VH1 Storytellers - Matchbox Twenty

Can't even describe how great this is

This is the earliest performance I remember watching of Matchbox 20 and I was mildly interested at the time, but AC music wasn't the coolest to listen to, so I just enjoyed it in passing. VH1 was playing it a lot back then!Fast forward a few years, MB20 are the hidden tracks on your fave AC radio station and worth listening to. So last year I snatched up this DVD and it became such a warmer and better performance. Watching it now, Rob's humor and self-depracation shine thru ;) and make for interesting tales and narration. It's interesting to see such a happy guy describing his angst-filled life influences for his generally maudlin tracks. If you don't wanna know why he wrote these songs, this isn't the DVD for you. Rob and the gang are fun, but this shows the heart of their sound. If you're a matchbox 20 fan or a Rob Thomas fan, pick this up. If not, this probably won't change your mind, but you might watch it more than once...If for no other reason, buy this just for the jazzy version of Crutch. Tooooooooo awesome :)

Thanks to the other reviewers, I checked this out... and it was EVERYTHING as advertised and more. If you have a Surround system with DTS, quite reading this and BUY THE DVD!!!! With the first song "Bent" you'll be glad you did. Like the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" DVD, it feels like Rob and Co. are in your living room. Sound quality is top notch, Rob's commentary is short, sweet, and interesting. There's an especially intriguing story behind 3AM that gives you a whole new perspective on the song, which is acoustically sung very hauntingly. With "More Than You Think You Are" living up to its high expectations, Matchbox Twenty have clearly establish them as this generations outstandingly innovative rock bands. Hopefully the boys will continue to put live music out on DVD with DTS. Would have given it 5 stars, but it could have been longer and could have included "Real World", "Back to Good", and other cool tunes, but what is on there is well worth the money. And hey, got to leave some room for the next DVD!

This DVD really impressed me because the DTS sound capabilities blew me away. You could close your eyes and imagine you were there in the audience with Rob Thomas doing what he does best with his vocal instrument, with Kyle doing what he does best finessing his guitar, and complemented by orchestral support.Matchbox Twenty are an impressive band, whose music from their 1996 and 2000 albums don't ever date, even playing it now in 2007. Rob Thomas is the most talented singer/songwriter of these times. His music and lyrics never tire and so easily relate to everyday living and struggles of modern life. He has an amazing voice too. The rest of the band rock as well.Great music, great sound, great DVD.

I've always been in touch with matchbox twenty and very much aware of the bands hits along with Rob's solo numbers, but they were rarely listened to away from radio stations. This concert has given me a new found respect, I admit mostly for Rob, for the pure talent he possesses! He's song writing is that of a poet, combined with a natural talent to ooze the emotion from the lyrics puts him up there with the best in my book - total CLASS

It's called Storytellers for a reason! This DVD is Matchbox Twenty and specifically Rob Thomas telling the stories behind some of their greatest hits up through their Mad Season album. This is a wonderful music DVD plus you get the added benefit of hearing the inside stories on some of your favorite songs. And Rob Thomas is just so endearing and cool. You just can't help loving this band. The highlights for me were Push and Rest Stop. And a cover of Lonely Weekend and a country version of Push are great fun. I highly recommend it.

Fan since late 90’s, have watched many times and love this dvd. My favorite band of all time!

I absolutely love this dvd of Matchbox 20. It is very intimate almost like having your own personal concert by them. Rob is witty and open when he talks about the music. You can listen to the music with Rob's commentary or just the music alone. The audience is seated in risers so the camera angles are without fan interference. It is more mellow than their arena style concerts. Love it!

I am a big fan of Matchbox Twenty and have been for a number of years now. I own all the albums but didn't realise until fairly recently that there was also two dvds to purchase of them playing live and so I promptly ordered them both. This Storytellers dvd is one of them.Matchbox Twenty filmed VH1 Storytellers at a studio in New York in 2001. They were at the time considered to be the 'hottest new band in the USA' but were honoured and surprised to be asked and nervous about performing. They were putting themselves into an unfamiliar situation, answering questions from the audience and talking about their music and inspiration for their songs, but they more than handled the challenge.For me personally, it was great to hear Rob Thomas explaining what each song was about and I was surprised to discover one or two were not actually what I had thought they were about.For instance I will start with my favourite moment on this dvd, when Rob sits down at the piano and performs a beautiful slowed-down rendition of one of their most popular songs "3 AM." What I thought was a boy/girl love song was revealed by Rob Thomas to actually be a very personal song he penned about his childhood when watching his mother battle cancer. There is hardly a dry eye in the house as he performs this and the song suddenly takes on a whole new meaning which has never left me since.The song which first introduced me to Matchbox Twenty was "If You're Gone" which I first heard on the radio when driving home one night and then went out and bought the album "Mad Season" on the strength off that song alone. It has remained one of my favourites ever since and I was pleased to see it included here. This was the other song which I was very interested to hear exactly what inspired it, because as Rob explains, many think it is a song about a break up, but it is in fact a song he penned to his then future wife, who had cold feet about marrying a musician and he was explaining to her what he would be like if she left. So as Rob explains it's a song about "If" you're gone and thankfully it helped his cause as they did get married.Another of my favourites "Rest Stop" also features here, which Rob explains he wrote about being dumped as a teenager after spending the weekend with a girl who picked him up hitchhiking, but then suddenly stopped the car, woke him up and told him to go. He injects humour into the stories behind most of the songs and I found the 'storytelling' was as interesting as listening to the songs themselves. An added string section brings out the poignancy of this song, along with the band's performance and Rob once again taking up the piano.Speaking of humour, the opening song "Bent" raises a few laughs as Rob explains that "Bent" in the UK means "Gay" and in Australia means "Pot smoker" so to make of it what you will, but points out how a poster of the band with "Bent" written underneath suddenly takes on a whole new meaning! The song is actually about people who are broken.More humour comes with the question and answers involving the audience as Rob injects a Jerry Springer type spiel into the show."Push" is played straight here and then is played again as a 'country version' and features again on the dvd as an 'Extra', whilst "Crutch" is performed as a swing version. The band also play a cover of the Sun Records classic " Lonely Weekend" and these varying styles here shows of the distinctive personalities and strengths of each band member.Other songs to feature here are the title track fromtheir second album, "Mad Season," as well as "Black & White People," and a beautiful version of "You Won't Be Mine," which Rob explains is one of his favourites.The dvd runs for only 62 minutes but I enjoyed every second. I never saw this show when it was aired on VH1 and so I love the fact you can buy the dvd. You get a great insight into the meaning behind the songs featured here as well as Rob's funny explanation on why he is a singer. The other band members also speak about what they enjoy the most etc during the questions and answers session with the audience.If you're a fan, you need to get this!

How did this pass me by? I've loved the work of Matchbox 20 for years and this is now an essential part of my collection. Rob Thomas is charismatic and being the songwriter for the group (at that time) it is really interesting to her the background to some of the lyrics to his songs.The quality of the recording is excellent and the dvd is a must for all Matchbox 20 fans.

Must for any MB20 fan. Full of all the MB20 songs. Would definitely recommend hours of viewing pleasure and you get to see the band on the road.

I bought this DVD for my partner for Xmas. I know he will love it because he's been a fan for many years. We went to watch them live last year and they were fabulous.

Love this band but they haven't made much progress in U.K. Fantastic live. First saw them supporting Bon Jovi and was hooked.