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Dave Matthews Band Fan Site

Posts in 2006

Scalped DMB tickets may be nixed

September 22nd, 2006

By Matt Deegan

If you bought a Dave Matthews Band ticket from a secondary vendor such as eBay or Craigslist for more than its face value, you may be turned away at the door of the John Paul Jones Arena tonight or Saturday night.

Musictoday, the official ticket provider for the arena, has a broker prevention department that monitors tickets on secondary Web sites, said Larry Wilson, the arena’s general manager.

Broker protection officials search the sites for tickets that are being sold above face value and then invalidate some of the tickets. Fans who purchase them online do not know they have been invalidated. They would find out when they hand their ticket to an arena ticket handler, who would scan it to reveal that it is invalid. The fan would then not be allowed in the arena.

“Unfortunately, that’s true,” said Del Wood, chief operating officer of Musictoday. “There’s no way to notify a third party. We want to take care of the primary fan.”

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 22, 2006

Dave Matthews Band Opens New Arena

September 22nd, 2006

Philip Stewart

It was a hometown band for a hometown crowd as the John Paul Jones Arena celebrated it's official grand opening celebration.

Charlottesville's Dave Matthews Band opened up the new arena. Fans were more than excited.

Travis Williams drove all the way from Lexington, Kentucky to see the band play.

"They're my favorite band," said Williams. "This will be my 27th show and tomorrow is my 28th show."

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 22, 2006

Stefan Has So Much To Say

September 22nd, 2006

Dave Matthews Band bassist, bandmates eager for home gigs

By JANE DUNLAP NORRIS / Daily Progress staff writer

Just because they've been on tour buses for months on a wildly successful summer tour doesn't mean that Dave Matthews Band members are on cruise control.

Coming home to play tonight and Saturday in the John Paul Jones Arena, the band will be heading into the University of Virginia's new basketball venue with its game on.

"You really have to give it your all," bassist Stefan Lessard said.

Starting the final two shows on the current tour will turn up the excitement level for the musicians, and playing for the home folks means "there's a certain amount of nervousness," he said.

"You always want to impress,'' Lessard said. But when the band plays in Charlottesville, and even in such nearby towns as Manassas, when the five men know that local friends and family members are likely to make the trip, "there's always going to be this extra push to impress," Lessard said.

2006, articles, interviewsdbtpSeptember 22, 2006

Weekend Concerts

September 21st, 2006

BY MELISSA RUGGIERI - TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

It's taken five years, but the Dave Matthews Band is finally coming home again.

Tomorrow and Saturday, the Charlottesville-based mega-band will officially christen the John Paul Jones Arena at the University of Virginia for what venue officials are deeming its "grand opening."

Yes, the building has been open since Aug. 1, when Cirque du Soleil brought its traveling spectacle, "Delirium," and has since hosted shows from James Taylor, Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley, who shot his new video for "She's Everything" at JPJ during last Friday's concert.

But this weekend is the official hoo-ha.

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 21, 2006

Like it or not, Reynolds tagged as Dave Matthews’ collaborator

September 21, 2006

By Sean Moeller

The state of Iowa — actually one city (Decorah) and one college (Luther) — has played a significant role in Tim Reynolds’ musical life since he performed here with a Charlottesville, Va., buddy in the winter of 1996.

On stage with Dave Matthews, considered a god by certain people, Reynolds performed an acoustic show in the home of the Norse that was officially released three years later. Since then, his name has been synonymous with the leader of a band that fraternity brothers and sorority sisters make out to every chance they get.

“Of course I still get connected to that. It’s America and the big media. Once you get connected with something ... it takes some serious effort to shake,” Reynolds said from his hotel room in Ann Arbor, Mich. “For the first few years after that record was released, it definitely brought in a different element. It took a while for people coming to gigs to realize that there weren’t going to be any Dave Matthews tunes. Like everyone, you always want to do your own thing. There are different things to fight for and (not being associated with Matthews) sounds like a silly thing.”

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 21, 2006

The boys are back: DMB come home to finish up

September 21st, 2006

in issue 0538 of the HooK. - By VIJITH ASSAR (An Interview with Boyd Tinsley)

The Dave Matthews Band's last album sold more than 20 times as many copies during its first week of release as the number of people who will read this issue of the Hook. Tickets for this week's two-night stand at UVA's John Paul Jones Arena sold out almost immediately after it was announced.

