CyberHippie Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 I'm sure just about all of you have some opinion on Dave Matthews... Well, Love em or hate em? Or.... Used to love them but now, not so much... Myself, I can think of and remember some amazing moments with DMB, fantastic jams... Watchtower madness... But I found at some point along the way they became very predictable, and a lot less interesting... I think it started around 1999... Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shainhouse Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 I used to love them too. Saw lots o' DMB shows in my day, but now I'll take em' or leave em'. Things change, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipin Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 I have only seen him once and thouth it was OK , nothing ground breaking..... but still tight as hell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phred Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 I still consider "Under the Table and Dreaming", and "Crash" two of my all time favourite albums. They are both in fairly heavy rotation at home. I have seen three DMB shows and loved all three. I have not been a fan of many of his new songs, since about "Don't Drink the Water". The new stuff seems to have lost the groove and fun feel of the older stuff. However, I still consider his band and great show and a great band. The Drummer rocks my world, and they can certainly groove and Jam when they want to (check out the last ottawa show with Bela Fleck - Fuck that Jam at the end ROCKED!). I find in general that when bands evolve thier sound, the fans are the ones that end up hating it. I think of many bands that I was a die hard fan of, and then they changed the sound... Metallica - Before Bob Rock butchered the sound on the album "Metallica" U2 - Before "Zooropa" The Tragically Hip - Before "Day for night" Rush - Before "Counterparts" Phred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 Hey there! I've loved DMB since "Under The Table..." and never really stopped. All the albums between (and including) "Remember Two Things" and "Before These Crowded Streets" I'd definitely consider favorites. Although I wasn't as huge on "Everyday" I appreciated that they were trying to do something different, and something that by all accounts Dave personally needed to do to get himself out of a funk. And I thought the songs from "Lillywhite Sessions" that eventually became most of "Busted Stuff" are excellent, old school Dave! Plus all of the live albums in between are amazing too. I guess there are a few things that really impress me about DMB. One thing that I appreciate about many of the acts that I've been really into over the years - Springsteen, Rush, Gabriel, Rheostatics to name a few - is that they are willing to change things up over the years, do things that at times may be considered more or least commercial, but always seem to ring true. Some people bitch out Dave 'cus he's too commercial or poppy. The way I look at it is, if a guy can write a song like "Crash Into Me" and it happens to be a huge hit, more power too him. If you listen to that song or "Don't Drink The Water", you can't say 'oh, those are calculated hit singles'. They're just good songs that caught on. Another thing is the instrumentation of the band and the way the approach "jamming". Centering the sound around sax, violin and acoustic guitar gives the band a really immediately identifiable sound, and I love that. There's very little generic electric guitar or synth stuff - not that I don't love electric guitars and synths played well, but it's also great to hear something fresh and different. And there's a real ensemble feel to the jams that DMB does. Now, I love what you might call "virtuoso" jamming which features someone with obviously exceptional instrumental skill (like a John Popper or Warren Haynes or whoever else you want to name) but the jams in DMB are more often than not real "band" jams. And totally unrelated to the music itself, even if you don't like DMB per say you have to respect Dave for starting his own record label and signing Gov't Mule and David Gray as the first two acts. That shows you something right there. Peace, - Mr. M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Huxtable Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 Like many of you, I used to be a die-hard DMB fan. I suppose they opened the portal to the jamband world for me. DMB used to experiment with sound, had a fiddle and sax in it (what other main stream band does?) and lyrically they are very good. DMB sure made me feel good for a long time. They introduced me to Bella Fleck, Tim Reynolds, Soullive and many other artists that I may have never heard of had I not embrased "Under the Table and Dreaming" and "Crash". I was anxious to buy the "Lilywhite" album. When it was kiboshed, I was VERY upset. That "Everyday" album sucked so bad, I just can't bring myself to listen to DMB anymore. The last concert I saw was at the Corel Centre (the one before last). The show was boring, the crowd was in a coma and I vowed to never spend money on them again. From passionate about loving them to being annoyed by them...WTF??