In Matchbox 20’s 27-year career, they finally played the Hollywood Bowl for the first time after a 3-year postponement from the Covid-19 Pandemic. This was the group’s first show and tour since A Brief History of Everything in 2017, but would have originally been a three year gap if the pandemic didn’t put a hold on touring. MB20’s last L.A. show took place July 31st, 2017 at the Forum with the Counting Crows. The band is still 4/5th original with Rob Thomas (Lead Vocals), Kyle Cook (Lead Guitar), Brian Yale (Bass), and drummer Paul Doucette who has played rhythm guitar live since 2007 and still plays drums in the studio. MB20’s live drummer is Stacy Glen Jones who also plays with Miley Cyrus and keyboardist Matt Beck who has been a touring member since 1999. MB20 disbanded in 2004 and when they got back together in 2007 rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor, a founding member, did not rejoin. MB20 will release Where the Light Goes, their first album in 11 years. This will be their first album not produced by Matt Serletic. Gregg Wattenberg, Doucette, and Cook produced it together. The album features an orchestra on two tracks and a children’s choir on one. Opening the show was Thomas’s son Maison Thomas's band The Lucky and Matt Nathanson.
MB20 played a show of nearly two hours starting with “Friends” and played one of their biggest hits on song three with “Real World.” “If You’re Gone” was played acoustically. The encore was all major hits back to back with “3 A.M.,” “Unwell,” “Push,” and “Bright Lights.” This high energy show had the crowd on their feet the whole night and their screen and half moon stage prop provided great visuals as well as their lighting.
The U.S. leg of the Slow Dream Tour concludes August 6th at the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL. The Australian/ New Zealand part of the tour will begin again in Perth, Australia February 13th, 2024 and end in Plymouth, NZ at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands.
