I am infatuated with a man and his band.
Scratch that, it's pure LOVE at this point.
So last night my sister, two friends and I traveled down the QEW to the Molson Amphitheater to see DMB (Dave Matthews Band). WHAT A FANTASTIC, AWESOME, AMAZING NIGHT!
I'm a HUGE DMB fan! I first heard their music in 2000 through a friend at Copps, and immediately I was hooked. The music of DMB, I find, so all encompassing. It gets into your soul. The variety in instrumentation is unlike any other band: Dave plays his trademark acoustic and frequently his baritone electric (for pretty much anything from the Everyday album) and last night piano. Carter plays the drums, but he doesn't just play them.... he rapes them. He has got to be the best drummer in the world... when he plays it sounds like he has several kits surrounding him and he has 8 arms producing such outstanding beats. Boyd plays violin. Yep, violin.... in a folk-rock band. HOW AWESOME IS THAT?! And it's sound fits amazingly! And then there's the teenage prodigy.... Stefan! (I love him!). Stefan plays bass. He was recruited to the band as a 15 year old, while at the time of recruitment the rest of the band were in their early to mid 20's, this being in 1992/1993. Yea, I'd say that's the definition of "good". But man, listen to Stefan's intro to "Crush"! And, just to drive the point of his GREATNESS home, I can tell you that in the early 2000's (I want to say 2002 or 2003... I cannot remember) he was voted #1 bassist in the world. He's also a babe.
Musicianship aside, Dave's lyrics are the best of any band I know. I don't even have the space to discuss this here, but maybe in a later post.
So anyway, the concert.... I had seen DMB one other time in April 2002 at the ACC, and as much as it was a life changing concert, it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. DMB is best enjoyed two ways: LIVE and OUTDOORS. I cannot even describe how one's perception of music changes in an live outdoor environment. That's not to say that stadium/arena concerts are garbage, because they are not anything of the sort. I am saying that they're just enhanced somehow when outside. And if there was ever a venue to make the magic happen, it would be the Molson Amphitheater. Honest to God the BEST venue to see a concert in, HANDS DOWN, thanks for coming out, the end! I had seen several concerts there in the past: Bush, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson... and now the ultimate outdoor summer band!
A lot of people I know do not even know of the Dave Matthews Band, let alone like their music. That always disappoints me a bit, I guess because I do not understand it. DMB is one of the biggest grossing bands (does that phrasing make sense?), and that is pretty much JUST from touring. They don't put out an album every year, but they do tour every year. And the sheer volume of fans who attend their concerts is mind blowing! My sister and I took the Go Train to the concert, and it was unbelievable the amount of people who got on at each stop to see Dave. HEARDS of people!
And there's something about DMB fans.... Natalie, who I was so happy I got to give the two extra tickets to (she brought a friend of hers from work, and who as it turned out, I went to high school with [haha, I may or may not have "poked" fun at his winter boots in grade 9 french...]) and I were talking about it. About how everyone who comes to see DMB is on the save sort of wave length. Natalie calls it "hippies at heart", and I do kind of agree (and not just because of the amount of denim, plaid, and Birkenstock's, haha). I think everyone there is just totally into the music and what it gives them. There's no "unruly" behaviour.. everyone is super friendly. I met a bunch of guys in the merchandise line and we just totally were going on about the band and life, it was so cool. There was no "I'm going to push you out of my way because I don't know you" as I've seen at other concerts. These guys actually let me in front of them in line! It's just an amazing, positive atmosphere incomparable to any other concert I've been to. Which is a lot.
He opened with "Funny The Way It Is" from the new album (CHECK IT OUT! It's such a return to early DMB), which was the perfect way to get things started. And he pulled out his regular show stopping stunts: extended intro's/bridges/conclusions to songs, improvs with lyrics and songs, and let the crowd sing in his place. IT WAS AMAZING! Best of all, I FINALLY got to see Crash Into Me played LIVE! (it's my favourite DMB song. I've included the video I took [actually the video my sister took because I had a couple drinks and was too .. uh.. "happy"... to handle my camera]), so watch it!
I was so glad Natalie came! When I found out I would have two extra tickets, I was a bit discouraged at first. Like I said, not many people I know know or like DMB, so I had a moment of panic. I was SO GLAD to remember Natalie's on par infatuation turned love for DMB as me! And I couldn't imagine giving them to anyone else. It is so amazing to experience a concert of a band you love with another person who loves the music just as much! We sang, we danced, we screamed.... She's so the person I'm going with next time!
Now that it's over, I've been trying to look into prices for time machines so I can go back and relive it all. That's the only sucky part about these things... all this build up and anticipation, and it's over before you know it. This is why it's SO important to enjoy every moment handed to you (in all aspects of life)! My pictures aren't the greatest, but that's ok. It was the BEST night, and I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon!
I'm really lucky :)
[this is where the video was scheduled to upload, but it was taking forever to do..... my apologies for blogspot's difficultness :-( ]
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Now playing: Dave Matthews Band - Time Bomb
via FoxyTunes