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Ms.Huxtable: The last concert I saw was at the Corel Centre (the one before last). The show was boring, the crowd was in a coma and I vowed to never spend money on them again.Hey Ms. H I was at that show too, and I agree it was by far their worse. I couldn't believe I drove from TO for that! However, the last time they played at ACC with Bela Fleck reaffirmed my faith in them as a killer live band. And if you ever want to give them another shot, pick up the Live At Folsom CD or DVD. It's got killer live versions of a lot of Lillywhite songs including JTR. - M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phred Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 I didn't mind the show that Sharon mentioned, although the last show it Ottawa rocked my socks off... I think they were really Pulling out all the stops because of Bela Fleck's Killer set. I was thoroughly blown away by the DMB Bela Fleck Jam. Frikken awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shainhouse Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 Firstly, MarcO, props to you for your responses in these boards. Your words are always articulate and come from the heart. I enjoy reading them so thanks for your imput! Secondly, I think DMB are a victory for the little guy, so-to-speak. They started out like any other band started, playing little bars and clubs and winning fans through word of mouth and tape trading. Lucky for them financially, they escaped the world of the underground and graduated to mainstream, a place where their financial future is stable. Thirdly, Even though I don't listen to them as much as I used to (I used to be like Fresco, couldn't get enough), I still pop on a show or an album here and there. Nothing beats a multi-racial band with unorthodox instruments for what people in the scene consider 'pop' and Dave is one of the best lyricists, hand down of the past decade. His songs speak of the heart and are well written. I do believe he has slipped since 1998, but maybe that's because like most fans, he was getting to popular for me. The last show I saw was 8.20.00, and although I loved it, I had trouble forking out the $40 American for it. Lastly, MarcO is right about allowing up-and-comers the chance to open for them in large venues. Robert Randolph, Bela, Soulive, Getaway People, North Miss Stars and Antibalas, along with Ben Harper, G. Love, Poi Dog Pondering and Herbie Hancock are all well respected, established acts that became so (w/the exception of herbie) because of the press and shows DMB helped them with. Cudo's to the band and management for doing that. If I ever make enough dough to happily afford DMB, I'll defenitly go see them again, but until then, the albums and shows will have to do, amidst the Phish, dead, moe and all the other bands we've yet to critisize for succeeding. That's it for now. Take care- peace- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 quote: Originally posted by shainhouse: Firstly, MarcO, props to you for your responses in these boards. Your words are always articulate and come from the heart. I enjoy reading them so thanks for your imput! Have you been drinking?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingbear Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 I'v come full circle....when i first heard them i loved them, i only saw them once in ottawa at barrymores, and that show was simply amazing. I then really wasn't on their vibe for a while, but after getting stuck in northern ontario and borrowing busted stuff from a friend due to serious lack of music, i really could'nt stop listening to it. I love that album. I think however if i did go see them again, it would have to be a big outdoor venue. Anhow thats my little circle. dancingbear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted December 10, 2002 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Mr. Musicface: However, the last time they played at ACC with Bela Fleck reaffirmed my faith in them as a killer live band. That's interesting, because that show is what made me give up on them once and for all... I felt that the shows was all the most popular singles, even the old songs they played. It felt like the record company was sitting backstage forcing them to play the most popular songs, so people would buy the albums. I thought the jamming with Bela was ok, but felt that Bela got the shaft pretty good, all the focus was still on Dave. Then there's the fact that I spent around $80 on the ticket. IMO that was the worst concert burn I've ever had. To sum up, I'll probably never see DMB again. But I will still listen to the first two albums, and shows pre-1999, and remember how much fun dmb was (I'll try to forget my ACC experience). