Rob Thomas is still the coolest guy with the biggest voice in the business- both within Matchbox 20 and his solo work. The countdown to his latest album was on during his All Night Days Tour stop in Phoenix last week so Arizona got a proper celebration of Thomas’ euphoric new music mixed in with all the hits.
Before Thomas hit the stage, he picked out two stellar openers to curate the energy inside Arizona Financial Theatre- starting with The Lucky. The Los Angeles trio put their own spin on sunny pop-rock fusion, lighting up the room with their easy breezy tunes. Thomas’ son plays lead guitar in this project as well as joining his father onstage for the headlining set, pulling double duty to make this tour a true family affair.
A Great Big World cheekily remarked on their own slightly offbeat presence on this tour’s lineup, bringing soft, piano-driven tunes to the second spot of the night. The duo was charming and funny between songs, throwing in a cover of Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag” that awoke sections of the audience and won the hearts of anyone unfamiliar with the band’s game. “This is the New Year” never fails to inspire an emotional response and the band wove themselves solidly into the evening’s festivities.
A dome of light blinded the crowd when it was finally time for Rob Thomas to take the stage as he got everyone on their feet for “I Believe It” and “Can’t Help Me Now”. Dressed casually and backed by an unbelievable band, Thomas performed with an ease that comes with knowing that he’s the voice of a generation. The music is now transcending the kids of the 90s as this became a family show both onstage and in the audience- and Thomas made everyone feel welcome.
Sure he’s got his solo hits (“Her Diamonds”, anyone?) but Thomas made sure to include Matchbox 20 in the mix as well. Sprinkled throughout the new songs- with Thomas counting down the minutes since the album release- were the classics like “3AM”, a softer interpretation of “If You’re Gone” and more. His backing band was overflowing with talent and boasted stellar vocals, shredding guitars, mesmerizing keys and even a saxophone for that cherry on top of the musical spectrum.
Thomas spoke to his audience frequently throughout the show, commiserating about getting older, joking about the “rockstar life” and shining every spotlight on the musicians backing him up. The audience was up and dancing throughout as it’s simply not possible to sit still during “Streetcorner Symphony” and “Lonely No More”. Nearly two hours later, Thomas wasn’t done with Phoenix and he returned for an encore that included the title track from the new album and, of course, “Smooth” (with the Santana solo played to perfection by his son).
He might be lamenting getting older, but Thomas’ energy onstage keeps him and his audience young- even if just for one night at a time. Every track was a treat and fans of all ages left the theatre ready to keep the magic of Thursday’s show alive through the weekend and beyond.
