DMB: Gone, But Not Forgotten

For those of you that know my past, you know I am (or was) a huuuuuge DMB fan. I've been to 22 shows, many during the same concert tours, and have over 100 discs of live bootlegs (although, technically, if the band allows recordings, are they really bootlegs? This guy says no.) So when the Band, and Dave in particular started going downhill in recent years with Everyday, the scrapping of the Lillywhite sessions, and then the almost completely forgettable Stand Up album, I gave up going to shows. I mean, I saw some glory years, why taint them with concert memories that don't stand up to the past? Well, due to the generosity of FSU, I got the chance to attend the DMB show this past Saturday at Shoreline. Below, you'll find some video clips that I got at the show (amazing 13th row seats), as well as a song by song breakdown of the concert.

In a nutshell, the show was very good, but demonstrated the bulk of what I had already thought about DMB...the talent of the musicians hasn't changed...they are as tight a band and as spectacular at improv-ing as they were when I first saw them in 1998. When they are playing the old cuts, the power, energy and beauty that always made me a staunch defender of DMB in the face of critics is still there. Yet the minute the set gets to a new song, it's invariably bad. Every old song they played on Saturday rocked, and every new song they played was horrendous to the point of wondering how the same band responsible for Two Step could also be responsible for shit like Louisiana Bayou. Hence the title of this post...

The Dave Matthews Band I knew and loved, for the most part they're gone. But the memory, enjoyment and love I have for their old work is still very much with me. Similarly for the band...the band they were, the music they were once able to create, that's gone. Dave and his song writing have been turned from the starving tortured amazing lyrical artist they once were together into a garbage-producing pop radio machine that doesn't even sound that good. Yet, in concert, they still play the old songs with the energy, verve and style they once possessed. Even in their own minds, the band they once were is gone, but not forgotten.

Setlist:
Sugar Will (tease) - I don't know how much of what I heard was a tease and how much was the song below...either way, it didn't seem like I was being teased all that much)
A Dream So Real * - Wasn't really impressed with this song. Started to wonder when I would hear something I knew that wasn't being called out by the drunk frat guy next to me.
Two Step * - A strong example of why this band is so great. They jammed this one into a frenzy and had a very nice piano/vocal improv from Butch Taylor. They took this one on for about 13-14 minutes, every one of which was excellent. You can see the opening verse here.
Eh Hee * - I don't know when Dave lapsed into Pop produced Rock Gospel, but I had heard this song a few weeks ago on iTunes and wondered what had happened to the songwriter I used to love. This song has got to be one of the worst I've ever heard by any band, let alone DMBand. I sat down and wished for it to be over.
You Might Die Trying * - One of the more tolerable songs off the Stand Up album, this one shows hints of the old DMB which it then turns to shit new stuff...this song is hard to deal with because I like good portions of it, only to see the final reality of what their music is now.
Everyday * - This song walks a fine line for me...they started it out with the traditional Boyd solo and the crowd singing "honey honey, come and dance with me." Personally, it has always brought a smile and sometimes even tears to my eyes hearing 30,000 people singing "come and dance with me"...the song itself is decent, one of the few partially salvageable songs off the Everyday album, but in the end, it's still a far cry from the likes of real DMB songs like
Dreaming Tree * - I almost had a heart attack when this song came on. As I mentioned, this was my 23rd DMB show and only the third time I've heard my favorite song. This song is by far my favorite by the band, and when people all around me sat down and got quiet, I wanted to shake them collectively as a group that cheered wildly and obnoxiously for that piece of shit song Eh Hee and then didn't realize what they were hearing in Dreaming Tree. From what I've been told (thanks Eric), DT has slowly made its way back into concert rotation, but for five or six years hearing this song in concert was like hearing Bush put together five complete sentences with no grammatical errors. This song didn't disappoint until they followed it up with
Grace Is Gone Don't get me wrong..the first 10 times I heard this song, I really enjoyed it. It was new, it was kinda like a radio song but also like a DMB song, and just kinda worked for me. Now I've come to recognize it as one in a grouping of songs that foreshadowed the collapse of Dave as a songwriter. Drunk guy next to me goes, "Dude, stand up!" to which I, still in a deep depression from having Dreaming Tree go into this instead of something like Song that Jane Likes or Stone, reply, "no." I don't think he liked me after that.
(Black Water) * - This interlude, as far as I can remember, was decent.
Louisiana Bayou * - One of the songs off Stand Up that makes me want to throw Dave and his producer into the Bayou to watch them sink.
Sister + - Hadn't heard this song before, but it was worth hearing if only for the fact that as Dave sang solo, Carter, Butch and Rashawn sang back up vocals by Butch's keyboard like they were the Four Tops or something. I'm convinced this song was in there to allow Boyd and LeRoi time to go back stage and burn one down.
Granny * - Always good to hear an old classic. This one carried flair and energy, which was desperately needed after the Dave Matthews and the Pips rendition of Sister.
Corn Bread * - I'm not positive what the idea behind this song was. I'm still not positive why someone hasn't taken everything that Dave holds dear away from him to make him write decent lyrics again.
The Idea Of You * - If I remember correctly, this song was about a babysitter that he was attracted to. You see, in the old days, we got songs like Two Step lamenting the swift and fleeing idea of life, Last Stop about racism and war, Rhyme and Reason about drug addiction. Now we get songs about crushes on nannies. For what it's worth, it's a better song than Louisiana Bayou. Did I mention that that song makes me want to throw Dave into the Bayou? Yes, I believe I did.
#27 * - A Dave number song?! No way! Hadn't heard this one before, and truthfully, don't remember it much now...guess it wasn't that great?
Dream Girl * - I think they should rename this one...I think Nightmare Song would be appropriate.
Jimi Thing * - A classic done right...long jams, funky dancing and a middle section where Dave lead the crowd in a rousing rendition of Buffalo Springfield's For What It's Worth.
Grey Street * - Following Jimi Thing, this was a solid one. During the line, "She could paint anything about her using colors bold and bright" Dave showed he still had the ability to really belt. I thought he was going to rip his apple out with that one.
Stay (Wasting Time) * - Disappointing finish to the set given the fact that we had come out of Jimi and Grey. But I guess I'll take it over an Everyday or Stand Up song. As Gavroche used to point out, the beautiful irony of this song used as a set closer or encore ending is that the line is "it makes you wanna stay," but then they make you go.
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So Damn Lucky ~ Wasn't very impressed with this encore opener. But what was I expecting? Seek Up solo?
American Baby Intro * sThis was a pretty cool intro. When you hear it on the Stand Up album, it sounds great, and then goes into American Baby which again begs that too often repeated question from this blog...what happened? But here, they took the intro and turned it into an 8 minute jam that was excellent.
Ants Marching * -
Show Notes: * Rashawn Ross + Carter, Butch and Rashawn: Back-up vocals ~ Dave Solo

So all in all, I was glad I got out to the show...it reminded me of a lot of the music that I loved, and realized that even if, post-Before These Crowded Streets the band has gone down hill, it hasn't tainted their ability to play the old stuff, or my enjoyment in listening to it...Below, enjoy the opening verse to Dreaming Tree.