By Kate Lohnes
Monitor Staff Writer
klohnes@themonitor.com

At Dodge Arena on Sunday night, you can bet screams came from Section 1, row F, seats 11 and 12.

That’s where Sandra Sisnero and Diana Rodriguez, from San Antonio and Pharr, respectively, sat waiting to see matchbox twenty’s front man Rob Thomas on his solo tour. The sisters had been waiting for Thomas’s first Rio Grande Valley appearance since they bought the tickets through Thomas’ fan club a month ago.

Equipped with frozen margaritas, black and pink T-shirts proclaiming “I love Rob Thomas” and a healthy dose of blushing, the pair were less than shy while admiring Thomas.

“He’s hot, he’s hot and he’s hot,” Rodriguez said.

“He sings great,” Sisnero added.

“Oh yeah, and, he’s hot,” Rodriguez said. “And he’s married to a Latina.” She laughed and crossed her fingers. “Maybe there’s hope for us.”

While Thomas was the headlining act Sunday night, the evening’s roster included singers Toby Lightman and Jewel. Fans trickled into the arena starting around 6 p.m., slowly filling seats and buying tee shirts for each act. Twenty-year-old Carlos Carcamo from McAllen said he considered purchasing a Jewel T shirt, but the $30 price tag was a little steep for him. That’s no insult to Jewel — Carcamo would have rather bought a backstage pass for a face-to-face chat.

“I just want to meet her and ask her how the hell she comes up with these songs,” he said. “She’s a genius.”

Carcamo bought his ticket to see Jewel without a second thought—the University of Texas-Pan American student has been a fan since her album 0304 and has collected all her CDs. For his first concert ever, he said, he wouldn’t want to spend the money on anyone else.

“None of my friends know (I came),” Carcamo said. “I came here alone. It’s a personal side of me.”

Jewel came on stage shortly after opening act Lightman at 7:25 p.m. Guitar in hand and wearing stiletto boots, she opened with her song “Satellite.”

“I’m so glad to be back home in Texas,” the Stephensville, Texas, resident said to the whistling crowd. “Of course, this is officially the farthest south I’ve ever been.”

Jewel played a generous sampling of new and old material, including her newest single “Again and Again” and “Foolish Games” from her first album Pieces of You. Between songs, she conversed with the crowd, cracked jokes and took song requests, obliging several shouts for her single “You Were Meant for Me.” Jewel ended her set with her first single, 1996’s “Who Will Save Your Soul?” For Carcamo, it was the perfect closer.

“The conclusion was great. She was fantastic,” he said with a grin. “I sang along with every song, I didn’t care if people heard.”

Thomas’s fans felt the same about his performance. Taking the stage promptly at 9 p.m. with the title track from …Something to Be, Thomas waved at fans and promised an evening stuffed with music.

“We’ve got about two hours to cram in a lotta songs,” Thomas said. “Thanks you guys for coming out. I hope you have a good time.”

Thomas’s set list included singles from his solo album, like “Ever the Same,” as well as the matchbox twenty songs “If You’re Gone,” “3 a.m.” and an acoustic version of “Smooth,” a song he co-wrote with Carlos Santana. Midway through the concert, Thomas played “Not Just a Woman” with a pick from McAllen resident Mario Cavazos, who sat in the front row.

“This is very good,” Cavazos said as he snapped digital pictures of Thomas playing. “He’s awesome.”

Five rows behind Cavazos, Sisnero and Rodriguez were surely thinking the same thing.

“Even if he just stood there, he couldn’t disappoint us,” Rodriguez said from her seat. “We love Rob Thomas. We can’t deny it.”

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Kate Lohnes covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4427. For this and other local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.