matchbox twenty tour 2023 songs

Here's Matchbox 20's 2023 tour setlist in Phoenix, from 'Push' to 'Don't Get Me Wrong'

The Slow Dreams Tour brought Matchbox Twenty to Phoenix for first time since 2017’s A Brief History of Everything Tour marking the 20th anniversary of their 10-times-platinum debut, "Yourself or Someone Like You."

And this time, that brief history includes their first new album in 11 years, the much anticipated "Where the Light Goes."

They set the tone for their performance with "Friends," the song that opens “Where the Light Goes,” and made their way through five selections from the album by the time their set was through, including the singles “Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)” and “Don’t Get Me Wrong.”

But that still left time for the hits, including all five singles from “Yourself or Someone Like You.”

Rob Thomas spoke to The Arizona Republic about how it feels to sing a song like “Push” or “3AM” nearly 30 years after recording them.

Weekend plans? Capt. Kirk, drag queens and street art are the best things to see in Phoenix this weekend

“I'm OK if I never heard those songs ever again,” he says. “But I'm OK with playing them every night.

"Like, there's a living, breathing energy we're sharing with everybody through these songs that have just kind of been around in their life for 27 years. There's no other way for us to look at it other than it's like a member of your family. It doesn't matter whether you like their politics or their conversation at dinner, they're in the (expletive) family."

Matchbox Twenty 2023 setlist for Phoenix stop on Slow Dreams Tour

“How Far We've Come”

“Real World”

“Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)”

“She's So Mean”

“All I Need”

“Queen of New York City”

“Hand Me Down”

“If You're Gone” (acoustic)

“Mad Season”

“Don’t Get Me Wrong”

“These Hard Times”

“Back 2 Good”

“Bright Lights”

Reach the reporter at  [email protected]  or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter  @ EdMasley.

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Matchbox Twenty Mark First New Music in Over a Decade With ‘Wild Dogs (Running In A Slow Dream)’

• By Emily Zemler

Emily Zemler

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Matchbox Twenty has debuted the first track off Where the Light Goes , out May 26 via Atlantic Records. The upbeat, optimistic song “Wild Dogs (Running In A Slow Dream)” is the rock group’s first new music since their 2012 LP North .

Where the Light Goes , the band’s fifth studio album, was produced by Gregg Wattenberg with band members Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook.

In the years since North , the members of Matchbox Twenty have been pursuing other projects. Frontman Rob Thomas released his fourth solo LP, Chip Tooth Smile , in 2019 and reunited with Santana in 2021 for the single, “Move.”

The Slow Dream Tour is the band’s first since 2017’s A Brief History of Everything tour, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You .

Tickets are currently on sale via the band’s website . Fans can also purchase limited-edition “instant” collectible CD sets and digital downloads from each tour show via Ticketmaster for a $5 discount when they purchase tickets. VIP ticket buyers will receive a free download card with their purchase of every VIP package.

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Matchbox twenty returns with new single, 2023 north american tour.

Posted by Buddy Iahn | Mar 17, 2023

Band set first new album in over a decade

Multi-Platinum, superstar hit making pop-rockers Matchbox Twenty return with new single “ Wild Dogs (Running In A Slow Dream) ,” marking their first new music release in over a decade. The song arrives alongside the announcement of the band’s forthcoming fifth studio album, Where The Light Goes , arriving May 26th via Atlantic Records. Produced by Gregg Wattenberg with Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook, the album finds the band surging with energy for another great batch of real, relevant, and relatable songs.

The band featuring Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, Paul Doucette, and Kyle Cook will be hitting the road this May for their 50+ date spring/summer tour, now officially named the Slow Dream Tour. Produced by Live Nation, the trek will begin on Tuesday, May 16th at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC and conclude on Sunday, August 6th at Chicago’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre. The outing is the band’s first since 2017’s A Brief History of Everything Tour which marked the 20th anniversary of their Diamond-certified debut album Yourself or Someone Like You .

The tour will feature newly announced support from Platinum-selling singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson for the first half of the tour and chart-topping singer-songwriter/producer Ben Rector on the second half. In addition to the tour dates currently on sale, Matchbox Twenty is pleased to announce a pair of new concerts set for Sunday, May 21st at Concord Pavilion in Concord, CA and Saturday, May 27th at The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, NV. Fan club members can purchase tickets for these newly added shows beginning Tuesday, March 21st at 10 am local time, with general on sale starting Friday, March 24th at 10 am local time via Ticketmaster .

The band is also working with VNUE’s DiscLive to offer fans limited edition “instant” collectible CD sets and digital downloads from each show of the tour. Fans may pre-order the CD sets via Ticketmaster for a $5 discount when they purchase tickets. VIP ticket buyers will receive a download card free with their purchase of every VIP package. Fans may also pre-order via Disclive.net to have CDs shipped or pick them up at the shows they attend.

Matchbox Twenty have quietly woven their songs into the very fabric of American popular culture. The band has sold over 40 million records worldwide, dominated charts, garnered multiple Grammy Award nominations, and played to millions of fans in arenas, amphitheaters, and stadiums across continents.

The band sounds refreshed as ever on Where The Light Goes , benefitting from the musicians’ respective solo journeys. Rob Thomas has proven one of the most highly decorated artists of recent years – releasing five solo albums and receiving three Grammy Awards, 11 BMI Awards, the first-ever Songwriters Hall of Fame Hal David Starlight Award, two Billboard Songwriter of the Year honors, and top five placement on Billboard’s Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters between 2000-2011. Meanwhile, Paul Doucette has scored and contributed original music to film and television series such as Utopia, For All Mankind , and more.

Matchbox Twenty’s Slow Dream Tour 2023 Tour Dates:

May 16 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena* May 18 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre* May 19 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheater* May 21 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion * May 22 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl* May 24 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center* May 25 – Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Bank Arena* May 27— Las Vegas, NV @ The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan* May 28 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre* May 30 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre* May 31 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre* June 2 – Sparks, NV @ Nugget Event Center*# June 3 – West Valley City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre* June 4 – Boise, ID @Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater* June 6 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena* June 8 – Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center Omaha* June 9 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center* June 10 – Welch, MN @ Treasure Island*# June 13 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center* June 14 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Center* June 16 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center* June 17 – Moline, IL @ Vibrant Arena at The Mark* June 18 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre* June 20 – St. Louis, MO @Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre* June 21 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Zoo*# June 23 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP* June 27 – Birmingham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre^ June 29 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion^ June 30 – Houston, TX @The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman^ July 2 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre^ July 3 – Nashville, TN @Bridgestone Arena^ July 5 – Jacksonville, FL @Daily’s Place^ July 7 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre^ July 8 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairground^ July 11 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion^ July 12 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek^ July 14 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake^ July15 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center^ July 16 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion^ July 18 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater^ July 19 – Bethlehem, PA @ The Wind Creek Event Center^ July 21 – Gilford, NH @Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion^ July 22 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena^ July 23 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center^ July 26 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach^ July 27 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live^ July 29 – Syracuse, NY @ St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview^ July 30 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center^ Aug 1 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater^ Aug 2 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage^ Aug 4 – Toledo, OH @ Toledo Zoo Amphitheater^ Aug 5 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center^ Aug 6 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre^

*Matt Nathanson supporting ^ Ben Rector supporting ~ Hudson Thames supporting # Non Live Nation show

About The Author

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: [email protected]

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Behind Matchbox Twenty's Biggest Hits: How A Camel, Real-Life Stunts & Happy Accidents Influenced "3AM," "Unwell," "Push" & More

As Matchbox Twenty set out on their extensive U.S. summer tour and release their fifth studio album, Rob Thomas and Paul Doucette share their most prominent memories from beloved songs like "Bent" and "Bright Lights."