But through it all, the boys have kept their feet on the ground when there's really no earthly reason for them to do so. Boyd Tinsley granted an interview to the hometown press, the band kept trucking with hurricane relief benefits well into 2006, and they only grudgingly agreed to release the greatest hits compilation due out November 7 once they realized they were obligated to do so under the terms of their record contract.

Even beyond their charitable aims in support of Live Arts, the John Paul Jones Arena concerts testify to the band's humility: even when the hysteria around town seems completely deranged, they still manage to love us back.

2006, articles, interviewsdbtpSeptember 21, 2006

Light master: DMB did it for Fenton

September 21st, 2006

in issue 0538 of the HooK. - By COURTENEY

In 1991, Fenton Williams was a typical student taking classes at PVCC and hoping to transfer to UVA to earn an engineering degree. But then he had a better idea: drop out of college and hang out in bars!

Fun, sure, but a smart career move? For most people, not so much. But for Williams? Sheer brilliance.

"Things panned out from there," says Williams, stating the obvious during a recent phone interview from a hotel room in Los Angeles.

Now 35, Williams has worked for the Dave Matthews Band for 15 years, starting as its road manager and serving for the last decade as its lighting designer and video director.

"Everyone involved had a good feeling like something special was going on," he says of the band's beginning.

Special indeed, as the Dave Matthews Band-- getting ready to wrap up its 2006 tour in Charlottesville on September 22 and 23-- has consistently been one of the top earning concert acts in the world for the past decade, selling out stadiums and spawning legions of devoted fans.

2006, articles, interviewsdbtpSeptember 21, 2006

Charlottesville News - So Much to Say

September 19th, 2006

Issue #18.38 :: 09/18/2006 - 09/25/2006

Taking time from Dave Matthews Band's 16th summer tour, which will end with two shows in Charlottesville this weekend, Dave Matthews talks about politics, the Downtown Mall and Shangri-La.

When Dave Matthews finally telephones from the West Coast, he’s 30 minutes late. And full of apologies. “On the rare occasion that I can say it had nothing to do with me I will claim complete innocence,” he says, placing guilt elsewhere. “I hate being late. It makes me sick.”

Generally speaking, timing has not been a big problem for Matthews and his four bandmates in the Dave Matthews Band. For the past 15 years, like clockwork, they’ve gotten their act together and taken it on the road. As their fame grows, and record sales climb (over 30 million sold to date), their summer festival gigs and charity concerts have become a summer mainstay. It’s a long way from the dinky surroundings of Trax, the erstwhile Charlottesville nightclub where they played every Tuesday night at the start of the ’90s.

In fact, so high has the demand been across the country for some DM time that it’s been more than five years since the band played live in Charlottesville (their influence is felt in other ways, notably the local philanthropy of Bama Works, their charity fund). That changes on Friday and Saturday, September 22 and 23, when they close out this summer’s tour with performances at UVA’s John Paul Jones Arena. This conversation with Dave Matthews took place a couple of weeks prior to the show.

2006, articles, interviewsdbtpSeptember 19, 2006

Boyd Tinsley to give UVa Valedictory address

September 18th, 2006

From staff reports / Charlottesville Daily Progress

The University of Virginia announced Monday that Boyd Tinsley, acclaimed violinist of the Dave Matthews Band and UVa alumnus, has accepted an invitation from the fourth-year class to be the keynote speaker at Valedictory Exercises on May 19.

Valedictory Exercises are traditionally held the day before graduation in May and include the announcement of class awards and the presentation of the class gift.

“We are thrilled that Mr. Tinsley has accepted our invitation to speak at Valediction. His sincere interest in this community and humble philanthropic efforts have inspired countless members of the fourth-year class,” said Margaret H. Bolton, chairwoman of the class’ graduation committee. “We look forward to having him be a part of such a momentous occasion.”

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 18, 2006

Smooth Dave Matthews Band gives Denver a chemistry lesson

September 13th, 2006

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News

The Dave Matthews Band sauntered onto stage and took its time getting settled into its first song. The crowd didn't mind. It wasn't a concert so much at times as just hanging out. The crowd savored the band, and the band gave back the same vibe. Neither side was in any particular hurry to start or end each song.

