Image by Randall Slavin

Dear Kids: Once upon a time, there was this band called Matchbox Twenty. The band had a sweet and smooth crooner named Rob Thomas at its helm. One day Thomas took a break from his pals and ran into a dude named Carlos Santana. At the close of the millenium, Santana and Thomas wrote an absolute smash hit called—wait for it—“Smooth.” Your parents are probably still singing it, even though I'm not. Anyway, Matchbox Twenty continued to rise and fall with the times and eventually, Thomas began focusing on a stellar solo career. Now, Thomas is touring on the strength of his latest record, Chip Tooth Smile, an album that critics have described as a “vibrant sonic background” that “encouraged Thomas to push himself as a lyricist and writer.” Interested? Check out the artist at Route 66 Casino's Legends Theater on Friday, Sept. 13 at 8pm. All ages are welcome and tickets range in price from $50 to $120. (August March)