You Never Know

These are some powerful lyrics from one of my favorite Dave Matthews Band songs.  It's called simply You Never Know.  If you have never heard this song, I hope you find the music and the message as inspirational as I do. 

This performance was from Red Rocks outside of Denver in a 4-night stand in September of 2005.  One of the greatest weekends of my life.

You Never Know

Sitting still as stone watching - watching
People walking by you wondering why
No one ever stops to talk or thinks about it – if they ever did
What if God shuffled by?

One day we might see
Doing not a thing
Breathing just to breathe
We might find some reason

But rushing around seems what’s wrong with the world
Don’t lose the dreams inside your head
They’ll only be there til you’re dead
Dream

Lying on the roof counting
The stars that fill the sky I wonder if
Someone in the heavens looking back down on me – I’ll never know
So much space to believe

Funny when you’re small
The moon follows the car
There’s no one but you see
Hey, the moon is chasing me

I worried if I looked away she’d be gone
Don’t lose the dreams inside your head
They’ll only be there til you’re dead
Dream

Walking through the wood
No cares in the world
The world has come to play
She’s all mine just for a day

There’s not a moment to lose in the game
Don’t let the troubles in your head
Steal too much time you’ll soon be dead
So play

All fall down
It won’t be so long now
Out of the darkness comes light like a flash
You think you can you think you can
Sometimes that is the problem
Dream little darling dream

Spinning on the wind
The leaf fell from the limb

But everyday should be a good day to die
Oh all fall down
It won’t be too long now
Every fire dies
I find it hard to explain how I got here
I think I can I think I can
Then again I will falter
Dream little darling dream

Spinning on the wind
The leaf fell from the limb

Watch Zac Brown Guest with DMB - Funny How Time Slips Away

This video was released on Zac Brown Band official website.  This is from a show where Zac guested with the Dave Matthews Band on the Willie Nelson cover: Funny How Time Slips Away.

Video from DMB at Hollywood Bowl 8.23.10

This is from the Dave Matthews Band Concert at the Hollywood Bowl on 8.23.10.

I shot this video using my iphone4.  If I had any idea it would've come out so well I would've shot even more songs.  However, most of the time I didn't want to fool with my phone and just enjoy the show.

Included in the video:

• Short intro of the Bowl
• End of Lying in the Hands of God
• Entire performance of Write a Song
• Intro to Two Step
• Outro to Two Step
• Middle section of Ants Marching
• Ending of Ants Marching

Thanks to my buddies for hooking me up with 2nd row seats!  It was a real treat.  Thanks to DMB for an awesome show!

I would suggest watching it full screen.  Enjoy!

Saying Goodbye to Alpine Until 2012

My 12th straight show of what I believe to be the Mecca of the Dave Matthews Band: Alpine Valley.  Another two night stand with plenty of surprises and the best DMB fans on earth.

SHOW #102 Alpine Valley 7.4.10

A much cooler tailgate with some pretty incredible food from Chef Reid got the Independence Day festivities started right.  This was my first ever Fourth of July DMB show.  I saw a lot of great peeps, some that I haven’t seen in years.   Thanks so much to Drews for the great tickets once again!

It was hard to keep my expectations down for Alpine Night Two.  Walking again down the slope past the massive lawn, my seat partner Jeffy and I commented on how perfect the place is.  He got us lounge passes and we got to hang out there prior to the show.

I figured if the Big 12 string guitar was on stage it was JTR, and if it was Dave’s standard 6 it would be Pig.  Either way I would be thrilled, and I was really hoping for Pig. 

When the guys took the stage, they really played up to the crowd.  There were a lot of signs and just overall a lot of electricity in the place.  Dave even lit a sparkler and waved it on stage.

The first song was not JTR or Pig…Instead: One Sweet World.  It is a fine song, and one of my wife’s favorite.  I just really do not like it as an opener.  Only because it is my most seen opening song (15), and I really thought it was going to be Pig.  I broke the cardinal rule of having too much expectation.  I did get into the groove, and it was cool to see since it was a tour debut.

In the Fourth of July spirit Dave said something along the lines of, “I was not born in this country, and I have traveled all over the world, but I am proud to call this home.”  A pretty awesome moment.

The Big 12 comes out and I am certain it has to be JTR, but then I remembered Sweet Up and Down was pretty early at Deer Creek……..AND wrong again: Bartender.  I love that song and the Alpine crowd makes Dave’s wails even that much better. 

I hate Everyday.

Jeff Coffin picks up the flute and my buddy Jay and I both said, “Say Goodbye?!”  Dave then talked about how they’ve only played this tiny song a few times.  It was Break For It.  I do enjoy the song.  It is very slow, and tonight seemed to drag on longer than versions I have gotten in the past.

