Last night, Friday, September 13th, I found myself at the Washington State Fair, watching Matchbox 20 perform. As the music filled the air, I was instantly transported back in time. It was a night full of memories, music, and reflections that stretched back decades. The last time I saw Matchbox 20 perform live was on September 16, 1998. I was in a completely different phase of my life, standing in the San Jose State Event Center, hearing those songs live for the first time. Flash forward to last night, and it was as if two versions of me… the 1998 version and the 2024 version collided in the same moment, sharing the same songs, but from completely different perspectives.
It wasn’t just about hearing the band again after 26 years, though that in itself was surreal—it was about the way music has this incredible ability to hold time in place, to bring memories rushing back in the span of a few notes. As the band played Push and 3AM, I could feel the connection between past and present. These songs that were once the background to my younger years now serve as markers, reminders of everything that has happened since.
I couldn’t find a setlist for the San Jose State Event Center on September 16th, however, I did find a Matchbox Twenty Setlist for September 13 1998 at Concord Pavilion which should be pretty close. To compare, take a look at the Matchbox Twenty Setlist for September 13 2024.
Rediscovering Paula Cole and Dawson’s Creek Link to heading
After the concert, I found an original poster from the 1998 Matchbox 20 tour, with Paula Cole listed as their special guest. How could I have forgotten that she opened for them? Seeing her name on that poster unlocked another flood of memories. “I Don’t Want to Wait”, that haunting melody that instantly takes me back to watching Dawson’s Creek.
I’m listening to “I Don’t Want to Wait” as I write this, and I can’t help but get emotional. That song, which was such a defining part of the late ’90s, has taken on a deeper meaning with the passage of time. Back then, the line “I don’t want to wait for our lives to be over” felt like a plea to seize the moment, to rush headlong into life. But now, as I’ve grown older, the lyrics resonate differently.
The impatience of youth has been replaced with an understanding that life isn’t something you rush through. It’s something you live, moment by moment, learning to appreciate the journey rather than just the destination. In a way, this song is no longer just the soundtrack to a TV show from my past. It’s a reflection of how life unfolds, how time slips by faster than we realize, and how important it is to savor every moment along the way.
A Time Capsule of Sound Link to heading
Between last night’s concert and finding that tour poster, I’m realizing how much these moments of nostalgia matter. Whether it’s a song, a show, or a concert, these fragments of the past hold memories that shape us, long after the moments themselves have faded. The music, and the emotions it stirs, serve as time capsules—reminders of who we were, where we’ve been, and how much we’ve grown.
Looking back at both the 1998 version of myself and the person I am today, I can see how much life has changed, but also how the music has been a constant companion, marking the highs and lows, and reminding me of what matters most.