welcome to the ’90s

I didn’t realize how much I liked Matchbox Twenty until the end of their concert last night at the Qwest Center, when my throat was sore from singing and screaming and my legs ached from dancing at my seat. I surprised myself by knowing words to songs I haven’t been played on the radio since 1998. (I actually remember when and where I heard their first single, “Push”: Boston University’s summer program, ITRP, 1997.) Except for a brief acoustic set in the middle of the two-hour show, the band oozed energy and excitement, and I happily soaked it all in. Oh, the nostalgia.

Alanis Morissette opened and gave a pretty decent performance. J is a huge fan (who knew?) and recognized nearly every song. I could only recall 4 or 5, the singles that were popular when I was in high school. I actually found her singing voice to be a little hard to understand, but I think that was because her microphone level was off. She also did some strange dance movements, twirling in place and whipping her long, long hair around in circles, and J and I wondered if maybe she was on drugs, though I don’t really think that was case.

It feels funny to admit that a Matchbox Twenty concert ranks up there with some of the better concerts I’ve seen over the past couple of years, but it’s the truth. Well done, Rob Thomas and crew.