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Photography: Rebecca Holden
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31 October 2012
Fourteen years ago, Matchbox Twenty performed Sydney’s 16,000 capacity Enmore Theatre in the wake of their 8x Platinum debut Yourself Or Someone Like You.
Last night they returned for a sold-out concert at the 13,250 capacity
Entertainment Centre, in support of their ARIA #1 album North.
But their first of two Sydney concerts wasn’t about
numbers or accolades, or even to prove they still had it after sixteen
years together (which they very much do), according to frontman Rob
Thomas, it was about us.
“If you guys give us your time tonight, for the next two hours we're going to celebrate you.”
The lights swayed bright across the crowd for new track and opener Parade.
Thomas, bassist Brian Yale (who danced endearingly throughout),
ex-drummer-turned-rhythm-guitarist Paul Douchette and lead
guitarist/vocalist Kyle Cook gave the fresher material just as much
avidity as old favourites like Bent, Disease and the Tabitha’s Secret track, 3AM.
The backdrop screens projected the band’s journey
perfectly, from the complacent-looking plump man on the cover of their
debut to the full She’s So Mean music video, which showed the
band's new taste in ‘art’ – Matchbox Twenty are still riding a
monumental passage, and as two young teenage boys joined the
40-something couples, the flock of women in matching homemade MB20
shirts, and the side-stage security in singing every lyric verbatim,
it’s clear it is far from tapering.
Among the 112 highlights were the opening backing vocals from Douchette and Cook turning midway track All Your Reasons
into what could have introduced an Act II with its epic variations;
Thomas’ subtle hip swivels while Douchette unleashed havoc taking over
from touring drummer Stacy Jones, and again for his ferocious two-drum
contribution to new track English Town; Cook mouthing every lyric when he was sans mic and his solo vocal debut in co-penned track The Way, and also the beautiful interaction during So Sad So Lonely, where Thomas took a fan’s iPhone and filmed himself and Cook for a full verse as they crouched on the edge of the stage.
Matchbox Twenty’s concert meant more than just a night out
for their Sydney fans. The quartet and their collection harboured a
mixture of emotions for everyone; a happy place, a place to wallow in
self-pity, a place of vindication, but most of all a celebration that
one of the world’s best group’s are still having infectious fun and
branching out over their long and glorious career.
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