On May 26, Matchbox Twenty will release their first album in over a decade, Where the Light Goes . Although it's been 11 years since they've put out new music and six years since their last tour, the group is still headlining arenas and amphitheaters all around North America this summer — a testament to the power of their music.

Since their first hit, 1997's "Push," Matchbox Twenty have been a stalwart on alternative and pop radio. Whether you were tuned into those stations or not, you likely know the choruses of "3AM" or "Unwell"; if you're a fan, you can't wait to belt those songs out when they come through your city.

"Over the course of the last 30 years, these songs [have] become part of people's fabric of their day to day," frontman Rob Thomas tells GRAMMY.com. "I just hope there is something on this record that affects people in ways that songs in the past have done."

Where the Light Goes ' 12 tracks continue the easy-to-enjoy melodies and thoughtful songwriting that made Matchbox Twenty so beloved — proof that even nearly 30 years in, they haven't lost their touch. But even though the group is releasing new music, it's clear from sitting down with Thomas and his bandmate, Paul Doucette , that they revel in their old tunes as much as any longtime fan. 

Before Matchbox Twenty kicked off their tour on May 16, Thomas and Doucette reminisced on the band's biggest hits — from the song that saved them to the music videos that could've killed them.

"Push," Yourself or Someone Like You , 1996

Thomas: "Push" is the song that saved us. We released our record in '96, and the day that it came out was the same day that Lava, our record label, folded, and a bunch of bands got dropped. We were possibly on the list because we put out a song called "Long Day" and it didn't react the way we wanted.

While Atlantic was having a conversation about dropping us, there was a guy named Dave Rossi, who was a program director in Birmingham, Alabama, who started to play "Push" on his own, because you could do that back then. And it just started to react in Birmingham — in a crazy way, it was, like, the No. 1 song immediately. So Atlantic was like, "Well, let's give this one more chance." So then they put some money behind "Push" and put it out to radio, and that was the saving grace for us.

Doucette: When the record came out, we were just on the road all the time playing to nobody — to like, the bar staff. 

Thomas: I remember once we played, for some reason, a punk club in Arizona, and like three bands played, then when we got on stage, everybody's like "This is a f—ing pop band!" and they left for our set, and then as soon as our set was over, they filed back in.

Doucette: But when we got to Birmingham, it was different. We saw it immediately. There were people there, and there were a lot of people there. That had never happened to us before, so that was sort of the big jolt of competence that we needed. 

Thomas: That was a tangible shift from that moment on. There was a "before" and "after" "Push."

"3AM," Yourself or Someone Like You, 1996

Thomas: When we were a local band, "Push" didn't exist yet. It was a whole 'nother group of songs, because we had a really bad falling out with other members of this band Tabitha's Secret. It got really litigious and contentious, and they had made me sign over copyrights. [So] we just went and wrote another record. The only thing we brought with us was "3AM," because in the local world, "3AM" was, like, the song.

Doucette: When I auditioned for Tabitha's Secret, the first song of Rob's I ever heard was "3AM." They had a demo of it, and they played it for me. And even then, you could hear it immediately. Just, like, This is a great song .

Thomas: Yeah, imagine the "3AM" you know, but just much s—tier.

Doucette: Oh, it was pretty s—ty, but you could hear the song. You know, you never know about how a song is going to do, but you do know, like, This song hits a mark . This is just a well-written song .

Thomas: I always think of "3AM" as the first song that I wrote that I liked. It was the first song that I wrote about something that I had been going through, and using songs as a certain kind of catharsis to tell the story. "3AM" was the first part of unlocking a puzzle for me — like, Oh, okay, this feels better than just trying to write love songs to pick up girls .

"Real World," Yourself or Someone Like You , 1996

Thomas: I think that was the first time that we ever had fun coming up with video stuff.

Doucette: We wanted to do something absurdist, but we hired a fashion photographer as the director. He's great, but he was the wrong director for that video. So it didn't turn out at all like we wanted it to, but now looking back on it, you're just like, but it is pretty weird . 

We had a camel. It was supposed to be an aardvark originally, but an aardvark couldn't walk on bowling alley [lanes].

I think it was a case of where [we went to] the animal trainer like, "We want an aardvark," and they were like, "Ah, I can't do that. I got a camel though." Now you're looking back and going, "Wait a minute, why are those the two things that you have?"

Thomas: And that camel was lovely, by the way. That camel had such a crush on me. She kept kissing me in between takes.

"Bent," Mad Season , 2000

Thomas: "Bent" was the first single off of our second record, but it was also our first No. 1 single [on the Billboard Hot 100]. That was a good feeling for us because we had had so many people explaining to us how after that first record did so well, the sophomore slump was inevitable, so we should just enjoy the success that we've had and be ready to move on.

I do a version of that song where I play it with an acoustic guitar, which was the way that song was written. And Paul was the one who heard it the way that it is now. I remember, I'll use the word hesitation — I think my actual feeling was, Dude, you're f—in' up my song!

[The opening guitar wail] was an accident. [Kyle] thought he was in another key, and so right when they're like, "Two, three," and it was just gonna be one note, but he was wrong, so he went [ imitates guitar wail ]. That was what we call a happy accident.

Doucette: That first record was massively successful for us. I mean, we sold like 20 million records or something. But in between that and "Bent," Rob did "Smooth" [with Carlos Santana]. 

And so, when "Bent" was coming out and it was No. 1, this happened on more than one occasion, where we'd do an interview and people would be like, "Well, how do you feel now that Rob has done 'Smooth' and now people know who you are?" We're like, "But we sold 20 million records before that!"

Thomas: I remember before I did "Smooth," Carlos' thing was like, I like this guy [on the demo], does he sing? [ Laughs ]

But you can imagine, there's no social media that existed back then. Like, there wasn't a narrative — we were like the most successful faceless band in the world. We had sold all these records, [but] the first time I was ever in Rolling Stone was a picture of me, fat at Glastonbury, and it said, "Rob Thomas has grown as a performer." And then it said, "Apparently, the road to success leads to the deli tray."

"If You're Gone," Mad Season , 2000

Thomas: In that video, there's a scene where I'm hanging, like 30 stories up in downtown L.A., over the edge of this building. And I actually was on that building, I was attached to a harness. And all I kept thinking was like, Don't have an earthquake, no tremors, no tremors, no tremors . I was legitimately scared. And even my wife, [who was] my girlfriend at the time, she had come out to check in on the video shoot, and came out to the top right during that scene, and said she felt like she was having a heart attack.

