TV coverage of James Van Der Beek’s tragic death on Feb. 11 from colon cancer at the age of 48 frequently featured singer Paula Cole’s 1997 hit “I Don’t Want to Wait,” which served as the theme song for Dawson’s Creek, the TV show that starred the late actor.
On Feb. 10, just a day before Van Der Beek’s death, Cole announced a tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of This Fire, her breakthrough album that spawned her unforgettable hit song that served as the Dawson’s Creek theme.
“30 YEARS AGO “This Fire” came into the world and changed my life. So I’m hitting the road with my amazing band THIS FALL 2026 to celebrate this pivotal album,” Cole wrote in a post shared on her official Instagram account. “Let’s share the stories, the songs, and this fire that still burns. Comment with the emoji “🔥” and receive pre-sale information. I can’t wait to see you out there. Let’s do this together!”
The caption incorporated a current photo of Cole with the words “This Fire: 30,” a photo of the album cover, the tour dates, and the words “Performing the album in its entirety.” Fittingly, “I Don’t Want to Wait” is the 11th song on the album, so it will come at the climax of Cole’s set devoted to her classic record.
The 13-date tour kicks off on Sept. 17 at Webster Hall in New York and concludes Oct. 11 at the Knitting Factory in Spokane, Wash.
Although Cole announced the tour prior to Van Der Beek’s death, the timing was not lost on at least one fan, who posted “RIP James Van Der Beek” in the comments.
Others were just happy to hear that Cole is hitting the road. “tickets purchased! Can’t wait!” wrote one.
Yet another fan shared a completely bonkers story about the lengths he went to not to miss one of Cole’s gigs 26 years ago.
“Holy shit! True story: @paulacoleofficial in 2000 I was going to school at the University of Cincinnati and I won tickets to your show in Akron, OH. But the week of the concert turned out to be during my spring break and I had already bought a plane ticket home to Atlanta. So when I won I literally flew home to Atlanta from Cincinnati, borrowed my aunt’s car because my car was still in Cincinnati, and drove from Atlanta to Akron just for your show, stayed on a friends couch afterwards, and drove all the way back to Atlanta for the rest of the week. That concert is still one of my top five concerts of all time. 🔥🔥🔥”
Another fan simply added, “My all time favorite album, see you at Webster hall!”
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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