Of all the bands that managed to go diamond (that's 10 million albums sold) back in the mid-'90s, when conditions were right for it, Matchbox Twenty looked the most like one-superhit wonders. It wasn't their fault; it just seemed like there were 10 million themselves-or-someones-like-them doing similar (if less effective) open-hearted post-grunge. Between "Smooth" and Mad Season, it didn't work out that way; Rob Thomas and company, as it turned out, had more hooks than we were giving them credit for.
If you're interested in hearing all of them -- I'm a "Bent," "Real World," "Push" guy, in that order -- I have good news: They're playing Comerica Theatre on Friday, July 26. Tickets go on sale a week from today, which leaves you just enough time to dig up your "Back 2 Good" CD single.
After the jump: Two songs from the past 10 years they'll probably play.
Keep in mind that if you miss this show, you can still consider the Matchbox Twenty Cruise, which A) is a real thing and B) doesn't even conflict, time-wise, with the Weezer Cruise.
I'm going to assume you're familiar enough with Yourself or Someone Like You and Mad Season to sing along if you're considering buying tickets for this show. So as a public service, here are their two most recent comeback singles, which they'll probably drop in between "If You're Gone" and "Long Day."
First: 2007's "How Far We've Come," the designated New Single on their greatest hits album, which just missed the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. I only regret that they didn't go deeper into the "We Didn't Start The Fire" well for the video.
Then there was "She's So Mean," the hiccuping lead single from last year's North.
You're welcome.