That was a song that was almost a second thought. We were like, "What do you wanna work on next?" And I was like, "Well, I've got this, I think it's just a little sweet ballad, so I'm not really sure if this is something we want to work on." And then I played it, and the guys were vibin' off it. I thought it was just this personal moment that I had written for Mati, my wife, so I didn't see it for what it was. Luckily the other guys did.

"Unwell," More Than You Think You Are , 2002

Thomas: At the time, the landscape was like Ludacris [having] the No. 1 record, and we're putting out this kind of semi-midtempo song with a banjo, like, "Here, try this!" But somehow [it] worked.

Doucette: That's sort of [our] most sustained song today. I think it has less streams on Spotify than "Push" or "3AM" does, but it's definitely the one that seems to have another little life, then another little life, then another.

Thomas: I just signed off on a new rapper that's gonna use "Unwell" in the chorus of their song. It seems to have that kind of thing. 

And also, I think a lot of people relate to it on a personal level, about mental health and well-being, and being okay to not be okay. There was a message in there that resonated with a lot of people at different points in their life.

And by the way, if it wasn't for Paul, that song was gonna [have] an upbeat vibe. It was like this [ sings uptempo version ] and Paul was like, "Oh, dude, you're high. It's a ballad."

Doucette: Or we could've listened to you, and that song could have gone to No. 1. Maybe I prevented it.

Thomas: You got that 1990s A&R mentality.

"Bright Lights," More Than You Think You Are , 2002

Thomas: One of the things about being fortunate enough to have success is that we really had a chance, by that third record, to feel like we knew who we were as a band. And "Bright Lights" kind of felt like who we were.</span

Your first record is, people are listening to us learn how to make a record and learn how to be a band, and then second record…we're a little better at it, and we shoot for the moon and spend a lot of money on 60-piece orchestras and producing the s— out of everything. And then by the third record, you find that zone, and "Bright Lights" was a really big part of that. 

I feel like it's one of the quintessential Matchbox Twenty live moments in every show. So much so that it was the only time that we did the video [as] an actual just live performance. 

Doucette: I can't see us ever not playing that song. Of all the songs that we've had — and we've been fortunate enough to have some really big songs — that song is kind of the defining one for us.

"How Far We've Come," Exile on Mainstream , 2007

Doucette: We had gotten together to do a couple of songs for the greatest hits [album]. And it was kind of the first time that we thought we would all write songs together. We were like, "Let's start from the beginning and let's just write stuff and see what happens."

We were in Rob's basement, and we just sat and watched Live Aid. We were so, so into the Boomtown Rats and their whole performance. We just all were so inspired by the feeling that we got from watching it, and then we did some deep dives and stuff. That so informed that writing session, which all of those [new] songs on that CD came from.

Thomas: We all stayed at my house for like three or four days, and it was nice because we'd all go out to dinner and really get to hang out as a band. And then we were coming back and being more creative and collaborative than we'd ever been at the time.

I had done a solo record, and we were coming back again, and coming out with something that's different for us — taking the chance on moving forward into a different direction, and hoping that fans would be generous enough and forgiving enough to come along on that journey with us. And we were really glad when they did. That's another, I think, really crucial part of a live show for us.

"She's So Mean," North , 2012

Thomas: We were really informed from our way that we started writing during Exile [on Mainstream] . That was in Kyle's studio, we're all standing in a circle and coming up with different parts of that song. I think Kyle's was [ sings ] "She'll make you take her to the club, but then she leaves with her friends."

And for the official record, that's not about anyone in particular. We have had toxic relationships, and we've been toxic to other people. We've run the gamut.

Doucette: When we were writing that song…it was more a metaphor — this thing that you were attracted to that is terrible for you, but you just keep doing it. That could be anything, it could be biting your nails. Like you can't stop doing this thing that is harming you.

Thomas: Oh, actually, by the way, Paul did physically set himself on fire in the video. That was real.

Doucette: And let me tell you — what you don't see is, on each side of me were two fire marshals, and they both had extinguishers. And I was wearing a flame retardant underneath my suit. But it had its moments where I was like, "Why am I doing this?"

There was one shot that they didn't get, like the flames had kind of died, and they really wanted to use it, so they enhanced that one shot and I was so bummed because it looks fake. And I was like, "People are gonna think this thing is fake, when I did it like four times."

The funny thing about that video is, everybody got hurt except me — except the man that was on fire.

Thomas: He had a little red necker for a little while after that though.

"Wild Dogs (Running In a Slow Dream)," Where the Light Goes , 2023

Doucette: So much of what you put out as the first single, there's a lot of voices in that conversation. We wanted it to be "Wild Dogs," because we liked the energy of it. We think it's a good song that does a couple things: It's a different song than people may be used to hearing from us, but we [also] think that it showcases an element of this record. So it was kind of important for us to come out and be like, "We're still Matchbox Twenty, but things have changed a bit."

Thomas: We were done with the record, we thought. We were packing it up and getting ready to start calling mixers, and Paul came in with a track that became "Wild Dogs" just right in the fourth quarter. It seemed really special, so we were like, "Let's give it a shot." 

Gregg Wattenberg, who produced this record, really kept it lean. There was a sense of a lot of this record of not spending too much time on something to keep that kind of vitality. There's this great thing when you first write a song, and you play it just enough where you've kind of got it on your fingers, but you haven't played it so much that you're trying to craft it — you still keep some of that vitality. And Gregg was really good about finding that point in those songs and getting out before we lost the vibrance.

"Don't Get Me Wrong," Where the Light Goes , 2023

Thomas: On other records, we've never had outside writers in, and there's a couple on this record. That song is one of those — I did it with Craig Wiseman and David Garcia .

As much as I love that song, and I would have been fine with it being a single, it felt better that the first single was a song that me and Paul and Gregg wrote — even though what Matchbox as a band did to that song is the reason why it sounds the way it sounds and it has the personality that it has. Because it doesn't sound like the demo that we did originally. That's just that sense of, as we get older, that idea of like, "We like that song, it doesn't really matter who wrote on it. It's a good song — let's make it our own."

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Rob Thomas And Carlos Santana

Photo: Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images

GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Santana & Rob Thomas Self-Assuredly Win Record Of The Year For "Smooth" In 2000

In the newest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch Santana and Rob Thomas win Record Of The Year at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards for "Smooth," the unlikely smash-hit pairing of the classic rock legend and Matchbox Twenty leader

By all accounts, Santana 's and Rob Thomas ' 1999 megahit "Smooth" almost didn't happen . In its embryonic stages, Carlos Santana was skeptical of the tune; the AM-radio effect on Thomas's voice alone engendered its own smattering of arguments.

But in a quintessential lesson about why you should never, ever give up, "Smooth" became the second-biggest single of all time , second only to Chubby Checker 's "The Twist." It also led to the 2000 GRAMMY Awards , where the unlikely pair won the GRAMMY for Record Of The Year .

In the newest episode of GRAMMY Rewind , revisit the moment 21 years ago when an unlikely gambit paid off in dividends, putting a feather in the cap of Matchbox Twenty 's leader and landing a classic rocker back on the airwaves.

