I recently shared my jubilation after attending Matchbox Twenty’s first Eora/Sydney show on the long-awaited Slow Dream tour. That was one of three Matchbox shows I attended in just eight days this tour. I considered writing a review of each one, as each was special in its own right, but instead, with the dust settling on that frenetic, fantastic period I thought instead I’d write a post about embracing your deep passion for a band.
Twelve years is an awfully long time to be without live shows from your favourite band. It’s what inspired me to buy tickets to several concerts this tour. Depending on your perspective, three shows in a single tour might be a lot or it might be fairly conservative for a hardcore fan. For me it was the sweet spot. In 2012, the last time Matchbox played Australia, I bought tickets to a single show. I reasoned that I was a wife now, we were saving for a house, I had more important things to spend my money on. In truth though, nothing is more important than embracing a deep passion. I saw my single show and I loved it, but then I crashed hard. So much build-up to a tour and then it was all over in a matter of hours. I swore I’d never just do a single show for this band or Rob solo again.
I haven’t done three shows in a tour since Matchbox came out here for their More Than You Think You Are tour in 2003. I haven’t seen a local show and still travelled interstate since John Mayer came out for his Room for Squares tour in 2002. Back then I was a single woman, still living with my parents. I had no responsibilities beyond a retail job, so I thought nothing of just taking off for a little “me” time. What I learned this tour is that you’re never too far away from that person, no matter how years pass. And you owe it to yourself to nurture that part of you when you can.
So this time, three shows. A couple of days in between each one to catch my breath and get excited about the next one. I’m so glad I did it. The first show totally overwhelmed me. It was a whirlwind, with my emotions just on the surface through the whole thing. It was beautiful, but I was so glad I had Mulubinba/Newcastle a few days later to enjoy a little more calmly. I was a couple of rows further back, so I felt I could take that one in a little more, without all my heightened emotions getting in the way. In Meeanjin/Brisbane a few days after that I had second row seats, so I was just in it. I allowed myself to take photos in just two songs and put my camera away for the rest of it. In Mulubinba/Newcastle, without my husband there, I felt pressure to capture all the moments and that took me out of songs. In Meeanjin/Brisbane, I told myself just to remember them, feel them. They’re all in there. I danced hard, I sang loud (the evidence it all over my friend’s videos!), I was there.
Oh, and somewhere in there, I happened to catch a flight with my favourite band. I’m not a great believer in manifesting or things of that nature, but I’m thrilled I got some time to chat to them, to thank them for returning after all this time, to get signatures on my favourite album 15 years after my original signed copy was stolen. It really made this tour better than I could have ever hoped it to be.
The beautiful thing about seeing more than one show on a tour is that every extra gig feels like a bonus. I have had the most wonderful, exciting, week or so of my life, but I’m not crashing as I rejoin the real world. I’m holding memories close and they’ll satisfy me until the next time, whenever that may be. I know with the cost of living, not everyone is in the position to see multiple shows on a tour, to travel interstate. Not everyone has friends and family willing to put them up or drive them around when they’re there. Not everyone has a spouse willing to support them taking time out from their adult responsibilities for a while or a job that’s as flexible as mine. But if you CAN do it, I definitely recommend that you do. It’s good for the soul. As Rob Thomas encourages in one of their new songs “Rebels”, “Let go and be yourself right now.” Believe me, it’s really good advice.
Image source: Stephen Katulka
