On an insanely gorgeous Kansas City night, Matchbox Twenty, Counting Crows, and Rivers and Rust stopped by Starlight Theater to play in front of a packed house. The outdoor theater was the perfect setting for a night filled of singing and dancing, and that was just the crowd.
Leading off the night was the band Rivers and Rust, a blues rock band with members hailing for Nashville, Atlanta, and Houston. A familiar face though, is part of the band’s duo of singers. Kyle Cook, lead guitar for the headliner Matchbox Twenty, shows that not only can he play one hell of a guitar but he has that soulful voice just like his friend Rob Thomas. Matched up with Sheila Marshall and backed by a talented group of musicians, Rivers and Rust were the perfect warm up for the Counting Crows and Matchbox Twenty. I mean, hell, when the Starlight Theater crowd is up dancing in the aisles for the opener, it’s going to be a great night.
Up next, the Counting Crows, a band that has been “Hanginaround” for quite some time in the music industry. From the start of the set there was one thing that I noticed and seemed to be a theme all throughout is the delivery in which Adam Duritz delivered his lyrics. It is one like I have never seen before. I have seen a front man deliver their songs with such a fire and passion, but never like this. Such raw emotion in the eyes and facial expressions; every body movement. It felt that every song that the Counting Crows performed was not just a song, but an actual theater performance, and no better setting than Starlight. Although they did not “pave paradise and put up a parking lot”, with the exception of “Big Yellow Taxi”, the Counting Crows covered every other hit in the arsenal including a stirring performance of “Round Here.” The highlight of their set had to be when all the Matchbox Twenty band members came out to play “Hanginaround” with Counting Crows. Wait, there is more. As Adam Duritz ducked off the stage after the first verse, flying in from the side stage with mic in hand, Rob Thomas came out and delivered the second verse as the two vocalists, and band members, partnered up to give the audience what I am sure will be a lasting memory.
It was now Matchbox Twenty’s turn to go out and give the fans what they came to see. Hell, they had seen a lot tonight already, that was for sure. Would Matchbox Twenty be able to keep up with the performances that were already delivered that evening? Come on, it’s Matchbox Twenty; of course they could. We’re talking about a band that has been producing some of the greatest music over the past couple decades and it does not seem like time has slowed them down. The energy that was coursing through the veins of Starlight Theater during Matchbox was electrifying. The old school fans had to love the selection of songs that were played from their debut album Yourself or Someone Like You. “Real World”, which opened the night, was followed up by fellow album mates “Girl Like That”, “Push”, “Back 2 Good”, and a song they dedicated to all of the long time Matchbox Twenty faithful, “Hang”. One other thing that I have to make mention of was the lighting rig that was on display during Matchbox Twenty. I have never seen anything like it. The lighting display was a show all of its own. Moving and shaping its way around the band as they played the songs everyone longed to hear. So, to whomever designed the lighting structure, that to this day still has myself and photographer Amber Miller talking, we commend you. Closing out the night, Matchbox Twenty brought down the house with “Bright Lights” before they shut them off for the night.
This was an amazing night of music in Kansas City. As I said earlier, the people singing and dancing all throughout the aisles made an air of pure exuberating intoxication.
Photos by Amber Miller, RockRevolt photojournalist
Review by Ace Sims, RockRevolt journalist
Rivers ans Rust
Counting Crows
Matchbox Twenty