Check out the throwback GRAMMY moment above and click here to enjoy more episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

Why Can't Anyone Get Woodstock Right? 15 Of The Original Fest's Performers Weigh In

Travis Scott

Photo: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

Everyone's A VIP At Clive Davis' Pre-GRAMMY Gala: From Travis Scott To Jimmy Jam To Brandi Carlile

Pass through the velvet rope at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles for an exclusive look at the star-studded 2019 Pre-GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons

On Feb. 9, on the eve of Music's Biggest Night, the 61st GRAMMY Awards , artists from across genres and decades gathered at the glitzy Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. for the 2019 Pre-GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons.

Less than 24 hours before the big red carpet walk today, the likes of current GRAMMY nominees Ella Mai , Dua Lipa , Diplo , Shaggy , Alice Cooper and Weird Al Yankovich , and GRAMMY winners Melissa Etheridge and Quincy Jones , brought their vibrant energy and killer looks at the annual celebration hosted by the Recording Academy and Clive Davis . Onlookers tried to spy the glam looks on the red carpet as they peered into the hotel's glass—we'll let you past the velvet rope and walk it with us as at this exclusive music industry event.

Dua Lipa & Ellie Goulding | Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images

This year's who's-who of music gala celebrated iconic industry veteran Clarence Avant , known as the Godfather Of Black Music, as the honoree of the evening. Like event host and fellow legend Davis, he helped launch the careers of many great artists, working with the likes of GRAMMY-winning greats Bill Withers , Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis of The Time.

The video celebrating Avant had countless heroes such as Former President Barack Obama, Jones, Diddy and JAY-Z sharing how much they love Avant, the powerful impact he's made on their lives and music, and how he always knows the right thing to say. Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow introduced him with a fitting complement, and a huge one given the company they were in: "You're the ultimate music person." The Time properly brought the funk on stage to celebrate Avant with a performance of their '80s hits "The Bird" and "Jungle Love," dancing as if no time had passed.

Current GRAMMY nominee Travis Scott set the mood opening the evening's performances with "Goosebumps" and "Sicko Mode," while sisters and fellow nominees Chloe x Halle  brought home a rousing cover of the late GRAMMY-winning Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin 's "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves." Brandi Carlile , another current GRAMMY nominee, returned to the stage to join the duo, along with past nominee Valerie Simpson and Broadway star Keala Settle , ending the evening on quite the high note.

Chloe x Halle | Photo: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

Other musical guests for the evening included current nominees Bebe Rexha , Florida Georgia Line and H.E.R. , along with past nominees Jazmine Sullivan and Ledisi , plus GRAMMY winner Rob Thomas . Sullivan and Thomas offered a powerful duet, belting out Aretha and George Michael's "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)."

As the evening rolled on, Davis made sure to highlight all the countless legends in the room, as the crowd continuously burst into applause and often up on their feet to celebrate the likes of music greats Barbara Streisand , George Clinton and Dionne Warwick , along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Apple's Tim Cook and even former-L.A. Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Don't forget to tune in to the 2019 GRAMMYs live from Staples Center today. Start with the  GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony at 12:30 p.m. PST/3:30 ET, then follow us to the red carpet at 2:00 p.m. PST/5:00 p.m. ET—both will be live streamed right here on right here on  GRAMMY.com .

Then the moment you've all been waiting for, the 61st GRAMMY Awards, hosted by 15-time GRAMMY winner  Alicia Keys , will air live at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT on CBS .

GRAMMY Nominees In Their Own Words: Brandi Carlile, H.E.R., Shawn Mendes, Janelle Monaé & More

Photos: WireImage.com

Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Adele: Record Of The Year GRAMMY Rewind

Time travel through GRAMMY history and revisit the impressive lineage of Record Of The Year winners

Numerically speaking, it's the first category on the GRAMMY Awards nominations list. Conversely, it is typically one of the final categories announced on the annual GRAMMY telecast. And its winners have spanned jazz, pop, rock, R&B, and Latin, among other genres.

What's the category? It's Record Of The Year, which is an award that goes to a track's artist, producer, engineer, mixer, and mastering engineer.

The Record Of The Year category's 59-year history offers a unique aural tour through the annals popular music — one that certainly has the makings for one powerfully diverse playlist. Record Of The Year: Full List Of Winners And Nominees There's Bobby Darin's swingin' "Mack The Knife" (1959), Henry Mancini 's exquisite "Days Of Wine And Roses" (1963), Frank Sinatra 's velvety "Strangers In The Night" (1966),  Simon And Garfunkel's inspired "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Roberta Flack's radiant "Killing Me Softly With His Song" (1973), and Captain & Tennille's breezy "Love Will Keep Us Together" (1975).

In the '80s, radio-friendly hits such as Toto's "Rosanna" (1982), Michael Jackson 's "Beat It" (1983) and Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It" (1984) were among the winning recordings.

The '90s netted the likes of Eric Clapton 's moving "Tears In Heaven" (1992), Whitney Houston 's ubiquitous "I Will Always Love You" (1993) and Santana featuring Rob Thomas' infectious "Smooth" (1999).

The Record Of The Year lineage continued into the 2000s and beyond with unforgettable hits such as U2 's "Beautiful Day" (2000), Green Day 's "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" (2005), Amy Winehouse 's "Rehab" (2007), Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers' "Get Lucky" (2013), and most recently, Adele 's "Hello" (2016).

Which recording will become the 60th Record Of The Year GRAMMY winner? Tune in to the 60th GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 28 to find out. What's The Difference? GRAMMY Record Of The Year Vs. Song Of The Year

Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images

Concerts & Technology: The Future Is Now

From fan-friendly apps and RFID bracelets to virtual reality, augmented reality and holograms, technology is changing how we experience live concerts

During Matchbox Twenty 's A Brief History Of Everything tour this year, fans who couldn't physically get to a concert could still enjoy the show: The GRAMMY-nominated band made use of state-of-the-art 360-degree cameras to present a fully immersive, fan-controlled virtual reality experience of their Oct. 4 performance in Denver. Additionally, fans purchasing VIP tickets could employ cutting-edge technology to get even closer to the band by entering a virtual space as a hologram to sing alongside a hologram of frontman Rob Thomas. <iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cwTxNdH-6CI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

VR is just one example of the wide range of technologies — from apps and RFID bracelets to augmented reality and holographic projection — that is having a profound impact on the way audiences experience live music. To forward-thinking artists like Thomas, the future for concerts and technology is now .

"I think we're at the moment where this stuff is really here," says Thomas. "There's skepticism, but I also remember when people were skeptical about whether the internet would take off. When Matchbox Twenty started, we connected with fans through bumper stickers and cassette tapes. Twenty years later, we're in virtual reality, which is pretty amazing. But with every jump forward in technology, it's still about connecting with fans."

In the near future, it's likely virtual reality concerts will shift from newsworthy to commonplace, but technology is also opening up some brave new possibilities for live shows themselves.

Metal fans looking ahead at this winter's concert schedule may be surprised to learn that Ronnie James Dio, who died in 2010, will be back on the road for a series of European shows starting in November. Attendees at the shows will indeed be hearing the estimable voice of Dio, but what they will see onstage will be members of his longtime band fronted by a hologram.

"Ronnie was always an innovator in music so why not an innovator in technology?" asks Wendy Dio, the singer's longtime manager. "There are plenty of fans of Ronnie's that would love to see him back up on the stage, and there a lot of people that never had a chance to see him — this is the only way that's possible now. I'm hoping I have Ronnie's blessing because I think this is the wave of the future and I think as more people experience it, they'll accept it.”

