Audience Welcomes Basic Rock And Roll
Matchbox 20 and Cool for August Sunday, March 1, Opera House
Certainly there was nothing new here.
The music and the show at the Opera House Sunday night seemed ready-made for the masses - two bands playing straightforward ‘90s rock and roll, the kind produced by any number of today’s top radio groups: Hootie and the Blowfish, Counting Crows, Sister Hazel.
Nevertheless, the masses gathered at the sold-out show seemed to enjoy the 2-1/2-hour performance by Cool for August and Matchbox 20.
Throngs of teenage girls and young women shrieked until their vocal chords (and my ears) must have bled. Lighters were lit, women swayed, and the crowd sang along with the radio hits.
What the concert lacked in innovation it made up for with solid rock and roll.
Five-man band Cool For August opened the show with guitar-soaked songs from its album “Grand World,” winning over an audience which likely had never heard of the group before.
With moves stolen directly from Mick Jagger, singer Gordon Vaughn strutted and swaggered about the stage. At one point he danced in circles so long he fell down.
Vaughn’s voice was Peter Murphy deep and moody, giving songs like “Trials” - about the death of Vaughn’s sister - a powerful edge. Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas joined Vaughn on stage for a cool cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” which had the audience clapping and singing along.
Cool for August ended its set with an impromptu water fight with Thomas.
The main attraction arrived on stage with a screen that flashed MTV-stylized video clips.
Matchbox 20 filled the Opera House with what it likes to call “power folk.” And the crowd, on its feet the entire show, was thrilled to hear radio hits like “Push” and “Girl Like That” performed live.
When Thomas crooned “3 a.m.” (the best song Adam Duritz wishes he wrote), the largely female audience added a pretty sing-along effect.
Matchbox 20’s limp rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” was made up for when Vaughn appeared back on stage with Thomas for a beautiful cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.”
, DataTimes