Big Music Weekend…

Holy cow…talk about a great weekend. Here goes the quickie run down…

The open acts were Old 97s (whom we’ve never heard of) and Train (which we enjoy for three whole songs…one for Gina—she hates ‘Drops of Jupiter’ because it’s been played out SO much). Train was cool. They played for about half an hour. There were a lot of fans getting up, moving around and singing along to their songs, non-radio tracks as well. The funny part (to us anyway) was in the song ‘Meet Virginia,’ the lead singer, Pat Monahan, stopped singing, expecting the crowd to continue the words. It should have been "The timing is quite…unusual." Unfortunately, it seemed the crowd was a bit distracted, that or they very quickly forgot the exact lyrics. Which I do understand because I was expecting that line to be, "The shape of her body…unusual."

As I digress…Matchbox? Hmm, I’d like to add a lil’ bit of history right now. I remember them first coming out in 1996. It was my junior year of high school and I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Push.’ I wound up buying the CD—‘Yourself or Someone Like You’—through one of those really, really, really annoying record clubs…but alas, for the first time (probably ever) I was terribly satisfied with that specific choice. I listened to the CD constantly (much like I do now when I get new albums.) I knew every song by heart, and still do. Instantly, I had favorites and paid more attention to those tracks than others. Come senior year, or even the summer just before it, MTV had just introduced "The 10 spot" for Friday nights. They held a Matchbox Twenty live concert in which the group played every song off the album. It was wonderful and I was in love. Rob Thomas was THE man!

And so the year went by and Matchbox came and went through Chicago. Tickets? No such luck. Time was spent still listening to that CD, among others that were coming and going. But the guys were still an awesome source of music and listening, not to mention playing. I had printed out the sheet music off the internet and was playing the guitar and their songs non-stop during that period.

Come 2000, ‘mad season’ was coming out. I remember the release date was a matter of days before my 20^th birthday, and so it was asked…and it was received. Very nice and I listened the DAY OF my birthday, thoroughly enjoying it in instants. Again, I listened day and night, anytime I was on the computer, that CD was in the ROM drive. In the shower? It came with me. I knew (and still do know) all the words to all the songs…

With this release, and knowing their first album so well, they were soon declared one of my favorite bands. And not just any ol’ fav (as I have many) but a particular one in which I could listen to any of their songs, any time, and still enjoy.

It was announced this past semester while I was at school that they would be on the road with Everclear and Lifehouse. Great show, right? I’ve heard so…once again, I missed ticket possibilities. They sold out in less than an hour. I’ve heard it was less than half an hour, who knows…it was fast!

And so I still dreamed for the time I could finally see my band…and thus it came. We got tickets!!! Fifty bucks—after Ticketmaster charges, taxes and Tweeter Center parking fees—to see a group we didn’t really care THAT much about (Train) and then to see our band. It sounded just fine by us.

Now, here we were, excited as all hell…me more than Ang or Gina—or even them two put together. I had been waiting for nearly five whole years for this!!! It was fate, I was gonna love this show…

It was wonderful. And I wish I could give you particular descriptions of the schematics on the stage, and the players and how wonderful it all sounded. But really, this is just kept somewhere in the back of my mind to know it was an exhilirating experience to look down from my fourth to the last row in pavilion seat and know, I was finally seeing Matchbox.

In more words…it was probably the best concert I’ve ever been to. Not to say I’ve been to many, but I’ve had my share. I don’t know if it’s because I’m so hung up on them; because I knew all the words to all but two songs; because the crowd was so pumped, just as stoked as I was; or if it’s just because the band really rocks. I think it was all of the above.

Set list in no particular order (sorry folks, I was just there for the music, not to dictate the organization):

**from ‘Yourself or Someone Like You’—Real World, Long Day, Push, 3am, Girl Like That, Back 2 Good,

**from ‘mad season’—Crutch, If You’re Gone, Mad Season, Bent, Rest Stop, Angry, Black and White People, The Burn, Last Beautiful Girl, Leave, Stop

**others—two songs that none of us can identify. Sorry L All that I can tell you is that one was a cover, we believe. Either way, they both sounded awesome. The ‘Street’ (possibility) was a great song, with romping piano and all upbeat, making you HAVE to move. You just had no choice, it was that great!

Okay, so the only complaints I have is that they did the ENTIRE ‘mad season’ album except ONE song. And it’s my favorite. ‘Bed of Lies.’ I was supremely disappointed, but my other fav, ‘Last Beautiful Girl’ was played, so I suppose that was enough for me.