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 Ummm, I must be extra stupid today... Poor DMB for having to endure the cold hard reality of mainstream popularity (and the money/hotels/limos that go with it) versus the LUXURY of being on the fringe!?!? Maybe they shouldn't have made videos? Ask Futureman about the luxury of being on the fringe. And his back-taxes lawyers. Phish enjoys mainstream popularity (ie. appearing on the Simpsons and hosting the planet's biggest concert event of NYEY2K, 800,000 ticket requests for NYE 2002, etc) and it hasn't hurt them much, guess they're up to the challenge. Sorry, we've been debating everything today down here in 'merica, so I guess I feel argumentative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shainhouse Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 MarcO, Don't know. maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurly Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 My 12 year old cousin asked me for Busted Stuff for Christmas. When I asked her why she wanted it, she said that she just loved Dave's voice. At least that element hasn't been degraded (substantially) since the bands earlier days. Their sound is accessible, and revered by a lot of people that wouldn't ever be exposed to a lot of the stuff that you see at the "fringe" jamband shows that most of us probably take for granted. Point-in-case is last year in Montreal with the 22 minute Two Step! They may not jam as much or as hard as they did 5 years ago, but they still have what it takes to make a show fun. But I agree with anyone who resent the deuchbags who ruined the whole Dave and Tim thing before I got a chance to, or the 15 year old girls waving 4 foot Marry Me Dave!! signs while attempting to launch their careers as backup vocalists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamilton Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 I have to agree with most of what Marc has said in his earlier post. Every band is entitled to make a bad album sometimes, and in DMB's case, it was "Everyday". Bands *need* to change their approach to things sometimes - can you imagine how boring it must be to make the same album over and over again? We don't always realize it, but listeners need bands to change, too. I actually think that U2's "Zooropa" and The Hip's "Day For Night" are two of the best albums that those bands put out specifically because they were a diversion - I don't need or want to hear "Road Apples, Volume 7". Furthermore, I think that as "jamband" fans, some of us have a tendency to focus too much on the idea of "jamming". There are a lot of great bands and artists out there who put on amazing shows (U2, Radiohead, etc) who don't "jam" - that doesn't diminish their talent, it just means that you don't go on tour with them night after night, since shows will be fairly similar. While DMB may not "jam" as much as they used to (a complaint I've been hearing since "Crash" was released), it doesn't mean that they put on a bad show, either. It's important not to became a slave to a label. "Jamming" is only good when it is actually good - and I know that "good" is a subjective determination. "Jamming" does not make a bad song good, nor does the lack of a "jam" make a good song bad. Four minute songs are good, too. There are many good jam bands, but there are a lot of very bad, boring, derivative jam bands too. Be objective... quote: Originally posted by MarcO: I like 'em! Not to mention the sweetness of any Dave & Tim recordings you may find. Shame that had to end, but I understand why. When I saw Dave & Tim in Syracuse in 1999, it was the rudest audience I've ever dealt with (well maybe taht honour should go to the moe. show at Lafayette Square in Buffalo last year but....). While the audience at the moe. show was shameful, I still think the Dave/Tim show was the absolute worst audience I have ever encountered. At least moe. could drown the audience out with their electric guitars - two soft-spoken guys with acoustics didn't have a chance! Still, at least Syracuse has Frank's Pizza, and the only cabbie to ever hand me a full pint glass of beer when I got into his cab... Toodles, Brian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frescolopez Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 I used to be a die-hard Dave Matthews fan. I couldn't go a day without listening to him - or I would feel ill. But then he did start to get predictable and I slowly weened myself off of him and started listening to a little band called Phish. That was the beginning of the end. I guess Dave was kind of an introduction into the jamband scene for me. I'll still give his CD's a listen every once in a while and I'll catch him any time he's in TO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 I think DMB often gets unfairly criticized. Alone amongst their "jamband" peers, they had to deal with the realities of being a mainstream phenomenon as opposed to the luxury of sitting on the fringes, where supposedly they would be cooler. The only DMB studio release I don't have is "Everyday" and that's because it is a poor album. I do like "Busted Stuff" and continue to enjoy each of their other albums. Live, DMB never disappointed me, although I haven't seen them since 1999. In fact, their 1996 Toronto show is among my top 5 favorite concerts by anyone anywhere! And they have used their stature to put many an up-and-coming band on the bill with them, giving the likes of MMW, Soulive, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones and Antibalas exposure to a wider audience. Also, who would have predicted a multi-racial band led by sax and violin and fronted by a freak would do so well? I like 'em! Not to mention the sweetness of any Dave & Tim recordings you may find. Shame that had to end, but I understand why. When I saw Dave & Tim in Syracuse in 1999, it was the rudest audience I've ever dealt with (well maybe taht honour should go to the moe. show at Lafayette Square in Buffalo last year but....). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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