A typical birthday celebration is generally spent at a nice restaurant with friends and family, right? It’s generally not spent at work, over a three-day period.

Well, that’s precisely how Matty Matheson is going to be ringing in his birthday this week at urban-chic restaurant and venue Parts and Labour.

Now in its second year, Mattyfest, which runs this Thursday to Saturday, is a three-day festival that features Matheson’s friends’ bands, which come from across Canada for this intimate and unique gig.

As the head chef of Parts and Labour, Matheson is considered a gifted culinary artist – but he’s also a huge music fan, particularly of the punk and hardcore variety.

Promoter Mark Pesci, who does the event booking at the Queen Street West restaurant, co-ordinates the bands that the birthday boy requests to have on the bill. This year, the acts range from the harder-sounding Black Lung, which is the side project of former Alexisonfire guitarist Wade MacNeil, to Vancouver indie act Ladyhawk to the softer sounds of local favourite Julie Doiron. (Though it’s worth noting that Doiron’s roots are in noisier rock, as founding member of the influential ’90s band Eric’s Trip.)

Pesci considers Mattyfest and the music it produces to be an embodiment of the Parts and Labour ethos.

“We mix the casual fine-dining atmosphere with punk- rock DIY ethics,” he says. “Mattyfest is all about bringing high-end talent into the room and getting to see them in a really approachable atmosphere. There’s no stage there, so everyone is on the same level, quite literally. It’s really fun.”

Last year, all three nights of Mattyfest sold out, so it’s advised you get your tickets in advance at Soundscapes.

 ”Really, it’s just a big party,” says Pesci. “Last year, we basically had three sold-out nights and we had a good time doing it. I’d love to give you an anecdote from last year, if I could remember any.”