Matt talks about his days of ‘Rona. Check it out. 
Days of Rona: Matthew Harrington of Cortez (Boston, Massachusetts)
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How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?
We’re all healthy, thankfully, and we’re all concerned about and focused on our people staying healthy as well. We’ve got an album+ ready to go. Can’t wait for people to hear it. Can’t wait to play shows again with our friends, and play songs from that album. Speaking personally, I miss my homies and I want to write and play music again in my practice space as soon as humanly possible, but I’m incredibly thankful to have a job and a support system right now most of all.
What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?
In Boston, we are basically shut down, and Massachusetts as a whole is closed until at least May 4th now. Schools, restaurants/bars/clubs, and all non-essential businesses are closed or working from home until at least that date. Most people, it seems, are doing their best to limit close interactions with others, but I am endlessly baffled at the amount of people who also still don’t seem to be getting it. We haven’t hit the expected peak yet, and I expect the situation to evolve further.
How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?
I look at my friends in the restaurant/venue, recording, booking, and much broader service industry world and just feel gutted. We have no real social safety net in the United States, and a lot of people don’t have the luxury of having a cushion.
Layoffs, furloughs, and “work reductions” are becoming more common as the days go on, and this is something that directly affects all of us, in music and in life. The reality is that there are a lot of people out there that are going to take a long time to recover from this.
What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?
We’re all in this together, and we all need to do our best to safely take care of our neighbors, friends, and families. Stay healthy, stay connected, stay safe, and stay the fuck home.
