Musician ready to call it a year

TWO TO GO: Wellington musician Mat Enright is coming to Peak Brewery at Taratahi tomorrow to play the 364th of 365 gigs he set out to play in a year. PHOTO/ERIN WALKER

A Wellington musician's pledge to do 365 gigs in 365 days will see him do his second to last at Peak Brewery in Taratahi tomorrow.

Mat Enright only started playing guitar about three years ago but has come on in leaps and bounds since.

The idea for 365 gigs in 365 days came about from a desire to get himself out there with the ultimate aim of "touring the world".

"I just want to push it as much as possible."

On his website, the 29-year-old jokes that over the last year he has "sent 2.5 gazillion emails, slept once, and eaten twice".

"I have been a particularly high earning musician, recently upgrading to $12 bottles of wine, but only the kind that are normally $25 when not on special."

Enright says the music of Bob Dylan inspired him to start writing songs but it took him a "fair while" to come up with one that he was proud of.

Like Dylan, Enright is a one-man band and, in the early stages of his career, has had to do all the administration and promotion work that goes with being a solo performer: "Very hard work."

His inspiration to write songs comes on the spur of the moment - he says he can't sit down and force himself to write.

He plays mainly a mixture of blues, folk and rock 'n' roll but says he is interested in all types of music.

The gig at Peak Brewery on East Taratahi Rd will take place on Sunday, July 27 from 2pm. Enright says it will go ahead, rain or shine.