I honestly didn't know what to think as I headed into Saturday night's Rob Thomas concert. I liked Matchbox 20, but wasn't sure if Thomas solo would be too much soft rock for me. I soon found out.
Let me put it this way, Rob Thomas seems pretty comfortable just being Rob Thomas. Touring behind his second solo album, the Matchbox 20 lead singer stopped at the Riverside Theater Saturday for a sold out show.
While he's no longer a hip, alt rocker, the 37-year-old artist has comfortably created a hit-making machine out of himself. It's a machine that's blended in while standing out because of a solid voice and an honesty that's sold very well on the pop and especially adult-contemporary charts.
Admit it, if you're one of those "I don't listen to popular music" people, Thomas' accessible spin on alternative rock makes you cringe. Yet, judging from his Saturday night show, Thomas' solo career is showing no signs of slowing.
Flowing between chart topping rockers, funny anecdotes and his signature ballads, Thomas owned the staged with his hits. From his new, spiritual hit "Someday" where he sings "And maybe someday we'll live our lives out loud. We'll be better off somehow, someday," to his mega hit "Smooth" (sang during the encore with opening act guitarist Zach Filkins of OneRepublic) it was easy to see why and how Thomas resonates so well with mass audiences.
With only two Matchbox 20 tunes on the set list ("Real World" and an acoustic encore of "3 a.m."), Thomas and his 5-piece band and 2 back up singers cranked through tune after tune with an easy, well-produced flow. Several of the numbers included imagery on a large backdrop including rotating, dancing women for his tune "Gasoline."
Dressed in a red T-shirt and grey jeans, Thomas played the crowd without over playing them. He slapped hands, did a lot of the open hand to the heart gesture thing, gave a few women hugs and even sang "Happy Birthday" to a band member.
While most of the nearly 2 hour show was solid, songs like "Falling to Pieces" and even the rocking opener, "Fire on the Mountain" just didn't do it for me. Thomas, I think, is at his best with the alt rock ballads like "Streetcorner Symphony," "Ever The Same" and "Her Diamonds."
I'm pretty sick of the over used phrase, "it is what it is." But, a variation works for Thomas - "he is what he is." A good singer and seemingly nice guy with hit making power. On Saturday night he proved it ending his 4-song encore with his power ballad "This is How a Heart Breaks," thanking the audience and telling Milwaukee to "be good to one another." We will, Rob. And you keep doing what you do.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
