dave matthews band show review
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Live review of DMB's album release show at the Beacon Theatre on June 2TRANSCRIPT
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Scene & Heard
COMPILED BY DEAN BUDNICK
Dave Matthews BandBeacon TheatreNew York, N.Y.
JUNE 1
“Sometimes when you playtogether as long as we have, thingsaren’t so easy,” Dave Matthews saidduring the intimate album releaseshow for his band’s über-hyped sev-enth studio effort, Big Whiskey andthe GrooGrux King. “But I gotta say,”he went on, “that at the moment,this band is gettin’ on as good as weever have.”
A show has rarely gone by thatDave Matthews hasn’t mentionedhis fallen bandmate LeRoi Moore
since the group’s co-founder diedunexpectedly last August—and thisnight was no exception:
“Our good friend LeRoi Moore,before he passed away, he startedto see the light that shone out ofhim,” Matthews explained. “And hestarted shining on us, and it madeus all feel what we got.”
The group’s three-hour setincluded a number of tracks fromits latest album, kicking-off with thesingle, “Funny the Way It Is.” Of theseven new tunes that the bandplayed, the New Orleans-inspiredromp “Alligator Pie” and the arena-sized, ominous “Squirm” were alsostandouts.
However, the classics owned the
night. Jeff Coffin’s flute highlighted“The Dreaming Tree.” DrummerCarter Beauford reeled Coffin in for a“#41” showdown. An extended “AntsMarching” jam had violinist Boyd
Tinsley at Beauford’s mercy and the drummer’s “Two Step” soloeven enthralled the securityguards.
Despite battling a cold, vocallyMatthews managed to eek out asolo Pete Seeger cover, “RyeWhiskey,” during the three-songencore. Exhausted, he expressedhis gratitude: “We wanna thank youall for lettin’ us do what we lovedoin’ and hangin’ with us until wefound out how we do it again.” Matt Franciscovich
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The Dave Matthews Bandkeeping it intimate on the eveof release for its seventh studio album, Big Whiskey andthe GrooGrux King
Matthews: “This band is gettin’ on asgood as we ever have.”