Eyellusion is the Los Angeles-based hologram company recreating Dio for the stage, and the company has also teamed with Frank Zappa 's estate to produce a new show centered on the iconoclastic artist. While the idea of bringing back deceased artists in virtual form has sparked debate, Eyellusion CEO Jeff Pezzuti points out that the technology can do much more.

<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7eiWahgEnFg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

"Hologram technology might be the main part of a show, or just part of a live show, or a way of capturing something for posterity that's never been possible before," Pezzuti explains. "And the digital assets we create can move across platforms into all sorts of uses. We know a hologram is not the real thing, but it's close enough now to have you walk out of a show saying, 'Holy s***!' We want to create those 'holy s***' moments."

The Zappa concerts are planned for late 2018  and will include a variety of holographic elements sharing the stage with musicians who toured and recorded with Zappa.

"My father was a futurist and a visualist who wanted to do this kind of thing in his lifetime," says son Ahmet Zappa, a co-trustee of the Zappa estate and an executive with Eyellusion. "'Hologram' describes the way in which Frank can come back, but that's a limited way of thinking. Really, what we're doing is using technology to unleash a whole new way of witnessing the bizarre world of Frank Zappa. It won't be just watching a hologram play guitar. If the band's performing Frank's song " Stink-Foot ," maybe it's sung by an 800-pound snakeskin platform boot. That's a different approach than what you'd expect for Dio, but it fits Frank."

Some might be tempted to write off such new technology as a novelty rather than a game-changer. But, according to Matchbox Twenty manager Nick Lippman, that depends on how the technology is used.

"It's only a gimmick if you don't know what you're doing with it," explains Lippman. "If you just step into the technology without a clear intention of what you're doing as an artist, it's not going to feel authentic. Artists shouldn't fit themselves to new technology — the technology has to actually serve the artist and the artist's fans."

<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iUjtSO8RaBQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Many industry insiders are embracing new technology as a boon to the concert business. Kevin Chernett, executive vice president of global partnerships & content distribution at Live Nation, oversees live streaming and virtual reality projects for the entertainment company, which this summer live-streamed Coldplay 's massive A Head Full Of Dreams concert in virtual reality.

"People are having their first VR experiences now and are surprised to find that the VR evokes the same emotions and thrills and energy that you'd feel when you're actually at a show — people stand up for the encore just like they would at the arena," says Chernett. "But we don't see any indication that people prefer their living room to the actual experience of a concert — all the technology actually helps to promote the live experience."

At those live experiences, concertgoers may not even be aware of the degree to which cutting-edge technology shapes what they're hearing and seeing.

"There have been quantum leaps forward in terms of the sound and lighting technology that's present in modern-day concerts compared to what it was a decade ago," says Gary Bongiovanni, editor of the concert trade publication Pollstar . "From the visual and audio perspective, we're producing a much higher-quality event all around and the technology is top notch — though it still takes talent onstage to make it all work."

<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A09Vx6RvV6Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Roger Waters' current Us +Them tour features lighting controlled by infrared sensors, real-time video editing of giant screen images and stage technology so new it's considered to be a prototype. Waters collaborated closely with artistic director Sean Evans to create a high-tech spectacle that would be powerful but still serve to showcase the music.

"We didn't want the tail to wag the dog," says Evans. "'Oh, here's some cool technology, let's find a way to use it.' On a tech level, there are all these great crazy new toys, but on a creative level you still have to figure out how to use it all in a compelling way." <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:33.33333333333333% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZSTC5gAdyl/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">CLEVELAND TOMORROW NIGHT! : @kate.izor</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Roger Waters (@rogerwaters) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-09-21T02:13:51+00:00">Sep 20, 2017 at 7:13pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

One effect in Waters' show — a laser-light representation of the prism from the album cover of Pink Floyd's 1973 album, Dark Side Of The Moon — was designed with a very specific purpose in mind.

"That image has been all over Instagram," says Evans. "And that was the idea — we wanted to make something iconic that people were going to put all over social media. It's a weird way to think about a show, but that's the environment now."

Technology is also extending the concert experience and upgrading audience amenities.

<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ndpICHt5-TA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Apps such as Pavemint help concertgoers find parking before the show while others help order food that can be delivered during the show. RFID bracelets enable festival attendees to go cashless, and USB bracelets let fans leave a venue with a download of the show they just witnessed. Live Nation recently launched a Facebook Messenger bot that lets the social experience of the concert begin during the ticket-buying process.

"I don't look at this kind of technology as a demographic thing — it's a psychographic thing," says Lisa Licht, chief marketing officer at Live Nation. "It's for people who really love concerts and are spending so much time on social media. Concerts have always been both a personal and a social experience, and now we're finding ways to bring those experiences together."

Over the next few years, today's extraordinary technology is likely to become ordinary, as financial barriers to entry drop, ease-of-use increases, and artists, fans and the industry embrace new tech-friendly horizons.

Thomas is looking forward to some added benefits of the virtual concert world.

"Fans want to jump onstage with us in VR, but I'm more excited to be out in the crowd watching us play — that's a point of view I've never really had before. And if we get to the point where I could just play the live show and then send my hologram to the after-party to do the mingling, that would be awesome."

( Chuck Crisafulli is an L.A.-based journalist and author whose most recent works include  Go To Hell: A Heated History Of The Underworld, Me And A Guy Named Elvis, Elvis: My Best Man,  and  Running With The Champ: My Forty-Year Friendship With Muhammad Ali.)

Should You Be Using Musical.ly?

• 1 Behind Matchbox Twenty's Biggest Hits: How A Camel, Real-Life Stunts & Happy Accidents Influenced "3AM," "Unwell," "Push" & More
• 2 GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Santana & Rob Thomas Self-Assuredly Win Record Of The Year For "Smooth" In 2000
• 3 Everyone's A VIP At Clive Davis' Pre-GRAMMY Gala: From Travis Scott To Jimmy Jam To Brandi Carlile
• 4 Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Adele: Record Of The Year GRAMMY Rewind
• 5 Concerts & Technology: The Future Is Now

• Consequence

Matchbox Twenty Announces First New Album in 11 Years, Share Lead Single

They're also heading out on an extensive 50-date tour

Matchbox Twenty are revving back up their engines, as they’ll return in May with the release of their first new album in over a decade. Entitled Where The Light Goes , it’s due out on May 26th via Atlantic Records.

As a preview, the band has shared the first single, “Wild Dogs (Running In A Slow Dream).”

Additionally, the band has announced an extensive North American tour, their first such outing in six years. Spanning over 50 dates, the “Slow Dream Tour” kicks off on May 16th in Vancouver and runs through early August. Matt Nathanson will provide support on the the first half of the tour, while Ben Rector will open the second leg. Tickets are now on sale here .