After that, Jeff kept the flute.  I noticed the drum tech guy run out and mess with Carter’s kit…then the spotlights go on Carter.  We knew it had to be Say Goodbye!!!  Awesome!  I wanted this song at my first show way back in 1999. It actually took me until my 30th show which was ironically my first at Alpine in 2005. (Did you follow all of that?)

Anyhow, Say Goodbye was perfect.  Jay asked me to video tape the whole thing and I did my best with his camera.  I will upload it when I get the file from him.  Dave’s voice sounded great and he hit the falsettos.  Jeff was masterful on the flute.  What a great surprise, and the Alpine crowd loved it all giving the guys a huge ovation after Dave’s final Say Goodbye.

Dave gets the raised B Gibson and Lying in the Hands of God is next.  I just love the jam to this, and it was the first song of the night that really rocked out for me.  The outro jam had a very slow build up, but when it got going it was fantastic.  I like how Carter breaks it down now on the very end.

A lot of people do not like Digging a Ditch.  I definitely would not want to hear at a lot of shows, but I had not gotten it since 2006.  It was a nice little song, but it kept the theme of pretty slow songs going.

There were four tour debuts tonight.  The next one is another all-time favorite and a song that features Carter Beauford.  Drive In Drive Out.  They were pretty tight with this song, and the last two verses were just awesome.  There was a very slight hiccup in the ending jam, but of course Carter owned it as always.  First time I have gotten DIDO since Berkeley in 2008.

I keep mentioning the Alpine crowd, and if you have never been it is hard to describe it.  The best way I could try is you know how when you are in the car by yourself and a certain song comes on the radio and you sing pretty loud to it without a care because you are alone?  Well that’s a lot like Alpine.  40,000 hardcore DMB fans singing in their cars all at once.  Sometimes you can barely hear Dave.  During the crescendo of Grey Steet Colors Bold and Bright I could not hear Dave at all.  The massive wall of fans drowned everything out.  I love those little moments at Alpine.

For a tired old song that has gotten a ton of play, Jimi Thing was surprisingly fun tonight.  It started when Boyd Tinsley actually showed some life and jammed with Dave on his smaller solo.  I loved that.  Boyd is great when he shows off a little.  Then Rashawn Ross played Thank You during his trumpet solo.  Thank You has been a staple the past two years at Alpine and the crowd really sang it loudly.  As a matter of fact, Dave didn’t sing much of Jimi at all letting the fans do most of his work.

Instead of the usual Dave scat, he went off stage in what I am guessing (I could be totally wrong)…but I thought he had his tech load the verses of Thank You in the teleprompter.  Dave motioned to the band to keep up the jam.  I thought he was stretching to go straight into Thank You.  It wasn’t the case and I liked the fact Dave didn’t scat and Tim did not do a long solo.  The crowd singing Thank You actually worked pretty well in Jimi and it made a song I don’t normally care for pretty groovy.

I love the sound of the acoustic guitar.  With so many guys now on stage, sometimes Dave’s work gets lost in the noise.  That is why I like Needle and the Damage Done.  It’s a great Neil Young cover that is almost entirely Dave on guitar.

I find it ironic that last year I could not get my favorite song at a show.  This year I have gotten Tripping Billies a lot and I love it!!  Especially midset.

After Billies Dave said, “Of course you know everybody, but I’ll introduce them anyway.”  I thought that was a small shoutout by Dave acknowledging the great fans at Alpine.  Dave was also sure to tell us that he has a lot of nose hair.  What goes on in that brain of his?

Several times Last Stop was chanted.  And just like every single show I’ve been to…Dave laughed it off giving us no hope for one of their greatest songs.  I have given up hearing Last Stop.

Ants Marching closes the set, but not before Carter seemingly does a bit of the Halloween intro prior to the snare drum start of Ants.  I was for certain it was Halloween, and then I remembered some of my buddies that were at Detroit that said the same thing happened.   No Halloween just Ants, but I would never complain about getting their signature song.  During the end I swear Rashawn played the Samford and Son theme song.  Pretty funny if that’s true.

The encore seemed obvious.  I figured it would be Time Bomb/Watchtower with a chance of Stay.  Stay is an awful closer, and luckily it stayed away.

The final surprise of the night happens during the first encore tune.  Before the rest of the guys were even ready on stage, Dave begins on his guitar his very first song:  I’ll Back You Up.  Someone had a sign in the PIT that read: “Please play I’ll Back You Up for my wife in Iraq” 

I often rip on Rashawn, but I thought he did his best work ever with the band on a beautiful muted solo at the end of IBYU.  A really great treat for sure.

Last Stop chants again, and Dave did a little dance in front of the stage.  Then he did an imaginary clay pigeon shooting as if to say he was shooting down that idea.

