On 18 January 1981, Matt Finish performed at the Last Double Jay Concert to an audience of 40,000 at Parramatta Park with the concert broadcast live-to-air. That same week, the group performed at the Sydney Musicians Club, which was filmed and, in 2009, was released on a DVD, "Matt Finish Live at the Musicians Club 1981". In February 1981 Matt Finish released their first album, "Short Note", on Giant/CBS Records, it was produced by Dawkins (Finch, Mi-Sex). It peaked at No. 14 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. The title song, "Short Note", peaked at No. 18 on the related Singles Chart. The newly established Triple J (successor to Double Jay) FM radio network played tracks from "Short Note" nationally, followed by the commercial networks. In July that year, Matt Finish recorded a live five-track extended play, "Fade Away" at PACT Theatre in the old Corn Exchange building in Sussex Street, Sydney. The EP was released in October 1981. Original copies are now considered collector's items.