Dancing with the Groo Grux King.

There have been Grammy ads around town featuring none other than my guys (or at least the lead guy) for weeks now. Subways, bus stops, and phone booths like this one. Was this a precursor to them winning a much-deserved Grammy or two for their work on Big Whiskey & the Groo Grux King?

No. Snubbed again.

Arguably their best work since 1996's Crash, Groo Grux came after the loss of founding member and sax great LeRoi Moore. His passing brought new members to the studio, and this album and past tour brought new life to the band. They performed one of their tunes tonight after being introduced by Adam I will always dress like I'm homeless Sandler. Check out the performance here.

I've said it before - it's great to see them having fun again.

I've been getting my mind blown for 11 years.

Night two of DMB at Jones Beach lived up to the (i.e. my) expectations placed upon it. Highlights included the "Carter Show" (Two Step), Seek Up debuting, and of course the wicked sick (yes, wicked sick) rendition of Jimi Thing. The new song Alligator Pie is evolving nicely as well. The night's set is below and nerdy links for songs are provided if they weren't repeated from the night before (only two repeats):

Pantala Naga Pampa(into)
Rapunzel
One Sweet World
Seek Up [part 1 of 2] [2 of 2]
Why I Am
Grey Street
Dive In
Dancing Nancies
Crash Into Me
Alligator Pie
Jimi Thing [part 1 of 2] [2 of 2]
Gravedigger
Funny The Way It Is
Shake Me Like A Monkey
You And Me
Time Bomb
Two Step (clip of Carter being insane)

Encore Break

Sister
Anyone Seen the Bridge (into) Too Much (Tease) (into)
Tripping Billies



Not to date myself too much, but I've been seeing these guys live for 11 years now, and I must say that they're better than ever. They're having fun, playing what they want when they want. Songs have evolved into distant versions of what they once were. If you've never seen them live, do it. They should be up on your list with the Bob Dylans and KISSes of the world. Just make sure it's a "night 2."

Finally, a reason to venture to Long Island.

Summer would not be the same without hitting up a few Dave Matthews Band shows. Their current tour is back in town, this time setting up camp at the Jones Beach Theater on Long Island. This was my first time at the theater and I admit that the setting on a warm & sunny cool and cloudy summer evening is a terrific sight. The stage is backed up to the water's edge, giving the fans a clear view of ocean on the horizon. Maybe Long Island isn’t all that bad after all. Bah!

Here’s my nerdy take (YouTube links included!) for your mid-day entertainment. Don’t say I don’t try to keep you Cats entertained at work.


Funny The Way It Is - new single, makes sense.
You Might Die Trying - meh, standard set placement for a night one show.
Seven - second new song, keep pushing that album boys.
Everyday - mellow and short.
Squirm - the rain saves this one.
Dreaming Tree – honestly boys, love the song but this is not a how-slow-can-you-go show.
Lying In the Hands of God – I’d like my 11 minutes back please.
Burning Down The House – great way to wake up the crowd.
Where Are You Going – to the bathroom, that's where. Great way to kill the crowd.
Spaceman (into) – whoa, do you guys have new album out??
Corn Bread – crowd loves the beat, goes nuts for Dave’s dance antics.
Shake Me Like a Monkey – now we’re talking. RCA execs should take note and make this the next single.
Louisiana Bayou – Boyd Tinsley on the violin, ladies and gents.
#41 – Jeff (sax) and Carter (drums) duel. No really. Incredible.
Don’t Drink the Water – solid closer, standard.

Encore break – Pretty standard show for ’09, especially considering they’ll be back tomorrow. Highlights of the main set include Shake Me and #41. Crowd pleasing? Absolutely. Groundbreaking? Not until the encore.

(#40) – there’s something to say about the way a song, played by one man among a sea of thousands, can silence a room. Words change every time because, well, there are no words for it. Beautiful.
Rye Whiskey – who doesn’t love a little Pete Seeger? Tons of heart.
All Along The Watchtower – I’ve seen this song too many times as the encore closer. But a Stairway to Heaven bass solo --> Watchtower --> Stairway outro was a first for both the band and the 13,000 screaming, singing lunatics in the stands.

Now that I’ve maxed out the DMB nerdiness of this post, here’s a picture:



Back for more tomorrow. Cheers.

Night two of DMB.

Another night of DMB, this time in NJ. This was the best I could do with a camera phone...

Put on your dancin' shoes.

These guys can still rock.

Mind you, I'm a former Dave Matthews Band fanatic whose life was 100% engulfed in everything "Dave." Posters, concerts, road trips, AIM screen names, email addresses, wardrobe - it was an obsession that bordered on addiction. I traded (legal) bootleg copies of concerts, first on tapes (MaxellXLII 90's were the standard) then CDR's. To my mother's relief, being addicted to a rock band whose stand out musician plays the violin, I guess things could have been worse. Right?

Much like my food palette, my musical tastes have (thankfully) expanded over the years and Dave and Co. now find stiff competition on my ipod. But every once in a while, it's good to go back re-live the good old days - predicting the next song based on the instruments the guys are holding, or hoping for the Recently intro to be On Broadway, or keeping fingers crossed that an oldie but goodie is pulled out of the archives (which happened tonight).

Dave remarked throughout the night, "Who kicks off their tour at Madison Square Garden?" And it's true. The greats have all played here. Billy Joel's name hangs from the rafters. Hell, Dave shared the stage with the Godfather of Soul in 2002. There's something magical about the building that brings a different energy out of the crowd and tonight was no different.

I've seen my share of DMB shows (20+) and I continue to have respect for a group that goes out night after night and puts on a solid show while having fun. The band has toured every year since '92, and it's the driving force behind their success. Their new album out in June will be their first in seven years.

Highlights included new material from the upcoming album, including a great first single in Funny The Way It Is. Classics like Two Step and #41 continue to evolve, while songs that have been shelved for years made a boisterous comeback. Oh yeah, Gregg Allman joined the band on stage too. All in all, this DMB fan nerd was reinvigorated.

Next up - tomorrow's show at the Brendan Byrne Continental Airlines Arena IZOD Center.