They guys go into a rocking version of Time Bomb, Fonz does the Star Spangled Banner intro to Watchtower.  No Stairway to Heaven lyrics again, however the outro was awesome.  Carter jammed it out much longer than usual while Dave was swinging his Taylor like an axe.  The crowd ate it up, and it was a cool way to end Alpine 2010. 

42 songs over two nights, 5 tour debuts, no repeats, and the guys didn’t finish until 11:40pm.  That is DMB!

As we drive 8 hours back home with my Evansville buddies Ryan, Jason, and Kyle, I am thrilled I made another trip to Alpine.  They weren’t epic shows like 2008.  However, there were some great rarities and performances that were pretty exhilarating.  The Alpine crowd adds so much to each and every song.  I have never been to the Gorge, and hopefully someday I will be able to judge for myself.  However, for now…nothing compares to the greatness of Alpine.

A Blue Water Surprise at Alpine Night One

Alpine Valley.  There is no greater venue for the Dave Matthews Band that I have been to.  Alpine is an entire event onto itself that is planned months in advance.  This is my sixth straight year.  My first show here was 7.23.05 and I said I would never miss one after that. 

SHOW #101 Alpine Valley  7.3.10

“People ask us all the time...."What's your favorite place to play?" Now, you got your Gorges and you got your Red Rocks and so on, but there's an inexplicable magic that envelopes Alpine Valley.”

-DMB Road Page

There is no arguing that.  I get chills every time I enter the gate at the top of the hill and look down at the amazing venue that is Alpine.  40,000 of the most hardcore DMB fans eagerly await the next 3 hours.  Everyone has the same hopes that something special is going to happen tonight.

With the entire section 100 as GA PIT, we sat in section 202.  It’s a really perfect spot in the steep wall of seemingly endless fans.  With a long opening act, DMB didn’t start playing until 8:40pm.

That wall of fans erupt as the guys take the stage.  The mini 12 is on the stand so Squirm is going to be the opener.  I really like Squirm to start.  The only disappointment comes with the fact that Alpine routinely gets some  unique openers.  Hopefully that will happen N2.  Squirm was fantastic, and the ending of the song gets better every time I hear it.

The big 12 comes out and I am guessing JTR.  Instead it is Big Eyed Fish.  Another one of my favorites from one of their most underrated albums.  The only thing I really didn’t care for was Tim Reynold's harmonics that he added.  It sounded more like feedback than anything else.

At the end of BEF Dave goes for a guitar switch which I assume will be the Drop D 12, but instead it is the raised B.  Ahhh, something different.  Instead of the usual Bartender, BEF goes straight into Stay of Leave.  A song that I enjoy more each time I hear it live.  The crowd was so LOUD singing this song.  Another reason I just love Alpine.

Next up is my number one highlight of the night.  Dave starts the riff to what I would argue is their best song both lyrically and musically:  The Stone.  What an experience being in the center of Alpine and listening to one of my all-time favorite songs. 

Dave’s voice sounds really great this tour, and the song builds up so nicely.  The ending was much different than any other version I have gotten.  Jeff Coffin just goes OFF at the end of it.  So much so that the other guys were looking for him to break it down, but JC just kept on going.  I was loving it. 

The Stone breakdown goes into the crowd singing Elvis’ Can’t Help Falling in Love outro.  The only problem was the lawn peeps were off by a verse, so it sounded like a round.  Either way getting The Stone is an event in itself for me, and it already made my night just four songs in.

Proudest Monkey is up next which is a song that opened a year ago.  I always enjoy it and it of course it normally goes into Satellite.  However, like BEF…the guys mix it up and instead it segues into Seven.

Seven is always a highlight for me even as much as it gets played.  Normaly Seven is played so early that the screens aren’t usually up.  Not the case tonight.  They showed the wings of a jet up on the video.  No idea why, but it was kinda cool

After Seven, Dave acknowledged the opening act: Zac Brown Band.  They were pretty solid.  All of their songs were about cold beer and America.  They did a lot of covers.  Dave joked that he and Zac were going to mud wrestle later.

The guys did the same Stand Up/Corn Bread/Recently that they started at Deer Creek.  This one wasn’t nearly as smooth.  Recently was rough all the way around.  They were not in sync in the intro, the jam seemed off, and Dave did not do pretty pretty girl.  I think they just wanted to bail on that song and put it behind them.

Nancies into Warehouse was another sequence that had the Alpine crowd rocking.  So glad to see these fan favorites married once again.  After Nancies, Dave was all the way to the far left corner of the stage when he started the passion intro.  It was very cool, and I am so glad Warehouse has returned!

