Whether you went crazy in the crowd or went elsewhere to avoid it, the Dave Matthews Band concert was an event charged with expectations. And whether the show actually lived up to them or not is up to personal opinion, but we think it did.
Soulive provided an early impetus for salivation; their instrumental combination of jazz, funk and groove primed the stadium, half full and eager for Dave. While we applaud their musical talents and almost contagious energy, Soulive was not quite Dave ... and that's what we wanted.
And then ... out walked Dave. He approached the microphone amid his fans' idolizing screams for the purpose of introducing his own childhood idol.
Neil Young, with his untucked shirt, torn jeans, and cowboy hat, was another story altogether. We greatly enjoyed the classic rock talents of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, but some of the best moments involved older concert goers dancing frenetically to the sounds of their youth. Young and the band succeeded in properly riling up the almost-full stadium, particularly with the ageless "Rock and Roll Will Never Die."
And then ... out walked Dave ... again. He softly strummed the opening chords of "Two Step." Celebrate we did. (Especially when Boyd Tinsley appeared, chest and rippled stomach muscles glistening on the big-screen TVs.)
Some music aficionados prefer not to like DMB, simply because the band is so "tragically" mainstream. But may we point out that their popularity has less to do with their place in the Top 40 with other boy bands and more to do with the fact that they are good. As a music ensemble, the boys of DMB have amazing talent in the first place. Add to that their capacity for improvisation, and you have an incredible live act. Carter Beauford smashes it up on the drums; Stefan Lessard grooves on bass; LeRoi Moore plays tenor and alto sax, flute and contra bass clarinet, all with equal aplomb; Tinsley fiddles that violin like nothing else; and Dave himself has that distinct gravelly voice and intricate guitar work. As a group, their only competitors are themselves (and U2).
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Though they have to constantly compete with die-hard fans' older images of the band, DMB did run the crowd-pleasing route Saturday night. The set list consisted of smash hits like "Ants Marching," "What Would You Say," "Too Much" and "Stay," leaving out many lesser-known favorites (i.e, our favorites), such as "#41," "Say Goodbye" and "Recently."
Considering recent controversies regarding Glen Ballard's involvement in their latest album, the handful of new songs played was well chosen. However, they lacked Dave's trademark style of improv. While "Angel," slowed down and spiced up by the backup vocals of the "lovely ladies," fooled around with the song's possibilities, most of the other new songs did not depart from the album versions.
Whether you prefer Dave's older or newer songs, "All Along the Watchtower" crossed the boundaries of taste and time. Young returned to the stage to interact with Dave, and their give-and-take antics provided one of the show's highlights.
After two hours of non-stop music, DMB played an intense rendition of "Ants Marching" and promptly filed out. Much clapping and screaming ensued, and the band came back to play two encore songs -- "If I Had It All" and "Stay." The encore was, if anything, anticlimactic. We expected more, perhaps a second encore or a different song to go home with, but weren't given it, though the lights stayed off for five or six more minutes. After waiting in anticipation of more music (especially since "Stay" demanded it of us), we were sadly disappointed. Dave had vacated the premises; it seemed he had run out of steam.
Charlottesville had slept to dream him for two months (at least). And in the end, after he said a final goodbye in that endearing drawl of his, we still wanted more.
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