Matchbox Twenty October 7, 2023 Hammond Stadium Fort Myers, Florida

Hurricane Ian had been downgraded from category 5 to a category 4 hurricane when it made landfall on September 28, 2022, devastating parts of southwestern Florida. Particularly hard hit was the Fort Myers’ area and the beautiful islands off the coast. Relief efforts have been ongoing, and on this night, relief came in the form of the Hurricane Heroes All-Star concert featuring Matchbox Twenty, Don Felder and others. The Charity Pros put together this event at Hammond Stadium, the first time such an event was permitted in the stadium in over ten years. The facility is home to the Mighty Mussels minor league baseball team, and is the spring training facility for the Minnesota Twins. On this particular evening though, it was all about giving back to the community in the form of music.

Having seen Matchbox Twenty just two months prior (after the tour had been rescheduled three times over three years due to Covid), on their Slow Dream Tour- their first since 2017, I knew what to expect, but was no less entertained. In fact, the band was a bit more raw this time since their tour formally ended in August and they hadn’t been playing together nightly. A new drummer, playing his first gig with Matchbox that evening, also added to the rawness. 

Grab their new album, Where the Light Goes if you are so inclined, and snag some merch HERE. Enjoy this one!

Download this show HERE.

1, Friends
2. How Far We've Come

3. Real World

4. Disease

5. Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)

6. She's So Mean

7. All I Need

8. Queen of New York City

9. Hand Me Down

10. If You're Gone

11. Mad Season

12. Don't Get Me Wrong

13. These Hard Times

14. The Way

15. Downfall-Knocking on Heaven's Door

16. Bent

17. Back 2 Good

18. Long Day

19. Rebels

20. 3 AM

21. Unwell

22. Push

23. Bright Lights

24. Don't You (Forget About Me)

Matchbox Twenty September 26, 2000 Value City Arena Columbus, Ohio

 Seems odd now that this one didn't make it to the blog sooner. Here you have Matchbox Twenty touring for their sophomore release, Mad Season. I enjoy their early work much more now than I did back then. When Rob Thomas talks about his songs, a repetitive theme is he wants each one to have meaning to the individual listener. That seems to be the way it has worked for me. Throughout the years, these songs have become increasingly meaningful as I've had another twenty-three years to relate to some of them.

I remember thinking when the Columbus Dispatch review of the show came out, how unfair I thought the reviewer (who I knew back in the day) was. Still seems a bit harsh.

I had a chance to catch their tour for their fifth studio album, Where The Light Goes, in Tampa a few days back, which led me to post this one from the archive. 

Anyway, like them or not,  you can listen if you want.  

1. Bent

2. Crutch

3. Argue

4. Girl Like That

5. Kody

6. 3 AM

7. Last Beautiful Girl

8. The Burn

9. Long Day

10. Hang

11. You Won't Be Mine

12. Rest Stop

13. If You're Gone

14. American Girl

15. Mad Season

16. Angry

17. Real World

18. Back 2 Good

19. Stop

20. Leave

21. Busted

22. Push

23. Black and White People

Download this show HERE.

Check out their new album, however you prefer to listen.