The only tour debut tonight totally came out of nowhere.  Blue Water!  Really?  Dave started it on guitar, and it took the crowd a bit to realize what it was.  There was some sort of loud popping noise right before Dave was to sing and it clearly startled him.  Not sure if it was firework, or a light exploding.  He backed off while continuing to play guitar.  After a minute he got back into it.  It was just a partial, and went to the line: Completely True.  This song has not been played in full by the band since February of 1995. 

Eh Hee had a different intro.  Dave did it solo then the full band came in.  That was pretty nice.  For whatever reason, there were no video screens during Eh Hee.  It went into Can’t Stop.  The only clunker in my opinion of the night.  The pitch of Dave’s voice during Can’t Stop didn’t seem right.

It was great hearing the song that started it all for me:  What Would You Say.  It is hard to believe I haven’t seen this song since Berkeley back in 2008.  Tim needs to dial it down on Dave’s small solo!  He stepped all over Dave.  There are some parts of songs that are distinctly acoustic and need nothing electric.  That is definitely one of them (same for intro to Recently).

Shake Me closed.  Once again I will reiterate this song is not strong enough to close!  They don’t even jam it out. 

In the encore Dave does a solo of Little Red Bird.  That is the first time I have gotten it live.  It definitely has some Neil Young flavor to the song. 

The second best highlight for me came on the final song.  Two Step is just a MONSTER.  It is really cool to see how this particular song has really evolved.  It has so much more testosterone without the keys of Butch Taylor and the addition of Tim.  TR just crushed his solo.  Not to be upstaged, Carter Beauford put together one of the best solos I have ever seen him do.  Not just in length, but in his approach to his overall solo.  It was really powerful with no lulls.  It was awesome and a perfect way to end a show.  I can’t imagine a Two Step coming close to that one, but I am sure they will.

I again had a blast.  Me, Ryan, Jason, and Kyle are ready for Night Two!  Thanks to Chris Drews for the tickets.  I heard some of his tape last night and it sounds great as usual. 

I am guessing we will get a crowd started Thank You tonight with possibly a Star Spangled Banner and Watchtower.  I am hoping to finally catch Busted Stuff.  This might be my last legitimate shot.  I am hoping for Pig, Hello Again, So Right and maybe even Sweet Up and Down if I can get greedy!

I hope everyone has an awesome 4th of July!

DMB at Alpine

100 DMB Shows, 100 Great Memories, Countless Number of Friends

100

That many times I have experienced my beloved passion of the Dave Matthews Band.  All day and night people at my home venue of Deer Creek outside of Indianapolis said the same thing to me:  “Happy 100th show!!”  It was always hard to react.  First off, I’m hardly the first person to go to 100 DMB shows.  As a matter many of my close friends have already hit that century mark.  Also, it’s such an unusual accomplishment.  It’s not like it’s a birthday or landing a new job…it’s just a milestone of the number of times I have forked over a few bucks to see my favorite band.  I never knew how to respond when I received well-wishes, except to simply say thanks.  I really do appreciate it.

Going to DMB shows is not about the music, or seeing the guys play live on stage.  It’s not about where my tickets are, or how great the tailgate is.  It is not about the setlist, or getting rare songs.  It’s not about Boyd tearing into a great solo, or Carter blowing a bubble while playing.  Of course all of that is a major part of the experience.  However, my 100 shows of DMB are all about friends.  The friendships that I have built over the years have been those that will last a lifetime.  I have met friends all over the country and beyond that are some of the greatest people that you would ever believe.  These people will go out of their way to help one another.  Not just with a concert, but in anything.

For example, our greatest accomplishment was raising nearly $3000 after saxophonist LeRoi Moore died for his memorial fund.  The check was hand delivered to his family.  That is the kind of big-hearted people I am talking about.

It is the pay it forward mentality.  Not everyone can return favors back to one another, but we can always help out the next person.  And the DMB community always does.

There was definitely a part of me that wanted to have a #100 sign at the show tonight.  I even wanted to try and meet the band, or at the very least throw a little card on the stage just saying thanks.  But I came to the conclusion that this DMB journey isn’t about the guys on stage, it’s definitely not about me….it is about the friends in the pavilion. 

As we tailgated in the parking lot, everyone was excited, not because of my 100th show but because it’s freaking night two of Deer Creek!  It’s a venue that never disappoints.  It’s a venue with some of the most passionate fans, and some of my very best shows out of 100. 

Ironically, my brother Ryan who was at the show tonight was also with me at my first ever DMB show on 5.8.99.  He is directly responsible for the DMB madness!

