MATT JOHNSON & THE THE’s COMEBACK SPECIAL WORLD TOUR 2018
The Riviera Theatre Chicago
Saturday 9/22/18

Matt Johnson and his band THE THE, on the road again, finally, after oh so many years.
Can’t say enough how much Matt Johnson and his band has meant to me over the years, dating back to “Soul Mining” up to the present day.
The The’s music- still relevant, still poignant, still fresh and clean and upfront and personal.
Appearing live at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, on Matt’s Comeback Special North American Tour, it becomes more clearer than ever that The The songs are still timeless, jam packed with an awareness of precious moments and little time capsules that can bounce without precedent and be relevant in the present day.
As it says on The The’s Facebook Fanpage: “The songs of THE THE are melodic time bombs, primed to go off in any century.”
Damn right.
The The is, and always will be Matt Johnson. The songs he writes, matter. The music matters. The right collaborators matter.The The’s live performances matter. All of it matters.
Once again, Matt Johnson and The The are ready willing and able to deliver music that speaks volumes to a patient and waiting audience, music that is timeless and as pertinent as ever.
No other artist can I think of like Matt Johnson that has a catalog of music more in tune with the present day and events that unfold at a moment’s notice and feel like they were written literally yesterday.
Shared raw nerves abound, from the opening song “Global Eyes” from  “Naked Self” into a blistering version of “Sweet Bird of Truth” from “Infected”.
Matt Johnson’s voice was as resonant as ever, and the band played with conviction and passion to boot.
Everything about The The’s show was memorable, from the presentation down to the music.
If it takes Matt Johnson and his band another 10 years to make it through Chicago (although I hope not), so be it.
I was there for this show, ever in the present, not just with the photography, but for every song, every little nuance.
Let’s hope The The tours again sooner rather than later. If not- I can live in the memories of this glorious show, easily easily in my Top Ten Shows of 2018.
Cheers- Bobby Talamine – Music Photographer