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Matchbox Twenty 2023 Tour Dates

05/16 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena * 05/18 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre * 05/19 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheater * 05/21 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion * 05/22 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl * 05/24 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center * 05/25 – Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Bank Arena * 05/27— Las Vegas, NV @ The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan * 05/28 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre * 05/30 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre * 05/31 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre * 06/02 – Sparks, NV @ Nugget Event Center *# 06/03 – West Valley City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre * 06/04 – Boise, ID @Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater * 06/06 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena * 06/08 – Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center Omaha * 06/09 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center * 06/10 – Welch, MN @ Treasure Island *# 06/13 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center * 06/14 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Center * 06/16 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center * 06/17 – Moline, IL @ Vibrant Arena at The Mark * 06/18 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre * 06/20 – St. Louis, MO @Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre * 06/21 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Zoo *# 06/23 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP * 06/27 – Birmingham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre ^ 06/29 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion ^ 06/30 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman ^ 07/02 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre ^ 07/03 – Nashville, TN @Bridgestone Arena ^ 07/05 – Jacksonville, FL @Daily’s Place ^ 07/07 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre ^ 07/08 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairground ^ 07/11 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion ^ 07/12 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek ^ 07/14 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake ^ 07/15 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center ^ 07/16 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion ^ 07/18 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater ^ 07/19 – Bethlehem, PA @ The Wind Creek Event Center ^ 07/21 – Gilford, NH @Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion ^ 07/22 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena ^ 07/23 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center ^ 07/26 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach ^ 07/27 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live ^ 07/29 – Syracuse, NY @ St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview ^ 07/30 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center ^ 08/01 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater ^ 08/02 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage ^

* = w/ Matt Nathanson ^ = w/ Ben Rector

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Matchbox Twenty on 'unfinished business,' how touring does 'vile things' to their bodies

On Matchbox Twenty’s new single, “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” Rob Thomas sings, “I’m feeling calm but I’m never relaxed.”

It’s a universal sentiment, but one that seems particularly suited to a Matchbox Twenty resurgence.

“Everything after (you turn 40) is this sense of, I’m not always comfortable in my own skin and that’s perfectly OK,” Thomas says . “It’s part of the human experience to feel that way.”

After nearly 30 years of existence, a procession of ubiquitous radio hits (“Real World,” “Bent,” “3AM,” “Unwell,” “How Far We’ve Come,” “She’s So Mean”) and five albums – including Friday’s “Where The Light Goes” – Matchbox Twenty could easily fill venues for years with the millennial faithful who matured with them and a crop of newer fans who might also be familiar with Thomas’ extensive solo work (“Lonely No More,” “Smooth”).

But instead, the quartet of Thomas, bassist Brian Yale, guitarist/drummer Paul Doucette and lead guitarist Kyle Cook, are bulldozing through 50-plus dates on their just-launched Slow Dream tour and rewarding fans with a solid new album – their first in more than a decade ‒ that reflects their unchanging casual-button-down-and-jeans style in songs such as “Friends” and “Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream).”

All of the guys have hit 50 (excepting Cook, who is 47) and they’re approaching this next phase with a combination of enjoyment and gratitude.

Thomas and Doucette tell us more about why they’re still comfortable in a changed music industry.

Question: It’s been more a decade since you last recorded an album, so what was it like getting back in the studio and why did this feel like the right time to do it?

Thomas: As a band we had come to conclusion that we didn’t think we’d make another full length record. Maybe the business model would be to tour every few years, do a song or two for us and our fans. But after the (COVID-related) 2020-21 tour postponement and then postponing again in 2022, we felt a real commitment to fans that maybe a tour wasn’t enough. Kyle started the idea of making a real record and having something for the fans that’s a little more exciting than just waiting three years to hear the songs they know.

The industry has changed so drastically since your first albums, and especially your 1996 debut (“Yourself or Someone Like You”), which sold 12 million copies. Do you think we’ll ever see artists achieving Diamond status (10 million sold) with an album again?

Thomas: The biggest artists, like the Taylors and Beyoncés, I don’t even know if they’re doing Diamond (numbers).

Doucette: I don’t see how that comes back. How do you introduce that business model again? That ship has sailed. When you bought a CD you were buying a physical thing and unless there’s another thing that comes with music, I don’t know why people would buy it.

Thomas: And that new physical thing has to become the standard. Record sales are no longer the carrot they used to be and that’s not the litmus test anyone is judging by now. There are so many factors of engagement. I just think our bar is moving ‒ not higher or lower, but just what the bar is and what we consider success is changing.

Doucette: When you look at the charts and see the No. 1 album in the country sold 20,000 records? 

That would have been a really bad sales week for the band in 2000.

Doucette: We probably wouldn’t have done anything else after that.

When working on “Where the Light Goes,” did you think about how the industry might view it or was it simply a feeling of, we want to make a new album?

Doucette: It was way more of a personal decision and that we had unfinished business . We haven’t finished doing everything we wanted to do as a band that puts out new material. Over these past 11 years, that was a hole for a lot of us. When the stars aligned, that’s why we wanted to do it. How the album does, I don’t know how much we thought about it. There’s the understanding it’s been 11 years, we’re in our 50's, and it’s a huge Hail Mary pass if you’re looking at it only through that lens.

You’ve got a lengthy tour this spring and summer and it’s your first time out in about six years. How do you feel about getting back out there?

Thomas:  We’ve always been a live band . Before we were signed we were the band that was gigging and trying to play frat parties. When we put our first record out, we were touring, touring, touring, so for us it’s always been part of the cycle. It starts with the inception and creation and then the promotion. The presentation is what closes the loop when we get to share it with fans. It’s inherent to who we are as a band to get out there and really care about a good live show.  

Why are you calling it the Slow Dream tour?

Thomas: It sounds pretty.

Doucette: There were two things we liked about it. It connects to the single “Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)" and it felt like a tour I would go see in 1983 or '85, like, it’s Level 42 and the Slow Dream tour! We’re children of the ‘80s and we embrace that more and more as we get older.

What are some of your road routines?

Thomas: I have to come in and sing way too hard, way too often, lose my voice, build up those callouses and then get it back before the tour because that’s when it’s strong. I’ll tell you at the end of this tour what it does to our bodies (laughs). We forget time has passed and we do really vile things to our bodies up there. We throw them around like rag dolls. My chiropractor was like, no more jumping off the piano, that knee isn’t going to take it. People forget sometimes that it’s our good time, too. This is our escape. That’s the best part of this whole thing, those couple of hours a night. You have buses of crew guys, all the local vendors, all of the fans who have to get babysitters and parking all for this two hours and it’s like a circus tent. You tear it down and you take it to another town and set it back up. It’s that whole micro universe.

Doucette: You also get spoiled. I’ll walk into a venue and someone will be like, “Paul, can I get you a coffee?” That doesn’t happen to me in my normal life (laughs). So I’m like, I can enjoy this for a few months.

Music notes:

• Farewell to a rock queen: The legendary Tina Turner dies at 83
• More 'Midnights': Taylor Swift enlists Ice Spice, more Lana Del Rey for deluxe edition of album
• A country titan: Garth Brooks brings his rollicking live show to a new Las Vegas residency

Music | Matchbox Twenty returns with new music and…

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Music | delaine eastin, first woman to serve as california’s superintendent of public instruction, dead at 76, music | matchbox twenty returns with new music and plenty of california shows, matchbox twenty performs at concord pavilion, hollywood bowl, more.

Matchbox Twenty is back with its first new music in more than a decade.