Before our group heads into the venue, two of my best friends in the universe call everyone together.  Taryn climbs on top of a truck while my brother Tom pours champagne.  “It’s Lance’s 100he show!!”  They had noise makers and a big signed card from everyone!  Inside the card were two sweet tickets to the show for me and my favorite seat partner: my wife Kim.  I can’t thank everyone enough.  That was so awesome, and I’ll never forget it!  Taryn and Tom are the bestest!  Thanks so much to REID, DREWS, and JAY BIRD for the tickets not just for tonight, but throughout the years.  Thanks to Jeff and Brian for the same.  I had an enormous group from Evansville that loved their seats tonight and night one.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

SHOW #100 Deer Creek Amphitheatre 6.19.10

This is my 17th show and my ninth straight year at Deer Creek.

I was as excited as my 2 year old son when Elmo comes on TV as I headed to my seat.  I did not care if they played Bayou Balls 18 straight times, I was going to have a great time tonight.  Kim and I made it to our seats and they were PERFECT!  Front row up against the rail of the PIT (still the worst idea in the history of mankind). 

Many of you know my appreciation for Jeff Coffin.  I have loved that guy since lucking into meeting him at Randall’s Island in New York City in 2006.  He was so genuinely nice and down to earth.  Not to mention he has handled joining the band as well as anyone could have since Roi’s tragic death.  So when the guys took the stage we were just feet away and Jeff looked my way, of course I waved like a big goofball and Jeff waved back and smiled.  A great sign to start the show!

We had awesome people around us including buddies Michelle and Drew.  That always makes the shows a lot better.

The Big 12 string is on stage, and we all assumed it was Big Eyed Fish.  This is Jen Cahill’s favorite song and she had never gotten it till tonight.  So I was happy for her.  I love the song too, and it’s another one of their songs that I think is on the top shelf of awesome openers. 

BEF goes into right into one of my favorites: Bartender.  I remember an interview Dave did around the time of Busted Stuff’s release.  He said that Bartender was his best song he had ever written.  That always sticks in my head when I listen to it.  I love it, and I love the lyric when Dave is wailing at the end:  “God is not above you, He’s not above you, He’s all around” So powerful.

If you remember my review from SPAC I talked about how much I loved Stay of Leave full band.  I saw the Gibson guitar come out and I knew it had to be SoL.  It just really really rocks out at the end.  The enthusiastic Deer Creek crowd was singing the lyrics so loud right with Dave. How about Carter Beauford during the song?!  He has one drum stick in his mouth while playing with the other.  In his free hand he is holding two shakers against the cymbals and hitting his double bass!  Good Lord Carter!!  He is talented beyond belief.

Out comes the Big 12 again.  I am guessing Kit Kat Jam, and the guy next to me is saying Grey Street.  Of course one of the great parts of DMB setlists is never knowing what is coming, and of course we were both wrong.  Sweet Up and Down!!!  Yes!!!  I love this song!  It was only the fourth time I have seen it.  I will have to listen to the tape, but if I can remember right it seemed like Dave sang right over where Boyd’s solo usually goes.  I could be wrong. 

Stand Up starts.  Hmmmm.  Odd.  That definitely wasn’t on the radar, but I was thinking cool…at least it’s something different.  Not a huge fan, but I wasn’t complaining.  Then in the middle the music was still Stand Up, but the lyrics were not, I was so confused.   I told Kim what are these lyrics (turned out to be cornbread)…then bam right into Recently!  I did not see that coming at all!  Ironically, my wife told me before the show she wanted Warehouse and Recently.  I laughed and told her we are not getting either of those.  Needless to say we were both rocking out to Recently.  Pretty Pretty Girl outro and Take me to the River!  Love it!

Out comes Nancies.  You gotta love it.  It’s a staple song and of course it’s a chance for Boyd Tinsley to go crazy.  Out of habit my brain immediately turns to Warehouse, but c’mon we all know they don’t play that anymore, plus I can see Dave’s guitar tech getting the Why I Am fender ready to go.

Sure enough Why I am is up next.  I like the song, but I have never have really gotten excited about it.  I have no idea why, but WIA just kicked my rear end tonight.  Its odd how sometimes songs will click later, but I was really into the song.  Forever dancing with the Groogrux King!

Out comes Danny Barnes.  He has been a setkiller my last three shows.  However, the stage crew does not bring out a microphone!  Yes, no Road or Caveman tonight!  I think Danny Barnes is awesome, I am really not hating on him as a musician I just do not want Cornbread or one of his songs!!

Love me some Spaceman, but I just new Cornbread was next.  Nope!  Woo!  Hmm, what is next?  I really had no guess.  The guys talked for a few minutes around Carter’s kit, and I could see Carter talking into his IEM.  Dave then goes near the mic and starts playing.  After just a couple of strums, I knew it was the passion intro!  So did Drew and we gave each other a big high five!  WAREHOUSE!!  Kim laughed and said “I told you so, Dave text me that he was playing Warehouse and Recently.”

