Who knew that Matthew McConaughey was alright, alright, alright at playing the mandolin?
You never know where the actor, author, business owner, minister (of culture) and philanthropist is going to pop up. McConaughey has a knack for keeping things exciting, and in the latest example, the 56-year-old hopped on stage and played a few songs for fans in Austin, Texas.
What was the occasion? Well, it was quite the night for McConaughey. Not only did he premiere his latest film, The Rivals of Amziah King, the theater it premiered in was renamed in his honor. The Alamo Drafthouse Mueller will now be called the Matthew McConaughey Cinema, and the actor told KXAN Austin that he can’t believe he’s already at the stage of his career where things like this are happening:
“I thought I started my career just a few years ago in ‘Dazed and Confused,’ but if I do the math, it was more than a few years ago. It was right here in the summer of ’92 when I walked into the right bar. I introduced myself to the right guy who gave me the right script. Three lines turned into three weeks of work.”
And those three weeks turned into a lifetime of memorable characters.
So it’s very fitting that Austin will now be home to the Matthew McConaughey Cinema. The actor and Austin native has accomplished a lot in his career, like the Academy Award he won in 2014 for his role in Dallas Buyers Club. But this latest achievement is up there with his favorite:
“To have the theater named after me here in Austin, Texas? Apropos. Cool.”
As you might imagine, the renaming of the theater and the premiere of the star’s latest film called for celebration. Those who are familiar with McConaughey know that music is one of his favorite ways to let loose (ever heard the story of him getting arrested for playing the bongos a) naked and b) too loud?), so it wasn’t a surprise that the night included some live performances.
However, it was a bit of a surprise to see McConaughey up on stage with The Last Bison: the band whose services were called upon for the night. The actor proudly stood up on stage with the group and performed two songs (there may have been more) that were actually included in the movie fans had just gotten a chance to see.
First, they went with a scat rap song from the Avett Brothers called “Talk on Indolence.” McConaughey was co-lead vocals for that one. Then, the band from Virginia played an original of theirs called “Quill,” and Matthew McConaughey grabbed a mandolin and got to plucking for that one.
It’s just another reason why McConaughey is one of the most interesting men in the world. There’s not a whole lot out there that he can’t do, and earlier this week in Austin, he let the world know that he’s comfortable behind a microphone and a mandolin.
You can check out pictures and snippets of the performance – live from the newly coined Matthew McConaughey Cinema – below:
The film, which is set to hit theaters this coming Thursday, is described as:
“Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma, charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King herds a bluegrass-playing band of misfits while overseeing the premier honey-making operation in town. When Amziah’s estranged foster daughter unexpectedly returns, Amziah leaps at the possibility to renew connection and create a family business. But the honey game is ruthless, and Amziah’s rivals threaten to destroy everything he has built.
McConaughey, crime drama, bluegrass? Sign me up.
Check out the trailer:
