Matty

Thirteen years ago, while going to university and playing with Mrs.Svenson, Matt Johnstone started as a line cook at a little new place called the Cathedral Village Freehouse. Fast forward thirteen years ahead, and he is now the manager and director of operations for the Freehouse, which is now a Regina staple. When Matt does have some rare free time, he plays bass with Bandwagon Device and Johnny Hatch and the lost disciples, and also plans to cook ALL of the food for his own summer wedding.

I see you have the Converse on. Are you a lifelong fan?

These shoes are only about six weeks old but I broke them in at the Iron Maiden show. They were way too white on the toes, so I had to muddy them up. But my first pair of All Stars was when I was 12 yrs old and they were a pair of pink high-tops.

Tell me about the Batman shirt?

I am showing my Batman pride! This is my first Batman shirt I have ever had, except for under-roos. I am pretty sure I had Batman under-roos when I was five years old. So this is a throwback to my five year old under-roo wearing.

With style today, is there anything you think men just shouldn’t wear?

This whole new thing with the headbands. It isn’t that I don’t like it, I just don’t get it. Or very short Adidas sportswear.

Back in the day, anything you have worn that you wish you hadn’t?

Steal toed combat boots. I really wish I had never worn those. I had bought a pair of orange high top Doc Martins when I was sixteen because they were all the “rage”. I think I wore them for six weeks, and never put them on again.

Would you say the Freehouse has a specific “style” of clientele?

It is very casual and individual, which really works. We have anybody and everybody come into the Freehouse. We will have suits sitting next to punk rock kids, and I love that about it. We had someone with a mohawk sitting next to the Mayor the other day. I think Regina is a lot like that, it is a very individualized city. People just do what they want to do, and generally speaking, people are left alone.

Interview and photography by Carey Shaw for Prairie Dog