The passion intro is so awesome, and it never went to the stop time with the woos, it went right into Boyd just like on the album.  The whole pavilion was rocking, and it was great having our old friend back.  Ironically it wasn’t even after Nancies.  Rashawn Ross still doesn’t seem to know how to play it, but who cares, it’s freaking Warehouse! 

The Big 12 comes out again.  Now there are only three songs left on that guitar, Grey Street, Kit Kat Jam, and Raven.  Crack….Grey Street it is.  After Stefan’s recent radio interview we were hoping for the third verse that vanished somewhere in Conan O’Brien’s old Late Night studio.  However, nope…just the two.  I really miss Roi on the end of Grey Street.  Anyone else?

You and Me was well done, and it was even better being with Kim on that one. 

Here is where it gets a little corny for me.  I am not a fan of Stay, and admittedly I am tired of Jimi Thing.  However, I told myself nothing was going to be a downer tonight.  So when both of those songs were played I reached in my memory bank of my previous 99 shows to find a concert that I really liked both songs.  A time before I grew tired of them.  Corny I know, but it worked.  For Jimi Thing I thought back to Deer Creek 2004.  I remember how much I liked Dave’s scat about soldiers.  Jimi Thing used to be one of my all-time favorites.  For Stay that was easy.  8.5.04. Riverbend in Cincinnati.  One of the best shows ever.  That little trick worked, and I really had a great time for both Jimi and Stay. 

Time Bomb was rocking in E1, and then comes Watchtower.  I am very biased in favor of Watchtower.  It gets very little love these days.  However, for me All Along the Watchtower is DMB live!  It’s a song that brought in a lot of fans on that first live release from Red Rocks 1995.  My first 20 shows, I only got Watchtower once!  I love it.  It was a perfect way to end my 100th show!

Now before Watchtower Dave thanked the crowd for coming.  He said this was the 28th time the band had played at Deer Creek.  As the crowd cheered, he joked….”We’ve been coming here for 175 years!”  I love Deer Creek and it is ironic that my home venue was number 100.  I promise I didn’t plan it that way!

Thank you to the Dave Matthews Band for a great 16 years of my life, and 11 years of following them on the road.  I love the Seize the Day philosophy.  Something I strive for at all times.  Today is indeed the Day!

Thanks to the greatest friends a guy could ever have.  Thanks to each and every one of you that I have met or talked to over the years.  I have learned and taken away so much from all of you!

Thanks to the best wife in the world that loves journey as much as I do!

Wash away this tired notion that the best is yet to come!

Next stop Alpine!  See you July 3rd!



Hello Again Back Home in St. Louis

It is off to the city of the Arch and the Dirty Birds for the St. Louis Dave Matthews Band stop on the 2010 summer tour.  My first ever show here was on 6.17.04 which was the birth place of the four awesome 2004 new tunes.  Overall, it is my sixth show here in St. Louis including the 2008 show at Busch Stadium.  

SHOW #98 Maryland Heights, MO 6.16.10

This place is a nightmare getting out of after the show.  The parking lot is horribly congested.  I have even bought the VIP parking and it still took an hour or more to get out.  So we tried something new.  We had our annual meet up at Dave and Busters and just parked there and walked to the show.  It was a long walk, but the plan worked perfectly.  After the show it only took us 7 minutes to get out of lot and onto the interstate once we walked to our car! 

Last year we had awesome seats up front, but we were standing on a sewer drain that was flowing in reverse!  It was awful, so tonight it was pleasant not to be standing in poo!  We were on the left in the front row behind the PIT.   We had the rail in front of us so we had a lot of room to ourselves.  There were four of us including Ryan, Kyle, and Minime.  Thanks to Jeff for the awesome tickets again!

Before I get too far I want to point something out about the PIT.  Obviously, I hate the idea.  I hate GA, and I never want to sit in the “mosh pit”!  The spin by the band is they want this energetic group of young fans up front.  However, what they’ve done is replaced the older diehard fans that have great accounts an actually bring energy with their knowledge of the band with lame fans that don’t even know a lot of the songs and just stand there.  At both Cincy and St. Louis the PIT was pretty laid back.

OK…on to the show.  Mini 12 on stage so that pretty much narrowed it to a Squirm opener just like SPAC.  It’s a great song and fits well in the top spot.  I was hoping to get Big Eyed Fish -> Bartender opener….and to my surprise that is what followed it up.

I am so happy they have brought back so many Busted Stuff/LWS songs this tour.  BEF was spot on and the outro was better and longer than it was at SPAC.  Bartender was outstanding, and Dave’s wails were powerful.  The fans were really into it. 