And the pop-rockers plan to showcase the material in an upcoming tour that includes a number of stops in California.

Matchbox Twenty — featuring Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook — kicks off a lengthy string of Golden State dates with a show on May 21 at Concord Pavilion. From there, the group performs May 22 at the Hollywood Bowl, may 24 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, May 25 at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, May 28 at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine and May 30 at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego.

Tickets to the Concord show go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. March 24, livenation.com . Fan club members can buy ducats beginning 10 a.m. March 21.

Visit matchboxtwenty.com for more ticketing details on all shows.

These concerts are part of the band’s 50-plus-date Slow Dream Tour, which supports the group’s forthcoming fifth studio outing, “Where The Light Goes,” which will be released May 26 on Atlantic Records.

The band has just released the single “Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)” from the forthcoming album.

Matchbox Twenty – Slow Dream Tour

5/16 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena*

5/18 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre*

5/19 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheater*

5/21 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion *

5/ 22 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl*

5/ 24 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center*

5/ 25 – Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Bank Arena*

5/27— Las Vegas, NV @ The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan*

5/28 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre*

5/30 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre*

5/ 31 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre*

6/2 – Sparks, NV @ Nugget Event Center*#

6/ 3 – West Valley City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre*

6/4 – Boise, ID @Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater*

6/ 6 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena*

6/8 – Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center Omaha*

6/9 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center*

6/10 – Welch, MN @ Treasure Island*#

6/13 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center*

6/14 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Center*

6/ 16 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center*

6/17 – Moline, IL @ Vibrant Arena at The Mark*

6/ 18 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre*

6/ 20 – St. Louis, MO @Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre*

6/ 21 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Zoo*#

6/ 23 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP*

6/ 27 – Birmingham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre^

6/29 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion^

6/ 30 – Houston, TX @The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman^

7/2 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre^

7/3 – Nashville, TN @Bridgestone Arena^

7/ 5 – Jacksonville, FL @Daily’s Place^

7/7 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre^

7/ 8 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairground^

7/11 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion^

7/ 12 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek^

7/14 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake^

7/15 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center^

7/16 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion^

7/18 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater^

7/19 – Bethlehem, PA @ The Wind Creek Event Center^

7/21 – Gilford, NH @Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion^

7/22 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena^

7/23 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center^

7/26 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach^

7/27 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live^

7/29 – Syracuse, NY @ St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview^

7/30 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center^

8/1 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater^

8/ 2 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage^

8/ 4 – Toledo, OH @ Toledo Zoo Amphitheater^

8/ 5 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center^

8/ 6 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre^

* Matt Nathanson supporting

^ Ben Rector supporting

~ Hudson Thames supporting

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Matchbox Twenty Plan New Music, Slow Dream Tour Dates 

Matchbox Twenty announced plans for the first release of new music in more than a decade, in support of their upcoming “Slow Dream Tour.”  The tour dates will kick off in May, with the album – titled Where The Light Goes, scheduled for release on May 26.

Hey guys, there are so many BIG things happening in MB20 world and it all starts TODAY! First, you can listen to our brand new single "Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)" now at: https://t.co/13as7AMYrU Seriously, go now and listen to it, like, a hundred times. We’ll wait. pic.twitter.com/yJuiHKLfsi — Matchbox Twenty (@MatchboxTwenty) March 17, 2023

This tour will be Matchbox Twenty’s first since 2017’s, “A Brief History of Everything,” tour. Singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson will be a special guest for the first half of the tour. Singer-song writer/producer Ben Rector will be joining the second half.

Matchbox Twenty is also teaming up with VNUE’s DiscLive to offer fans limited-edition collectable CD sets and downloads from each show of the tour. The CD sets will be available for pre-order on Ticketmaster for a five dollar discount when tickets are purchased. VIP ticket buyers will automatically receive a free download care with their purchase of a VIP package. Pre-orders are available via Disclive.net to have CDs shipped or picked up at the show attended.

The Slow Dream Tour is highly-anticipated, with constant tweets from the band about their new music. They’ll be making stops in popular cities such as Hollywood, Las Vegas, Denver, Nashville and Tampa. Grab your tickets today!

Ticket Links

Matchbox Twenty tickets at MEGASeats | 10% off use code TICKETNEWS Matchbox Twenty tickets at ScoreBig Matchbox Twenty tickets at SeatGeek Matchbox Twenty tickets at StubHub Matchbox Twenty tickets at Ticket Club | Free membership use code TICKETNEWS Matchbox Twenty tickets at Vivid Seats

Matchbox Twenty – Slow Dream Tour Dates

5/16 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena* 5/18 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre* 5/19 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheater* 5/21 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion * 5/ 22 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl* 5/ 24 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center* 5/ 25 – Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Bank Arena* 5/27— Las Vegas, NV @ The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan* 5/28 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre* 5/30 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre* 5/ 31 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre* 6/2 – Sparks, NV @ Nugget Event Center*# 6/ 3 – West Valley City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre* 6/4 – Boise, ID @Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater* 6/ 6 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena* 6/8 – Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center Omaha* 6/9 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center* 6/10 – Welch, MN @ Treasure Island*# 6/13 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center* 6/14 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Center* 6/ 16 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center* 6/17 – Moline, IL @ Vibrant Arena at The Mark* 6/ 18 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre* 6/ 20 – St. Louis, MO @Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre* 6/ 21 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Zoo*# 6/ 23 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP* 6/ 27 – Birmingham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre^ 6/29 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion^ 6/ 30 – Houston, TX @The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman^ 7/2 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre^ 7/3 – Nashville, TN @Bridgestone Arena^ 7/ 5 – Jacksonville, FL @Daily’s Place^ 7/7 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre^ 7/ 8 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairground^ 7/11 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion^ 7/ 12 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek^ 7/14 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake^ 7/15 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center^ 7/16 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion^ 7/18 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater^ 7/19 – Bethlehem, PA @ The Wind Creek Event Center^ 7/21 – Gilford, NH @Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion^ 7/22 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena^ 7/23 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center^ 7/26 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach^ 7/27 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live^ 7/29 – Syracuse, NY @ St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview^ 7/30 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center^ 8/1 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater^ 8/ 2 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage^ 8/ 4 – Toledo, OH @ Toledo Zoo Amphitheater^ 8/ 5 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center^ 8/ 6 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre^

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Matchbox Twenty Had Written Off Future Recordings, Then Turned in a New Album About Now

'Where the Light Goes,' due out May 26, features a guest turn by Amanda Shires

By Leena Tailor

Leena Tailor

• Backstreet Boys at 30: Debbie Gibson, Joey Fatone, Friends, Family, Fans, Execs and More Share Their Memories 1 week ago
• Matchbox Twenty Had Written Off Future Recordings, Then Turned in a New Album About Now 1 year ago
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Asked by a Twitter follower if Matchbox Twenty ’s forthcoming album “Where the Light Goes” features bonus tracks, band co-founder Paul Doucette replied, “No. But really the record is a bonus, so yes 12.” Fans may have chuckled, but the multi-instrumentalist wasn’t kidding. In his mind, future recordings with the Grammy-nominated group were not in the cards.