It was quite a different feel than when the band was here last summer, playing four intense concerts at Red Rocks (a stand Matthews alluded to early on, thanking the crowd for joining him "up on the hill there"). Tuesday night's show at the Pepsi Center was a high-tech affair with great screens and effects that never took away from the musicianship onstage (and it's worth noting that Matthews offered all this at a fraction of the price other artists do, with tickets at $55).

2006, articles, concert reviewsdbtpSeptember 13, 2006

Cheesy is as cheesy does

September 13th, 2006

Tamara Miller -

As I sit here listening to Don Rogers’ playlist, which contains about 800 Dave Matthews Band songs, including nine versions of that knee-slappy “Tripping Billies,” I am reminded of the seventh grade.

Seventh grade, when you could work yourself into a frenzy about the latest New Kids on the Block release.

Seventh grade, where the slightest bit of novelty – a new hair clip, a cool jacket – was enough for someone to be deemed original. A real rebel.

Earlier this week, the Vail Daily editor walked in as giddy as a seventh-grade girl about Tuesday night’s Dave Matthews Band concert. I even think he clapped his hands together and did a little hop. Dave Matthews is the best band in the world, truly original, he declared. They have a saxophone player, for God’s sake.

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 13, 2006

After the flood:Matthews hammers away at lack of progress in Katrina's wake

September 11th, 2006

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News

"As the money that we've already put in is used up, we're just going to keep adding in," Dave Matthews says of his band's contributions to Hurricane Katrina relief in New Orleans. "Who knows how long the rebuilding effort will take?"

Dave Matthews has seen it with his own eyes. He's watched the dollars that fans paid at last year's Katrina benefit concert at Red Rocks turn into honest-to-goodness new houses in the devastated Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

"We were on the site and houses were going up. The people whose houses (they) were gonna be - some of them were there. 'This is gonna be my house.' It's really a tangible thing," Matthews says.

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 11, 2006

Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters to play Bridge School concert

September 10th, 2006

San Jose Mercury News

The lineup for the 20th annual Bridge School benefit concerts will feature major headliners, including the Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters.

Neil Young, the event's founder and regular host, will also take the stage during the two shows, set for Oct. 21 and 22 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View. Other acts will include former Beach Boy Brian Wilson, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, indie-pop darlings Death Cab for Cutie and lo-fi folk champ Devendra Banhart. More guests are expected to be announced in the weeks to come. Tickets for the shows go on sale at 10 a.m. next Sunday (Sept. 17) at Ticketmaster outlets.

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 10, 2006

Dave Matthews Band sharp at Shoreline

September 9th, 2006

GROUP SOUNDING, PLAYING BETTER THAN EVER

By Jim Harrington MediaNews

It's odd to think of a two-night stand at Shoreline Amphitheatre asdownsizing for a rock act.

Yet, that's exactly what it was for the Dave Matthews Band when itvisited the 22,000-capacity Mountain View venue on this past Fridayand Saturday nights. That's because the last two times through theBay Area DMB performed at even bigger venues -- drawing some 50,000fans to a free show at Golden Gate Park in 2004 and then performingtwo nights at AT&T Park last year.

Equally odd was that one could see green on the Shoreline lawn --enough green to build a few new duplexes -- as the band took the stageon Friday. That was not only a sign of DMB's dip in popularity as alive act, especially from a few years back when it could sell outmultiple nights at football stadiums, but a clear example of thegeneral downturn in overall concert attendance. Even the biggest actsin the concert industry, of which DMB certainly qualifies as one, arehaving a hard time filling places like Shoreline to capacity.

2006, articles, concert reviewsdbtpSeptember 9, 2006

Can't go wrong with Dave Matthews Band's everyday music

September 7th, 2006

By Jim Harrington, STAFF WRITER Inside Bay Area

THE Dave Matthews Band isn't quite as popular as it was a few years ago, back in the days when the group could sell out multiple nights at football stadiums. But popularity is just one measure of artistic success. In terms of sheer musicianship, the Dave Matthews Band is currently at the absolute height of its game.

That was the case when the group performed Wednesday night at Raley Field in Sacramento, and it likely will be the case again tonight and Saturday when Dave and pals hit the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View.