You Might Die Trying is next.  During the winter I listened to the Lucca, Italy release a lot.  YMDT is one of favorite tracks off that live CD.  I had a little more appreciation for it tonight.  Dave did something different in the outro.  He actually made up some lyrics.  My memory isn’t good enough to remember them, but I look forward to listening on a tape.

Dave was in a great mood.  He was much livelier tonight than last night.  He starts trying to explain why he is sweating so much.  He says “According to the National Medical Institute, humans sweat because they are full of heavy metal.  That makes sense to me because I suck on big lead balls!”  Carter Beauford starts dying laughing uncontrollably.  Everyone was laughing.   What in the world is Dave talking about?  Dave then makes the motion of swinging his big lead balls.  It was hysterical.

Dave then says “This song is about lead balls” They play Seven.  I love this song too, and it keeps up the awesome opening run of rocking songs.

After Seven, Dave starts strumming the high strings on his guitar and I knew it had to be Hello Again.  Several people around us also yelled Hello Again.  As I mentioned earlier, Hello Again’s debut was performed at this venue nearly six years ago to the day.  This song is a freaking beast.  Once again it was so tight.  It just rocks out so hard.  This song has to be added to the closer rotation.  I was jumping up and down at the ending jam.  Carter is so effortless in owning this song.  He’s my favorite band member and he just drives this song to another level.  It’s such a treat to have it back.  I hope I get it again at Deer Creek.

After a nice Why I Am, they played #41.  I then realized I forgot to floss my teeth, so I drove home really quick and cleaned up my choppers very well.  Hey good dental hygiene is important.  I then came back in the venue, showed my ticket to all of the ushers and found my seat in time for Tim Reynolds jam and the final 17 minutes of #41.

Out comes Danny Barnes again.  I hope someone tells him the directions for the next stop, and his bus accidently goes to Utah instead of Deer Creek Friday.  He is a set killer.  Please no more corn bread, and no more of Danny Barnes singing his own songs.  No one was happy around us.  I’m really trying not to mean, just being honest.  Dave should come and play in the opening act and back them up on their songs.   Danny Barnes guested at the 2007 Hollywood Bowl and was great, and he didn’t play the same songs every time.  He is a talented banjo player.  Put him on Last Stop, or Lie in Our Graves,  or anything else!

Unlike in Cincy, the setlist immediately bounced back.  Nancies is always a welcome song.  Boyd and Dave got up in each other’s face like the old days at the end.  Of course we were all hoping for Warehouse, but no chance.

Cry Freedom is such a beautiful song.  The horns came in on the end of it.  The crowd sang this pretty loudly.  It’s so great this has been liberated.

I really enjoyed DMB’s performance of You and Me at the Grammys.  By no means do I want to hear this song that often, but I enjoyed it tonight.  Clearly the females love this song.  So Damn Lucky followed and it was well done.  Dave started it almost immediately after You and Me ended. 

That is pretty much it for me.  I have gotten Jimi Thing so much.  It was the first time I’ve got it as a closer.  Hopefully the last, but I doubt it.  Dave was funny in his scat while doing different laugh noises prior to starting his full on scat.

The encore was very weak with Rye Whiskey and Shake Me Like a Monkey.  I said it after SPAC, Shake Me is not strong enough to close.  Prior to Shake Me Dave mentioned that Tim is from St. Louis.  He joked that Tim did got through a lot of trouble making and bad decisions right here in St. Louis.  Then he ended by saying Thank You St. Louis for giving us Tim Reynolds.  Tim bowed and the whole band cheered for him.  Carter stood up and clapped with his sticks.

The medicore encore was quickly made up by catching a stick from Carter!  My buddy Minime also got one. Woo!  Thank you Carter!!!

The lights are again pretty awesome this year.  Fenton and his people always do a great job.  This was the first stage large enough to put the big video screens above them.  That was really cool.  Loved that.  I also really dig the rock pattern in the background.

I had an awesome time tonight, and I was with some great seat partners that made the show even better. 

Now a day off and then off to Deer Creek and my home venue!  Shows number 99 & 100 next!  Thank You DMB for rocking my rear end again tonight! Still chasing Busted Stuff!



2010 DMB Riverbend: Billies Good, Barnes Bad

My 2010 Dave Matthews Band summer tour continues with Cincinnati.  Tonight was my ninth straight show at Riverbend.  One of the crappiest venues that has hosted some of my best shows ever.

SHOW #97 Riverbend Music Center 6.15.10

Tonight I sat with Huff, Taryn, and near a lot of other great peeps including Dan, Gater and Rob from dmbalmanac.com(greatest site on the web!)  We were in third row behind the pit dead center.  Great seats for sure.  Thanks Jeff for hooking us up!

