It’s not often that a top level musical act comes to Western Kansas, but this month one of the biggest will be performing very close to home. Thursday, April 17 at 8 p.m., Rob Thomas will be performing at the historic Steifel Theatre in Salina, Kansas.
The front man for Matchbox Twenty has pushed out a continuous stream of chart-toppers with his four piece set such as, “Push,” “3AM, “ “Bright Lights” and, “Bent.” After collaboration with Latin guitar legend Carlos Santana in 1999, Rob Thomas hit the big time raking in three Grammys with “Smooth,” the lyrics of which written by Thomas.
In his solo career, Thomas has managed to remain a consistent voice in the music industry with hits such as “Lonely No More” and “This is How a Heart Breaks,” and “Little Wonders.” His lyrical workmanship earned him a spot in the Song Writers Hall of Fame in 2004. Broadcast Music Inc and Billboard both awarded Thomas Songwriter of the year two years in a row.
Thomas dropped out of high school at 17 and got his GED with plans to join the army but instead shifted his focus towards music. A move that paid off for Thomas.
“I would’ve liked to go to college, which I may still do just for the sake of learning. I still regret not taking piano lessons,” Thomas said in a Associated Press interview.
Matchbox Twenty formed in 1995 with a few members from Thomas’ first band Tabitha’s Secret who gained enough local credit to catch the eye of Atlantic Record representative Matt Serlectic. The band split after two members wanted to sign a deal directly from Atlantic Records thinking it the wiser choice then signing on with Serlectic’s own smaller production company, Melisima. After Matchbox Twenty gained national attention with “3AM, “ a song originating in Tabitha’s Secret, former members Jay Stanley and John Goff filed suit over usage of the song on Matchbox Twenty’s debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You. The lawsuit settled out of court after five years of deliberation.
Matchbox Twenty has recently finished a world tour for their 2012 album, North, the band’s fourth album. Selling over 80 million records, it might be a surprise to local Kansans that such an acclaimed artist fresh off a sold-out world tour would be playing an intimate gig, but that is Thomas’ intention. The Stiefel Theatre’s mission is “to provide quality experiences that enrich educate and entertain.” This will be an all-ages, family friendly show.
The Stiefel Theatre opened in 1931 with the help of the Fox Theatre Company. Seating includes wheelchair accessibility but the number of available seats is down to very few as many people have already purchased their tickets. You can see what seats remain by going to their website and clicking “buy tickets” under the Rob Thomas section.