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Throw in Kyle Cook’s solo ventures and brief departure from the group and Thomas’ hesitations around losing the autonomy of his solo career (releasing “Chip Tooth Smile” in 2019, a Christmas album in 2021 and co-writing songs with artists including Carlos Santana and Conrad Sewell) and the band could have simply continued touring with hits like “Push,” “3AM” and “Long Day.”

But as their anthemic album opener, “Friends,” notes, “There’s a rhythm to the way life goes,” and for Thomas (vocals), Cook (guitar, vocals, keys), Doucette (guitar, drums, keys, background vocals) and Brian “Pookie” Yale (bass), that meant finding their way back to the studio — even if it takes 11 years.

Initially planning several new songs for tour, a full album — their fifth full-length for Atlantic Records –naturally culminated from three postponements, antsy fans and a pile-up of tracks.

“Once songs develop color and personality, it’ like, ‘Hey, this is who we are now,’” says Thomas. “Then we can build on that because part of the journey’s figuring out what our individual parts sound like when they’re together again — and do we still like it? Luckily, we did.”

While lyrics like “All my friends are here” are itching to be performed live amid long-awaited reunions with fans and crew, Thomas initially dismissed the challenging track. However, Doucette defiantly persevered.

“It was about the joy it brought me when I came up with that opening,” says Doucette, who produced the album alongside Cook and Gregg Wattenberg. “It made me so happy because it reminded me of T’Pau. I went, ‘I can’t ever give up on this song,’ so kept going and going.”

Featuring vocals from Doucette and Wattenberg’s children, the track was almost as arduous as “One Hit Love,” which Doucette started then relinquished to the too-hard basket. Thomas, Wattenberg, a choir and poignant strings arrangement helped rescue the stirring slow-tempo.

“It was like slaying a dragon,” confesses Doucette. “But what’s great about Greg Wattenberg is he’ll push, push and keep pushing, even when Rob and I go, ‘We’ve got it.’”

It was Wattenberg who suggested singer-songwriter Amanda Shires duet with Thomas on the cheerful “No Other Love.” Cook, who released solo effort “Wolves” in 2019, meanwhile, takes center stage in soulful, self-penned “I Know Better.”

But it’s punchy tunes like “Don’t Get Me Wrong” and the title track which encapsulate the DNA of Matchbox Twenty, perfected after 30 years of music-making. Sounding like it was plucked from an ‘80s movie, rock-fuelled “Where the Light Goes” reflects the unwavering influences the era left on the band. Sure to command concert-goers to their feet, the feel-good track’s finishing touch was Doucette’s drumming.

“[Drummer] Gunnar [Olsen] played phenomenally, but there was something that didn’t feel like Matchbox Twenty,” says Doucette. “It’s tiny things like where I lay the snare against Rob’s voice or the way Kyle or Pookie play, which is the sound of Matchbox.”

“If people imagined the next phase of Matchbox Twenty, they would imagine that song,” adds Thomas . “It needed Paul playing drums to add the last ingredient.”

The core ingredients of all four band members were key to Matchbox Twenty’s return. Yet, just like Doucette, Cook once wrote off further music-making with the group. The father-of-two exited in 2016, citing a communication breakdown.

Thomas reflects on the conflict as a “non-event” given that the band weren’t working together at the time and made amends in time for 2017’s “A Brief History of Everything” tour.

“It’s funny because had you not brought that up, I’d forgotten,” adds Doucette. “We’ve all had that period [of doubts]. Kyle was maybe more public and went further with it.”

“We joke about that,” says Thomas. “It’s like, ‘Dude, we found out on Twitter!’”

And while the foursome still faces tense moments — like the band’s first album meeting ending in a fight — they swiftly move on.

“It doesn’t escalate the way it used to,” says Thomas. “There were definitely periods where I’d do something with Paul and Gregg and Kyle’s initial response wasn’t favorable, but because we weren’t all in there fighting, he would live with it for two days then call back saying, ‘I see where that was going now.’ Or I’d tell Paul, ‘That’s not a bridge,’ then days later, I’m saying, ‘That’s a perfect bridge.’ There’s something to be said about living with something to really see how you feel about it.”

Adds Doucette: “There’s a love between us that’s eternal and the only time that’s hard is when we’re creating. With four people trying to make something, it’s tough, but for this record that was less so, maybe because we made it in chunks.”

Working virtually on songs before recording batches in New York helped accommodate the individual commitments and passions which have tugged the musicians in different directions. Today, they acknowledge their priorities largely lie outside Matchbox Twenty, with Doucette recounting how sending his child to college recently sharpened his focus.

“I realized how little of their life was spent around Matchbox Twenty,” says Doucette. “It’s like, ‘Here’s the most important thing — being a father — and here’s how little Matchbox [has featured in that].’ Matchbox isn’t unimportant and I’ll be in Matchbox until I die, but that put it into perspective.”

“In our twenties, it was like being in an army family for our families,” adds Thomas. “Everything was in service of Matchbox Twenty. If we had to leave, we never questioned it. Years went by and we gave everything because it meant everything to us. As you get older, you have other gardens to tend to and Matchbox Twenty becomes far from the only important thing, so it’s easier to imagine letting go.”

“The thing about where we are now is it feels like where we should be,” Thomas continues. “There was a moment making this record where I went, ‘This is the exact record I’m supposed to be making and these are the people I’m supposed to be making it with.’ Not because we swore we’d keep the band together, but because our lives converged again in a natural way that felt like this is where we’re supposed to be.”

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Matchbox Twenty

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• August 2, 2023 Setlist

Matchbox Twenty Setlist at Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, Canada

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• Friends Play Video
• How Far We've Come Play Video
• Real World Play Video
• Disease Play Video
• Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream) Play Video
• She's So Mean Play Video
• All I Need Play Video
• Queen of New York City Play Video
• Hand Me Down Play Video
• If You're Gone ( Rob Thomas & Kyle Cook ) Play Video
• Mad Season Play Video
• Don’t Get Me Wrong Play Video
• Overjoyed Play Video
• The Way Play Video
• Bent Play Video
• Back 2 Good Play Video
• Long Day Play Video
• Rebels Play Video
• 3 A.M. Play Video
• Unwell Play Video
• Push Play Video
• Bright Lights Play Video

Edits and Comments

2 activities (last edit by avsfan3196 , 3 Aug 2023, 03:42 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Bright Lights
• Hand Me Down
• Don’t Get Me Wrong
• Queen of New York City
• Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)
• Back 2 Good
• If You're Gone
• She's So Mean
• How Far We've Come

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Matchbox Twenty Kick Off Slow Dream Tour with Live Debuts

Setlist Insider: Matchbox Twenty

Budweiser stage.

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Matchbox Twenty Gig Timeline

• Jul 30 2023 Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Springs, NY, USA Start time: 8:50 PM 8:50 PM
• Aug 01 2023 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center Darien Center, NY, USA Add time Add time
• Aug 02 2023 Budweiser Stage This Setlist Toronto, ON, Canada Add time Add time
• Aug 04 2023 Toledo Zoo Amphitheater Toledo, OH, USA Add time Add time
• Aug 05 2023 Ruoff Music Center Noblesville, IN, USA Add time Add time

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