Openers Thirsty Merc strived to win over the audience, but their tired rock left them looking too small for such a large venue. Though they were loud, their songs were hollow. Matched with ridiculously exaggerated ‘rock star’ moves including jumping windmills and a hyperactive lead singer, they did manage to leave me with a smirk on my face. They ended on a high with Someday, Someday, finally engaging the audience. Only it was forty minutes too late, and they were a mere speck on the musical landscape in comparison to the main act.

Matchbox Twenty have history with this venue – they filmed their first live concert at the Sydney Entertainment Centre almost ten years ago. As lead singer Rob Thomas put it during the show: “It came out on VHS. I feel so old.”

Many years later, Matchbox Twenty still have soul and charisma – mainly attributed to Thomas who charmed us all with down-to-earth chatter and pitch-perfect vocals. They set the scene, walking out to Johnny Cash’s God’s Gonna Cut You Down before the pounding percussion of How Far We’ve Come set off a flurry of lights and screams.

Their extensive back catalogue of hits was delivered with enthusiasm and vigour. The audience was clearly waiting for classics like Long Day and 3am, with the collective singing overshadowing Thomas’ vocals.

The band themselves had an intangible energy, running from one end of the stage to the other, jumping on speakers, even rushing into the crowd at one point to play a song on the steps in the seated section.

The audience was divided between teenagers whooping and singing along from the back, and subdued 30-somethings who stuck to restricted boogie-ing in seats or clapping. Nonetheless, grins were aplenty and the band maintained interest despite a long jamming session Bright Lights' end.

The most admirable aspect of the setlist was the ease with which they mixed old and new songs. It’s an impressive feat when a band can play a classic like Real World, and follow it with newbie All Your Reasons. They also played a solid cover of INXS’s Don’t Change, although some of the younger members of the audience had no idea what was happening.

Their final song, Push, sent me reminiscing into the late 90s, as most of the concert had. Throughout the show, one was reminded of the change in their sound, the richness of their songs and the connection they develop with people of all ages.

Yes, Matchbox Twenty are soft rock, and there was nothing daring except for the occasional suggestive dancing from Thomas or a couple of cuss words. But there is something to be said for a band, which after 12 years, still create well-crafted rock tunes and sell out shows around the world.

Photo Courtesy of adiasun81, Licensed to Creative Commons