Having honed his live performance craft at the legendary Barking Spider Tavern, Cleveland-based songwriter and guitarist Matt Harmon has been a fixture in the Northeast Ohio music community for more than two decades. Through his conversational singing style, articulate and thought-provoking lyrics, crisp acoustic guitar playing, and an ability to make meaningful connections with listeners, Matt strives to channel the spirit of the Spider wherever he plays.

From a farmer’s market to a wedding reception, a coffee shop to a noisy bar, a rolling vineyard to a concert club, a festival to a restaurant lounge, that spirit has served him well.

Influenced by songwriters including John Prine, Paul Simon, and Randy Newman, Matt has opened for national touring artists such as Chris Smither and Steve Forbert and has performed at countless venues and festivals throughout Northeast Ohio. His songs explore the human condition at the intersection of technology and nature, moving freely between the profound and the everyday. They can inhabit the grief of a mother who has lost a son at war, then turn around and celebrate the unwavering companionship of a good dog.

This emotional range is intentional. Matt believes a good song can make you laugh, make you think, break your heart, or all three at once.