pretty remarkable.
So you have that serious side. Is that a dichotomy or...does it all go together to make sense and make the Trainhoppers the Trainhoppers, I guess I'm asking?
Matt Kelley: Yeah, I think it's all a, it's all a stew. And I think each member of the band brings a unique point of view and areas they like to spend more time.
But we all love all of it, and we don't have a single leader. I mean, it is a band of equals, a band of brothers and so input... [Chris grimaces, all chuckle]
Julia Meek: I think, I think that Chris thought he was the leader. [all laugh]
Chris Dodds: No, I think what Matt is saying is, while all of us want to record as much as possible, I think at the same time, if you only recorded without ever playing live, that would be missing part of the recipe.
Julia Meek: That's a very interesting way to look at it, and well expressed actually. So keep doing what you're doing.
And in your minds, by the way, where do we all fit in this food chain? How does it influence our future as a nationally recognized Music City, which we all do know, is the next step?
Matt Kelley: I think it speaks really highly to this community to put local performers on the biggest stages, and we've had the fortunate experiences of being on the Embassy stage.
We played middle waves, we've played Headwaters Park, we played the Sweetwater Pavilion stage. We've played Promenade Park, on and on.
And you know, especially those venues that have touring musicians come through, and it's great to have concerts and touring musicians coming through, but when the locals are also welcomed up there, I think it speaks to the pride of the community.
And we were treated so well when we were able to play at Sweetwater Pavilion. We played there two, three times now, and that team there treated us every bit as well as they treated the guys that came in on the big busses.
Julia Meek: That's the attitude of the venues, from the tiniest to Sweetwater Pavilion, the Clyde and the Club Room, Embassy everywhere is something very, very special.
And I am curious, back in those earliest creative days, that first era, as you call it, could you even dream that you'd still be Trainhhopping and going back down that line one more time, these 20 years later?
Chris Dodds: Well, I remember being like shocked and thrilled that we were able to do not only the first one, but number 10 with Springsteen. So to be able to do 1, 10, and 20 is beyond comprehension.
Matt Kelley: It's overwhelming. It's very emotional. It also just speaks to the velocity that time moves, because Chris and I vividly remember that first down the line and can tell you hundreds of details about that night. And it's shocking that it's been 20 years.
Julia Meek: It has been. And now that it has, and now that you are sitting here where you are sitting with a new album and a new Down the Line to do, I'm not going to ask for your favorite moments.
There's got to be too many, and you're not done getting all those together. But is there something particular about the journey, the whole labor of love, including everything we've been discussing, that will be forever in your hearts, that you could share?
Chris Dodds: It's hard to explain, but life is short, and as we get older, it gets shorter faster.
The fact that we did something, you know, we did something that long after we're gone, maybe it'll only be friends and family, but long after we're gone, somebody somewhere is gonna go, hey, these guys did this.
And we're okay with it, even if it's just that, even if it's grandchildren, even if it's some random person in 2058 that goes, man, who are these guys? That's, that's enough. So we did something.
Matt Kelley: Yeah, absolutely. And I think that you know one thing that's different about Down the Line now compared to the first year, we did welcome bands who made original music, but they did all covers in those early years.
And now you're welcome to play some of your music too. We were able to do that in the 10th edition. We'll do that again this year. Doing our album release in the Indiana Hotel lobby back then, to perform things that we made up in that environment is just beyond an honor.
Julia Meek: Matt Kelley and Chris DDodds are founding members of the Legendary Trainhoppers and Matt, owner of One Lucky Guitar, founder of Down the Line.
Thanks for sharing your story of this amazing journey, guys, I should say, all of these amazing journeys, continued, blessings on your way.
Matt Kelley: Thanks so much, Julia.
