Celebrate We Will
By Ron Signore
It is no secret that live music, well any music, brings me joy. My desire to hit concerts to see my favorite artists tops the list of fun things to do for me. There is a 3 hour window of just forgetting the outside world for the most part.
Saturday October 19, 2024 is a special day for me in particular. The first band I saw live, arguably my favorite band, will be enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The group I am referring to is Dave Matthews Band. There is something special about something you love getting recognized and honored in a historic fashion. And another note as to why this is particularly special is DMB is the only band to be nominated and inducted after winning the fan vote twice.
The fan vote is almost as important as the popular vote in an election. It is nice to be recognized as the popular winner, but other parameters and procedures confirm the induction. After winning the fan vote in 2023 and not getting inducted, then to turn around and solidify being inducted in 2024 is really a cool thing.
DMB has a long history spanning over 3 actual decades thus far, originating in 1991. While in there 33rd year as a group, the band continues to put on 3 hour performances at a high energy level night in and night out. The other semi-unique characteristic is that you never get the same show twice. They really modeled themselves after jam-band foundational groups like the Grateful Dead and Phish. It is rare to go to a 2-night stand and see any repeats. Some exceptions are made, of course, but for the most part, each show is a unique experience. After 160+ shows attended, they still have a catalog that allows for me to still have an ability to see new songs, be it an old song I never got to see before, a cover they break out, or releasing new tunes on the road.
The band has evolved in many ways since the beginning. Originating from Charlottesville, VA, the band originally comprised of local bartender Dave Matthews, fusion drummer Carter Beauford, fiddle player Boyd Tinsley, saxophonist LeRoi Moore, 16-year-old bassist Stefan Lessard, and keyboardist Peter Grieser. Dave had a vision as a music writer to associate himself with a band full of talented musicians. They rose to fame through the bar scene locally and expanded to the college scene early on, eventually grabbing the headlines on the stadium circuit. After all these years, the summer tour for DMB is still one of the core things to plan around.
Over the 33 years, the band has released 10 studio albums beginning with the first in Under the Table and Dreaming. This album put them on the map with hits like What Would You Say, Ants Marching, and Satellite. They followed up with Crash which featured hits like Tripping Billies, Two Step, So Much to Say, Too Much, and fan favorite, #41. They followed up with the album, Before These Crowded Streets, which in my opinion is the greatest lyrical album the band has put out. It features songs like Don’t Drink the Water, Dreaming Tree, Pig, and Crush.
After Before These Crowded Streets, the band hit an interesting time in their growth. They headed back into the studio with producer Steve Lillywhite, who had produced the first three albums for the band. They laid down tracks like JTR, Grey Street, and Bartender, only for the project to get scrapped during the process. The trouble was someone leaked the sessions. This rose to strong popularity during the Napster days. Every DMB fan found a way to get these recordings, though no one has really truly confirmed who leaked the sessions, many songs on this track listing would wind up on a later released album in Busted Stuff. Before Busted Stuff, however, the band collaborated with Steve Ballard to produce the different sound for the band in the album Everyday. Everyday featured it’s self-titled song that filled the airwaves post 9/11 as the feel good, all you need is love based song, as well as hits like Space Between, I Did It and So Right. This album also introduced some different sounds the band was capable of producing.
By this time, there had been some configuration changes in the band. Peter Grieser, who actually departed the band shortly after they were taking off, was replaced by Butch Taylor. Butch had some defining roles in some songs, and brought back the keys to fuse in the already built melting pot of talent that was on stage. Everyday introduced him on the studio side, but you really see a bigger part in the sound he produces on the next album released in 2005, Stand Up. Stand Up featured American Baby and Dreamgirl on the radio. Dreamgirl also produced a music video that featured Julia Roberts, which is kind of fitting.
Stand Up was really the last album where the original core band was truly together. The next album released was Big Whiskey and the Gru Grux King in 2009, but it was completed after the death of original saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Moore’s passing hit fans hard. He had one of the sweetest sounds from a sax player you can imagine. It didn’t take long for them to find a replacement, and they nailed it with saxophonist Jeff Coffin who previously guested with DMB as part of Bela Fleck’s Flecktones. Coffin caught on quick, beginning his tenure with sheet music to learn his parts on stage. It was very cool to watch and the support the community gave, and continues to give Coffin, is remarkable. Coffin wasn’t the only configuration change, however. The band added long time friend, guitarist Tim Reynolds, who guested numerous times with the band live and on album collaborations, as well as trumpet player, Rashawn Ross from Soulive. Butch Taylor also left the band prior to Big Whiskey’s release. The bands configuration at this point in time went on to release Away from the World in 2012.
Change would come again after the 25th anniversary show in 2017 when sexual assault allegations, amongst other personal troubles, were present for violinist Boyd Tinsley. Tinsley would be removed from the band. While the violin was never replaced, the band brought in Buddy Strong to help round out the sounds needed via the keys. With the band now consisting of Matthews, Beauford, Lessard, Coffin, Ross, Reynolds, and Strong, they would release two more albums in Come Tomorrow and Walk Around the Moon.
Even with changes over the years, the energy this band brings night after night every summer, every tour, is unparalleled. They have become synonymous with Labor Day Weekend headlining the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA, which is always a celebration and a highlight of each tour with 3 nights of no repeats and the best of every tour as they continue to find a way to make old tunes new and new tunes loved.
“Celebrate we will, cause life is short but sweet for certain…(Two Step)” will be put into motion as this band becomes immortalized with the honor of induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Congratulations DMB, and thank you for rolling out the red carpet for us all to stay up and make some memories.
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