Dave Matthews Band and Gov’t Mule Rock the 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre

Wednesday July 28, 2010 the recently renamed 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre hosted Dave Matthews Band with Gov’t Mule opening. At 7:00pm the Amphitheatre was looking pretty sparse, even in the General Admission pit area where fans were pushing each other to get closest to the sage and to the first glimpse of Dave.

Dave accompanied Gov’t Mule as they took the stage to give them a proper introduction to kick off the music of the evening. Some of their songs sounded as though they were channeling Neil Young with that country-Americana twang. Their amazing melodies, strong guitar riffs and fluid transitions drew in the fans, keeping people steadily trickling in during their set.

Gov’t Mule was one of those bands that everyone kind of knows, or at least should know in some way, but may not be able to name a single song they’ve ever played or heard. They definitely warmed up the crowd for DMB, leaving them with quite the act to follow and ended with a rocking jam-session complete with a sweet saxophone solo, establishing the laid-back vibe of the concert.
By about 8pm people were pouring in and what first looked sparse was now packed. The beer was flowing and we watched as the General Admission Pit, an area that I’d heard an avid DMB fan claim was a necessity for their shows, was too full for most of the fans to move, let alone dance.

The Dave Matthews Band took the stage around 8:30 and the 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre
audience gave a roaring welcome to them all. Dave immediately sang with such intensity in his voice and I knew we were all in for an evening to remember. The sunset amidst the sky after the thunderstorms just made the ambiance all the more romantic, complementing the wonderful Dave Matthews Band style and music. Watching them in action, Dave especially, was more exhilarating and entertaining than I’d even imagined.

The lights and added video screens made the stage a very groovy place. It was evident that Dave was feeling every note he played from head to toe: his closed eyes to hit the right notes, his foot keeping time to each strum. His talent radiated off the stage, just adding more positivity to the vibe and the crowd was feeding off of it.

Dave Matthews Band quickly commanded the attention of the audience showing they were quite the musical force to be reckoned with. This was one of those shows where taking notes was unnecessary; you had to dance with the crowd, sing along, and take it all in!

There were very few fans found sitting. It was hard to be still when DMB busted out songs like “Big Eyed Fish” and “Warehouse.” They kept it pretty up-beat considering a great deal of their hits were a bit softer. It was the kind of show that made you nostalgic, taking you back to the first time you heard, “Crash into Me.”

Those soulful, sensual notes that Dave hit soothed the soul and could make his harshest critics fall head over heels for him. I’ll admit that I had a big love-hate relationship with Dave Matthews Band for a long time. When I was younger I thought they were overrated and I couldn’t stand that “I Did It” song. But, then I gave them a chance and I fell for them. They have a unique sound that’s so easy to listen to, you can’t even complain about them really. My husband admitted he couldn’t name one single DMB song but he knew he’d heard most of them. I caught him rocking out and singing to a few.

The chemistry among the band was impressive. I’ve seen groups who have played together for much longer, play less in sync with one another. No one missed a beat and every single player was able to shine. They finished each others’ “phrases.” When the horns came in it was distinct and just added to the musical quality. Watching the violin player and Dave have little string-battles was hilarious, and made some musical marvels. The guitar players were strong and really gave depth to the songs and Dave’s finger-picking and rocking out on that guitar was hypnotic.

I have to give DMB credit where credit is due, they rocked it! It was a mind-blowing performance and watching it all happen on stage was like being taken to an entirely different level. Even the slower tempo songs revved up the crowd. The passion of the musicians was evident all around, from the smooth, rhythmic changes to the lyrical storytelling and dynamic sounds coming from the wide array of instruments rocking on that stage.

I’d heard a few Dave fans say that they’d heard them play better sets. I’ll admit I was a little disappointed he didn’t play anything from “Everyday,” and only played one song from “Busted Stuff,” but in turn he played a lot from “Under the Table and Dreaming.” They even played a brand new song, one in which Dave claimed “We’d never played that before so we’re just glad we got through it.”Dave Matthews Band left their fans electrified, excited and all danced out. For a

Wednesday night, what more could you really ask for. They are great performers, to say the least, and for my first DMB show, it just left me wanting more. Although they didn’t play all my favorite songs, the night was nothing short of awesome, and it seemed like Dave Matthews Band had just as much fun as his audience did.