Multi-platinum-selling artist, Rob Thomas, unleashed his signature sound at PNC Bank Art Center in Holmdel, NJ, on August 13th, delivering a highly entertaining spectacle that had the crowd standing and singing all night.
Most people will know Rob as the lead singer in Matchbox Twenty, but he also has a successful solo career, with five albums over the last 20 years, and his sixth album, All Night Days, is coming out this September. Rob is currently crisscrossing the U.S. for a 25-date summer tour with special guests, The Great Big World, before taking his tour down under to Australia and New Zealand in September.
Band members, Rob Thomas [vocals/guitar], Matt Beck [guitar, keyboards], Able Fogle [drums], Maison Thomas-Eudy [lead guitar], Korel Tunador [guitar, keyboards, saxophone] and Al Carty [bass] delivered a set filled with nostalgic hits, unshakable charisma, and new songs from All Night Days.
Rob opened the show with “I Believe It” from All Night Days in his rich, soulful voice and infectious smile, instantly locking in the crowd. Wearing a black shirt with a lightning bolt was incredibly apropos, given the venue’s delayed opening and the threat of the show being almost canceled due to a massive lightning storm that hung over PNC for an hour.
Everything you could want from his concert happened on stage tonight. It was Rob Thomas, the master storyteller and rock ‘n’ roller, who moved the show at a dizzying pace with fast, short, and powerful songs. He effortlessly glided across the stage with grace, striking poses with a mic or a guitar like punctuation to each song. No guide vocals, no backing tracks, just honest talent, with his voice and the band’s harmonies ringing out in perfection.
What makes Rob‘s show such an entertaining and immersive experience is the way he brings real-time emotions to life through his music. He shared how the song “Little Wonders” started about his dog, but then blossomed in appreciation of all the little parts of life that make every day worth living, for not just the big moments. With acoustic guitar in hand, for another new song, he quipped that “Hard to Be Happy” is a happy little song about death. For the setup on “Getting Late,” he told the crowd to imagine we were all on his back porch to help envision the moment and inspiration of the song. He also paid tribute to his lead guitarist and son, Maison, with whom he was obviously beyond excited to be sharing the stage.
Alongside his extensive body of solo songs, such as “Streetcorner Symphony,” “Lonely No More, and “Heaven Help Me,” the 22-song setlist included “If You’re Gone” and a reimagined version of “3 am” with Rob center stage on piano from Matchbox Twenty‘s catalogue.
In the final stretch of the nearly two-hour show, the most emotionally compelling song of the night came when Rob performed the Grammy Award-winning song “Smooth”. He mentioned that, despite it being played non-stop at weddings and bars, the only two people who should be playing it were he and Carlos Santana.
His versatility was on full display throughout the performance, blending powerful rock anthems with soulful, emotional moments. His show crystallized that there was an unbridled passion, excitement, and power when these musicians hit the stage that cannot be adequately captured on any cell phone video. They are a band that must be experienced live, from the edge of the stage!
Tickets for Rob‘s All Night Days Tour can be found here.
