Well, they are back with a vengeance, and I couldn’t be happier.

I got to attend my sixth Matchbox Twenty concert last night at the Sovereign Arena in Reading PA. There are two things I will say about the groups’ performance Tuesday night.

The first is – damn good to have them back! And second, kudos to them for the subtle changes they’ve make in the interim that have improved them in all the right places.

If someone had told me a few years ago I’d be saying this, I would have guffawed. Because, in my opinion, they were already just about as close to perfection as they were going to get. Yes of course, the bias of a fan speaking, but minor tweaking has led to more than a few minor changes and overall, to a more professional sound for the band.

First is the addition of drummer Ryan McMillan setting a really rock-solid bottom line. Switching Paul Doucette to rhythm guitar from drums worked very well.

Also the lighting for this show was designed to focus us on lead singer Rob Thomas. Whether this came as a surprise to new fans, or upset long time ones, I don’t know. But recurrence of a thematic lighting scheme persisted throughout the concert, and it was done superbly. In all twenty five songs of their set, the spotlight — or spotlights — constantly shone brightest on Rob. In fact, there were moments where a sheer black curtain was dropped from the rafters, dividing him from the rest of the band members and they were only silhouetted behind him. A rather impressive visual as Rob himself held the multi-kilowatt beam to himself.

Having said that, I don’t believe for a moment that this was any kind of prima donna predisposition on the part of Rob, but more a case of a lighting dynamic designed to give the backing members an air of mystique, which it achieved beautifully. Having followed the band since the days when they were known as Tabitha’s Secret, I feel this was a spotlight technique used as a visual tool to preserve Rob's status, not just as the voice, but the face of Matchbox Twenty.

The evening opened with a new group, Mute Math – an electro-rock quartet out of New Orleans. They spent a half hour trying to dazzle with loud sounds and blinding strobes, giving some in the audience a chance to refresh their drinks before settling down again. In their favor, they had some uniqueness. But I was glad I was only subjected to a half hour of it.

After a short break we were treated to Alanis Morrisette. I've never been a huge fan of hers. I'm not saying she's bad, just not my type of music. Alanis played an hour-long set that included almost all of her breathy, exasperated vocal-driven songs — minus "Head Over Feet" — plus her haunting, yet amusing spoof of the Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps." And of course "Jagged Little Pill."