DMB has some great openers.  It is always hard for me to pick my top 3-5.  JTR would have to be up there.  I was pretty excited to see the Big 12 string sitting on the stand.  That guarantees you an awesome opener.   It didn’t disappoint.  I just love that ending breakdown. 

Proudest Monkey was in the two spot.  It’s another one of my favorites.  I love the older songs.  Surprisingly I actually really enjoyed Satellite.  Normally a song I dislike, but I really liked it tonight.

I thought Lying in the Hands of God was easily the best version I have ever gotten.  Jeff Coffin just owned this as usual.  Such powerful lyrics.  It didn’t drag on as long as SPAC.  I really love the look of Dave’s new Gibson raised B guitar. 

After three straight Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King songs they started playing an unfamiliar song.  I thought it was Can’t Stop at first.  It turned out to be Break For It.  This was only the third time it has ever been played.  You may remember this tune being sounchecked a lot in 2006 but never played live or recorded on the BWGK album.  It’s a very groovy tune that at least to me has a distinct Sting/Police feel to it.  I would like to get it again live to get a better feel for it.

By this time a pretty large storm rolled through Cincy.  I felt so bad for those in the lawn.  They must have been miserable in the downpour.  Why people wouldn’t pay a few more bucks for pavilion seats is beyond me.  At times the rain even blew sideways misting us…it felt great in the heat of the night!

Now for the highlight of the night…Dave says after Break For It…”That’s Boyd Tinsley on violin” I knew what was coming…TRIPPING BILLIES!!  Everyone knows it’s my favorite.  The crowd was really into it.  Boyd of course was great on it, and I love that I have gotten Billies my last two shows. 

Taryn was with me and one of her favorites is Seven.  They normally play that in the 2 or 3 spot, so she even figured we weren’t going to get it.  However, right after Billies they start Seven.  Taryn and I got our two favorites back to back.  All of us in our section were screaming the lyrics to Seven.  Love that song! 

What happens next may be hard to describe.  You will probably have to hear the tape (I believe my buddy Mike Peters was only taper tonight).  There was a small Halloween chant, and orange lights go on Carter Beauford and he hits the drums in what seemingly sounds like the intro to Halloween.  Obviously we were all excited.  Then Carter starts hitting the higher sounding drums and it sounds just like intro to Say Goodbye.  Now we are all excited!! Come on either one!!!  Everyone is saying…”This is Say Goodbye!”  (enter sound of Price Is Right Loser noise)  Only for it to go into Gravedigger.  Don’t get me wrong, I like Gravedigger.  However, after thinking we were going to get one of two rare songs, this was a HUGE letdown.

For me the show never really bounced back to first half form.  Danny Barnes came on stage to guest on the banjo for Corn Bread.  They have just overplayed that song.  Then Barnes played one of his own songs called Road.  It was alright, but I feel  like I didn’t pay for a ticket to watch someone else perform their song in the middle of DMB’s set.  Unfortunately, my next three shows are more Barnes guesting.  Which means more Corn Bread and more of either Road or Caveman.  UGH.

Midset Ants was great, and the outro was very different.  I like watching Carter and reading his lips as he tells everyone how many beats.  Ants was awesome.  I do not like Stay as a closer.  It’s just not strong enough in my opinion to end a set.

The encore was solid with Time Bomb/Watchtower.  I love Watchtower, but as I have said before, I hate that they didn’t play Stairway to Heaven in the middle, especially after doing it on Sunday at Bonnaroo.

I’m still chasing Busted Stuff.  I hope we get some rarities tomorrow, but one night tour stops are a crap shoot.  I’m heading over with Ryan, Kyle, and Minime.  My brother Ryan will also be there.

See ya at St. Louis tomorrow!

Journey Begins: 4 DMB Shows in 5 Days

We are getting our hottest weather of the year, that must mean it is time for the Dave Matthews Band to play Cincinnati and St. Louis!  Unfortunately, Indianapolis (Deer Creek) is immediately after St. Louis this year so that means 4 shows in 5 days.  I would much prefer to have them spread out.  I am afraid I will get similiar setlists...especially with Danny Barnes guesting every night.

I hope I fnally get the song Busted Stuff.  I have chased that song for 96 shows without hearing it.  DMB has played it twice this year.

Deer Creek Night Two on Saturday will be my 100th show.  It is hard to believe I am hitting that milestone.  I never thought back at my first show in 1999 that I would go to 100 shows. Hoping for Stone and Billies for show 100!!

I have met so many great friends along the way.  So much so that I look forward to being with them even more than the show itself!

Tonight is Riverbend in Cincinnati.  I have had some of my most epic shows at this venue.  This will be my ninth straight show there.  I hope it is another!  I'd love to get a Halloween 3-peat!

Sieze the day!