The Matches - "Decomposer" 20 Years Later event image
Bowery Ballroom, Lower East Side, Manhattan

The Matches - "Decomposer" 20 Years Later

Oakland's The Matches play 2006's Decomposer front to back for its 20th anniversary, a record with guest spots from Mark Hoppus and Tim Armstrong.

Photo: Kimberly Smith from Richmond, Virginia . Patti Smith 's sister. · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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Pop-punkAlbum anniversary

Decomposer was the album where The Matches outgrew pop-punk into something stranger and more theatrical, made with help from Mark Hoppus, Tim Armstrong, Nick Hexum, John Feldmann and Brett Gurewitz. Hearing it front to back two decades later, in one of Manhattan's best-sounding rooms, is a nostalgia trip with real songs behind it. If this record soundtracked your 2006, find a way in.

What to expect

A packed 575-capacity ballroom with a downstairs bar and a balcony, and a crowd shouting along to every track in order. Expect the album played in sequence, likely followed by older favorites.

Good to know

  • Take the J or Z to Bowery or the F to 2 Av/Delancey St.
  • The show is listed as sold out, so use only official resale.
  • The downstairs lounge bar is a good place to wait for doors.
  • The balcony gives the best sightlines if the floor is crowded.
  • Bring ID; the bar checks at the door.

Going? Keep it.

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Common questions

Are The Matches playing all of Decomposer?

Yes, the tour plays the 2006 album front to back for its 20th anniversary.

Are tickets still available?

The Bowery Ballroom date is listed as sold out; check official resale options.