Yesterday, I watched a fantastic flick called, “Listen to Your Heart,” directed by Matt Thompson. Without giving anything away, I’ll just tell you that the piece centered around a “struggling” musician, who, despite his limited income, lived an extremely rich and generous life. To give you an example, the hero in this picture would do things like buy incomplete newspapers from a homeless man on the street, in order to support the wanderer’s industriousness. The story follows the main character as he falls in love with a deaf woman, who, up until now, existed in the shadows of her over-controlling mother. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out what happens, (and there are surprises!), but I bring this up here because I was amazed at how closely this film mirrors some of the major themes inherent in the music of the Dave Matthews Band.Yesterday, I watched a fantastic flick called, “Listen to Your Heart,” directed by Matt Thompson. Without giving anything away, I’ll just tell you that the piece centered around a “struggling” musician, who, despite his limited income, lived an extremely rich and generous life. To give you an example, the hero in this picture would do things like buy incomplete newspapers from a homeless man on the street, in order to support the wanderer’s industriousness. The story follows the main character as he falls in love with a deaf woman, who, up until now, existed in the shadows of her over-controlling mother. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out what happens, (and there are surprises!), but I bring this up here because I was amazed at how closely this film mirrors some of the major themes inherent in the music of the Dave Matthews Band.
On May 1st, President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden was killed in a battle with U.S. forces in Pakistan. Bin Laden had, of course, been in hiding since he notoriously masterminded the horrific events of September 11th, 2001. And while bringing down this most wanted terrorist marks an enormous achievement for the United States military, it seems to have left a feeling of unrest in it’s wake. 
Yesterday was my birthday. It was an almost-perfect day filled with gifts, love, and one extremely well-behaved toddler. I say almost-perfect, because there was that one moment that threatened to dampen my spirits; the one we therapists sometimes refer to as the “black needle.” The inevitable moment that I’ve come to regard as a necessary sense of balance, without which, I actually get nervous. In any case, what happened makes for a pretty funny story.
Sometimes, as a psychologist, you get to do really cool things. In my case, I am honored to be speaking at a wonderful conference in Santa Fe this summer, called “Creativity and Madness.” A synthesis of health professionals and art lovers come together at this event to muse over the fine line that tends to divide intense genius from mania. We pore over the works of some of our favorite artists, noting the skill with which they use their crafts to transform their deepest passions into finished products. And, of course, the best part, is that for an entire hour, I will be talking to a captive audience about Dave Matthews!
I don’t understand how people can watch Micheal Vick play football. Yes, I’ve heard the arguments, where sports enthusiasts profess that they are not bothered by what he does in his personal life, as long as he can throw a ball. Or catch it, or whatever he does. (I told you, I can’t watch.) But to me, that’s like saying you don’t mind if someone is a nazi, providing they can make a mean sandwich. I imagine that people must subconsciously turn off a section of their brains, ignoring their inherent wish for balance, in an effort to erase what they know to be true of the man who notoriously tortured dogs for fun. Luckily, there is no such disconnect when it comes to loving the music of Dave Matthews. In fact, in his case, both the man and his art are exceedingly easy to adore.
In a recent post on Bundle.com, writer Matt McCue discusses how easy it is to spend hundreds of dollars each summer on Dave Matthews Band concert tickets and related amenities. McCue points to several factors that keep him purchasing seats, namely, DMB’s amazing ability to vary performances by continually updating songs, their steady ticket prices, and their generosity, which allows fans access to a plethora of free live recordings, making the cost of each show seem even more reasonable.
My daughter, Stella, is turning one next week. Of all the milestones that I’ve watched her achieve this year, perhaps the most symbolic occurred just a few days ago, when she suddenly noticed her own shadow. While most people would probably be mildly entertained by this, it represents, for us psychologists, a whole new level of consciousness.
My friends are the best. Earlier this week, two of them rushed to my facebook wall to make sure that I knew about the recent Dave Matthews Band reference on “The Office.” Even though I don’t have a television, “The Office” is the one show that I watch semi-regularly on hulu.com. But, as it happens, I had missed last week’s episode, so I had to catch myself up on the aforementioned scene via a YouTube video. How on Earth did we survive before all of this technology?
In the well known course on creativity called “The Artist’s Way,” Julia Cameron asserts that we each possess inherent talents, and it is not only our right, but our responsibility, to share them with others. In this way, we satisfy our own desire to originate while, at the same time, inspiring those around us to find their true potential. Now that we are in 2011, the year that the Dave Matthews Band is officially resting, I can’t help but wonder how each of the band members will keep alive their imaginative sparks, given that they won’t have their usual performances to fan their artistic flames.
In a recent article entitled “Concerted Effort,” Slate magazine writer, Annie Lowrey describes the Dave Matthews Band’s secret to success. Amidst a climate of declining record sales, Lowrey asserts that the band has been able to remain profitable due to it’s high emphasis on touring and ticket sales. In fact, as Lowrey points out, in 2010 alone, “that meant playing 62 shows in 50 cities to 1,270,477 fans- more than any other artist touring in North America.”
The Slate post goes on to compare DMB’s approach as similar to that of the Grateful Dead, a reference that many writers, including myself, have shared, perhaps because the resemblance is so profound. Not only did the Dave Matthews Band inherit the Dead’s sound system, but it seems, they also assumed many of the same performance ethics as did their well known predecessors. In other words, forming a large and loyal fan base, and offering amazing shows that are free of the bells and whistles that amp up other artist’s fees. This strategy allows enthusiasts to enjoy multiple shows every year, which, of course, ends up raising revenue for the band. But it does much more than that.