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TV coverage of James Van Der Beek<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s tragic death<\/a> on Feb. 11 from colon cancer at the age of 48 frequently featured singer Paula Cole<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s 1997 hit \u201cI Don\u2019t Want to Wait,\u201d which served as the theme song for Dawson\u2019s Creek<\/em>, the TV show that starred the late actor.<\/p>\n On Feb. 10, just a day before Van Der Beek\u2019s death, Cole announced a tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of This Fire<\/em>, her breakthrough album that spawned her unforgettable hit song that served as the Dawson\u2019s Creek <\/em>theme.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfac <\/strong>SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udfac<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201c30 YEARS AGO \u201cThis Fire\u201d came into the world and changed my life. So I\u2019m hitting the road with my amazing band THIS FALL 2026 to celebrate this pivotal album,\u201d Cole wrote in a post shared on her official Instagram account<\/a>. \u201cLet\u2019s share the stories, the songs, and this fire that still burns. Comment with the emoji<\/a> \u201c\ud83d\udd25\u201d and receive pre-sale information. I can\u2019t wait to see you out there. Let\u2019s do this together!\u201d<\/p>\n The caption incorporated a current photo of Cole with the words \u201cThis Fire: 30,\u201d a photo of the album cover, the tour dates, and the words \u201cPerforming the album in its entirety.\u201d Fittingly, \u201cI Don\u2019t Want to Wait\u201d is the 11th song on the album, so it will come at the climax of Cole\u2019s set devoted to her classic record.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Although Cole announced the tour prior to Van Der Beek\u2019s death, the timing was not lost on at least one fan, who posted \u201cRIP James Van Der Beek\u201d in the comments.<\/p>\n Others were just happy to hear that Cole is hitting the road. \u201ctickets purchased! Can’t wait!\u201d wrote one.<\/p>\n Yet another fan shared a completely bonkers story about the lengths he went to not to miss one of Cole\u2019s gigs 26 years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cHoly shit! True story: @paulacoleofficial<\/a> 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\u2019s 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. \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\u201d<\/p>\n Another fan simply added, \u201cMy all time favorite album, see you at Webster hall!\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published by Parade<\/a> on Feb 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News<\/a> section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n