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‘I Think I Almost Killed Him’: Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas Nails Bandmate in the Head With Mic Stand Mid-Show

“I’m gonna be apologizing to you all month,” Rob Thomas told his injured guitarist.

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During a show on August 16, 2026, Rob Thomas nearly took out his Matchbox Twenty bandmate Paul Doucette with a mic stand, and the moment quickly went viral. While playing the Illinois State Fair, Thomas swung his mic stand around his head mid-show. Unfortunately, he was unaware that the guitarist was right behind him.

With Doucette also unaware of the imminent danger, the mic stand caught him in the side of the head. Visibly in pain, he left the stage to get the injury evaluated. The band continued playing, as Rob Thomas was unaware that he’d just smacked Doucette. But a moment later, he expressed his regret.

“Every night I’m over here, and I’m throwing this goddamn thing around,” Thomas told the crowd in a fan-captured video. “It nailed him. Yeah, it nailed him hard. My best friend in the world, and I think I almost........

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