The night could not have been sweeter the day before Isabel hit North Carolina. Last Wednesday, Sept. 17, Dave Mathews Band put on an amazing show at Alltel Pavilion in Raleigh. The weather could not have been better, with a slight night-time breeze running though the open air arena.
Donavon Frankenreiter Band, from Southern CA, opened for DMB. They set the stage for a cool, calm, and collected concert. As soon as DMB’s members, Dave Mathews on the guitar and vocals, Carter Beuford on the drums, Stefan Lessard on bass, Boyd Tinsley on violin, and Leroi Moore on flute and saxophone walked on stage, the audience went crazy.
The dynamics shifted and DMB let loose with some of their older music adding a funky twist. They opened with “What Would You Say” an oldie but a goodie of theirs that made the crowd wild. Then they followed with “Crush” and “Fool to Think” totalling 15 songs and 2 encores. With the five-member band and guest, Butch Taylor on the keys, they surpassed everyone’s expectations.
Halfway through the show, Mathews, after performing one of his biggest hits, “Jimi Thing,” led into a five minute bet box song. He manically played his Gibson guitar and sang nonsense words. The crowd went wild and cheered him on along the way. “It was refreshing to know that the band could get away from their typical songs and be spontaneous,” said sophomore Josh Long. “It was definitely the highlight of the show.” Mathews had an encore performance and ended with two of his most lively songs, “Ants Marching” and “Stay.” The crowd left enthused for their next show.
“At the (DMB) shows, there are always your token drunk people that aren’t even aware they are at a concert, but if you look past that and focus on the band, it’s amazing” said ecstatic fan, third-year Julie Balasalle. “I’ve seen them over 20 times, and each time I’m still amazed by their chemistry and what they each bring to the band as a whole. They are playing older stuff more with a new edge, as well as just letting loose and playing the hell out of everything. I’m looking forward to the next show already.”
With 11 records, the Dave Mathews Band is still going strong after their 12 years together starting out of Charlottesville, VA. The band recently has been doing independent work, with Dave Mathews’ solo album, Some Devil due on Sept. 23 and Boyd Tinsley’s recently released True Confessions. However, when they get together to perform as a band, they couldn’t be any better.