Multiple Grammy Award winning artist Rob Thomas, in support of his latest release, “The Great Unknown,” performed at the Seminole HRC on Friday, October 23. Conventional wisdom may say that pop artists peak in their thirties, but well into his forties, Mr, Thomas still produces the catchy and memorable harmonies which every pop artist strives for.

No, this was neither a Matchbox Twenty concert nor a Santana reunion show. While Mr. Thomas’s associations with the aforementioned solidified his place in pop culture and radio air play, his true talent–songwriting–shines through in his performance as a solo artist. Perhaps as testament to his artistry, “The Great Unknown” tour visits primarily smaller venues. Even in New York City, Mr. Thomas scheduled only two nights at the Beacon Theater. He probably could have sold out several more days in our opinion.

In recent years, Mr.Thomas has split his time between music and activist causes but make no mistake—he is one of the premier songwriters of the past decade or more. His rendition of “Smooth” last week brings back memories of summer nights in a city effortlessly. We hope to see him back in SoFl soon.

Daedrian McNaughton