Thursday, July 30, 2009

Dave Matthews Band Blossom 7/29/09

Big Joe and I had a great time at the Dave Matthews Band Concert at Blossom Music Center last night. All day it rained and rained and rained. Around 4:30 the rain started to let up but we were supposed to get hit again around 9:00 with another storm. We had plastic to sit on and ponchos to wear. Although once DMB started there was no more sitting, everyone was up and moving for the rest of the night. The rain never came back, it was a beautiful night. Joe and I got a great parking space with a little help from 4 wheel drive. We had no problem getting out after the show. The show ended at 11:00 we were on the back roads heading home by 11:17.

The band consisted of, of course Dave Matthews guitar and vocals, Boyd Tinsley violin, Carter Beauford drums, Stefan Lessard bass, Rashawn Ross trumpet and horns, Tim Reynalds lead guitar, Jeff Coffin saxophone in place of the deceased Leroi Moore. I believe Leroi Moore was playing the weather. Thanks Leroi

They played 17 songs in about two and a half hours. Something tells me that if Blossom did not have an 11:00 curfew they would have played longer. Eight songs were off of their new album that I think is just superb. DMB opened with "Funny The Way It Is", a great song off of the new CD. Then came "Pig" with a Dave solo. "Squirm" is off of the new CD. "Crush" started a master jam session between first Boyd Tinsley taking the lead and then playing back and forth between Tinsley and Tim Reynalds. The jam finished with a small drum solo by Carter Beauford. "Spaceman", off the new CD, featured Rashawn Ross on trumpet. Proving that they are the best at what they do they played "The Best Of Whats Around". The crowd goes wild as the first notes of "Grey Street" are played. "Seven" another song off of the new CD was next.

Then a song about a prophylactic, "Jimi Thing". During "Jimi Thing" there are extended solos and interplay between all the members of the band except Dave, he is standing stage left not even playing his guitar. Jeff Coffin is playing two different saxophones at the same time! Dave steps up to the microphone and does a bit of scat that would make Mel Torme jealous. Whoa, Dave is showing off some dance moves. Yes he is a white man. And the band sings together on a new ending to "Jimi Thing" by harmonizing the lyric "sexy mother fucker shake that ass", over and over and over again. The crowd joins in. Wow that was a lot jammed into one song.

Big Joe does not care for "Lying In The Hands Of God". I personally like the song. DMB added a kind of spacey jam for the stoners to space out to in the middle of the song. It was mellow kind of nice. Dave throws on an electric guitar and plays one of my favorites "Louisiana Bayou". They smoked it. I love the Yuus. They burst, and I do mean burst, into "Why I Am" off of the new CD with a hot guitar solo by Tim Reynalds thrown in. Dave goes back to his acoustic guitar for "Rhyme Or Reason". "Dancing Nancie's" is next with a Tinsley solo. I love "You And Me" off of the new album. I sing it to my Honey Bunny all the time, maybe that is why she doesn't like the Dave Matthews Band. "Two Step" starts out slow with Boyd playing the violin like a mandolin. The crowd goes crazy when the song kicks into high gear. Tim Reynalds plays an excellent slide guitar solo and fades out to a Carter Beauford drum solo. The band heads off for a brief break before the two song encore.

Dave and Tinsley do a little acoustic song called Rye Whiskey. I can't find a version of the song listed on any albums. And for the Grand Finale off of the new CD a cute song Shake Me Like A Monkey. Dave must like monkeys he sing about them often.

Over all a good show. Their seemed to be a lot of moving around on the lawn which is some what distracting. I seemed to remember in the old days people sat and listened to the music. I know DMB makes you want to dance but do you have to stumble and run through the crowd all night long? Maybe I am getting old? Lights, movie screens and sound were all good. Music was excellent. Hanging with big Joe loads of fun. I give it four twirls. I was not familiar with a few of the songs, which is my fault, but that might be why I could not give it five twirls. Yes, I will go back and see them again. It is a fun crowd to mingle with.

Twirls are based on a five twirl system. The highest ranking is Five Twirls with some hand moves thrown in.

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