Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Bizer.
Hi Matthew, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I actually got into the music festival space entirely by accident. I was a filmmaker and camera department worker in movies and ended up at a table with Willie Nelson and his wife in 2011, and my good friend and partner in what is now Luck Reunion suggested I tell them my idea, to which their answer was “get insurance.” We all got a decent laugh out of that! Next thing I knew, they were calling to ask how it was coming along, and 3 months later I was throwing our first event in Luck at Willie Nelson’s ranch.
In the last 10 years since, I’ve transitioned from film to hosting the annual event, Luck Reunion with Willie Nelson and family. This year’s Luck Reunion marks 12 years! It was during the pandemic that I started to really think about “what’s next.”
I have always been an avid surfer and started surfing at Waco Surf soon after the opening. I laid eyes on the venue, and my wheels immediately started spinning on how music and surfing could come together in the space. I became a regular, constantly asking the staff about who manages the place and eventually met Mike and Amy last year through a friend’s introduction. I think they were rather skeptical from my first festival pitch! However, they came to the Luck Reunion in 2023 and not long after, we were on the phone brainstorming what is now Landlock!
The collision of surf and music has been really organic. Not only do I love surf, but many of the artists playing the festival do as well, and the stories that led to the inception of Landlock this year come from the intersection surf and the Luck community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Running music festivals is always a challenge. You’re always swimming against the current and trying to juggle logistics and moving parts.
With that said, I think the biggest struggle in my festival career would have to be the pandemic in 2020, like many other people in this line of work.
Two months prior, I had closed my live-streaming and production company to move my focus to Luck, and we were in the midst of loading in at the ranch when shutdowns became imminent. I was in a court hearing for our mass gathering permit on the day SXSW cancelled, and we were prompted to cancel our event 2-3 days later.
But because the show must go on, we pivoted our entire format to a virtual event in 5 days and hosted the first festival livestream of the pandemic, all while continuing to piece together wild ideas and consult on additional projects to keep the lights on hosting socially distanced shows and more as we could slowly gather.
That ride was a huge lesson in patience and resilience – it also cemented the drive necessary to take a risk on something new like Landlock Festival.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Landlock Festival?
This is not only the inaugural year of Landlock Fest but also the first of its kind – music and surf coming together at an inland waterpark in Texas.
The festival is designed for a slightly more intimate experience and purposefully curated to be paced differently than more large-scale, multi-day fests. From morning yoga to the culinary offerings, the five distinct vendor villages, camping options, stages laced throughout the waterpark with body slides, and the world’s longest lazy river, surf lessons, and beach, you can really choose your own adventure.
Stages don’t overlap, and you can watch professional surfers shred only 50 feet away in the wave pool during our Landlock surf roundup competition each day… not to mention guests can also book their own sessions or surf lessons in the lagoon.
Landlock is truly built for the festival attendee who wants a personal festival experience and the ability to enjoy the party but also slow down, relax, and enjoy time with friends. We are excited to share this with everyone!
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Landlock is not just a music festival; it’s a full waterpark and beach experience in addition to the music and surf. The lazy river, beaches, body slides, and good vibes are included in your ticket! Guests can opt in to stay overnight on the Waco Surf grounds, see music and surf, swim, relax, grab a tiki drink, go on a horseback ride, do morning yoga, and grab a chef-prepared dinner all in the same day, and close it out with a dance party performance while waist-deep in the lagoon dancing with friends!
Pricing:
- General admission single day: $150
- General admission 3 day: $325
- Premium single day: $350
- Premium 3 day: $750
- Weekend camping: $250
Contact Info:
- Website: www.landlockfest.com
- Instagram: @landlockfest
- Facebook: Facebook.com/landlockfest
- Youtube: @ladlockfest
Image Credits
Kate Liddy
Landlock
