Matchbox 20 / Counting Crows – Treasure Island – Welch MN – September 16th 2017

Treasure Island Resort and Casino wrapped up their biggest outdoor summer concert series to date with an enticing show for fans of 90’s Rock. The “A Brief History of Everything Tour 2017” combines the forces of Matchbox 20 and Counting Crows, each providing full length sets peppered with well-known hits from that era. Experience on the road has made them both very good bands who have mastered their material and know how to entertain a crowd.

Counting Crows had fans feeling nostalgic immediately including big songs like “Round Here” early, which was effective in setting the mood. They of course saved “Mr. Jones” for late in the set and ended poetically with “Rain King” at just about the time it did start raining. A delay between bands ended up being necessary for safety, but was handled well and did not scare most people off. When Matchbox 20 did take the stage, it was impressive how good the mix sounded immediately. In usual fashion, the band generated great energy starting off “Real World”. Rob Thomas genuinely complimented the crowd on weathering the storm and said they were going to get as many songs in as possible to show their appreciation.

As expected, these two bands paired nicely together and provided a lot of bang for your buck. Treasure Island’s outdoor venue was a good choice for this show with exceptional sound and sightlines, plenty of free parking and at a reasonable distance for Twin Cities concert goers.

Review and photos by Patrick Dunn