It was a warm, clear night, with a full moon in the sky and nary a hint of wind as folks crowded into downtown Sacramento. Although best known as the home of the River Cats — the triple-A affiliate of the Oakland A's — Raley Field is a pretty ideal spot for live music. It's close to many good restaurants and, despite being roughly the same size as a regular amphitheater, it feels intimate. In all, it's a very nice alternative to the nearby Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

2006, articles, concert reviewsdbtpSeptember 7, 2006

Dave Matthews Band returns to rock home

September 7th, 2006

Bill Kramer

Charlottesville's favorite son will make a triumphant return Sept. 22 when the Dave Matthews Band will play the brand-new John Paul Jones Arena at the University of Virginia. Judging from the band's last appearance in town, you'd better act fast if you want to be part of the action.

The group played several years ago at the school's football stadium before a huge crowd, and its popularity certainly hasn't dimmed any in Charlottesville since then. Of course, the music is perfectly suited for the student population, but the band's fans cover all age groups.

The band's infectious, danceable rhythms are a large part of the allure, but Matthews also is something of a hero for both his roots and his charitable ways.

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 7, 2006

Radio hits not the only crowd pleasers

September 5th, 2006

By TRAVIS HAY

GEORGE -- Every time the Dave Matthews Band performs at The Gorge Amphitheatre it's one big party, and Sunday night's performance was no exception.

The show was the group's 24th concert at the Central Washington venue, and the set list consisted mostly of deeper album tracks.

The back-to-back performance of "Jimi Thing" and "Tripping Billies" was the closest DMB came to playing any of its singles, and those songs are more fan favorites that radio hits.

The crowd didn't seem to mind the lack of hits and the set list made for a well-rounded and musically varied show. Fans sang and danced along to "Crush," "Can't Stop," "The Dreaming Tree" and other rare delights.

There's no denying Matthews is a talented frontman, and his bandmates elevate the band's live show into something that seemingly transcends music for DMB fans.

2006, articles, concert reviewsdbtpSeptember 5, 2006

Matthews and band know they're lucky

September 1st, 2006

By Alan Sculley - Special to The Herald

Members of the Dave Matthews Band would seem to have careers that other musicians would envy.

The group is perennially one of the top draws on the concert circuit. The band's CDs invariably sell in the millions. The members of the Dave Matthews Band seem to enjoy the freedom to pursue most any direction their musical inspiration takes them. The group is admired by other musicians, fans and even music critics for its skills as songwriters and musicians.

It's all so seemingly perfect that one has to wonder if perception meets reality. Boyd Tinsley, violinist in the group, says this is one time appearances are not deceiving.

2006, articlesdbtpSeptember 1, 2006

Matthews band still knows how to jam

August 31st, 2006

Group has something for the college kid in everyone at the Bowl

By Zeke Barlow

HOLLYWOOD —To be honest, I had more hair the first time I saw the Dave Matthews Band play. But so did Matthews.

It was 1994 and he was headlining a Richmond, Va., outdoor concert for 5,000 college hippies drunk on the potential of their lives stretching out before them. Matthews and his jam/jazz band were on the edge of their own leap into a limitless future that surely held greater stardom and the coveted title of rock stars.

The band had put out two independent-label records that garnered a huge 20-something following that danced and swayed Deadhead-style, though Matthews' playing was always crisper than Jerry's ramblings.

I grew older, saw a few more shows where I danced and swayed and, over time, like others, wasn't as much of a fan of his slicker, highly produced CDs aimed at catapulting him into stardom. But catapult they did. The group earned one Grammy trophy from five nominations.

2006, articles, concert reviewsdbtpAugust 31, 2006

Musicianship meets the vibe in Dave Matthews Band

August 31, 2006

AARON DAVIS

The Dave Matthews Band can beat the New York Yankees.

All right, so none of the effervescent quintet's members would have any chance of going yard against a Randy Johnson slider. But when it comes to ticket sales, even the devils in pinstripes have to bow down.

On Ticketmaster's list of the most-requested events midway through 2006, Dave Matthews Band ranks a solid seventh, edging out the Bronx Bombers, as well as Bon Jovi and Coldplay,

All of which begs the question: Why?

Why does Matthews rank among the top-grossing tours in America? Why do legions of "Daveheads" such as myself trail after a goofy 39-year-old dork of a frontman from South Africa and his unassuming bandmates (none of whom carries a hint of rock-star flash)?

2006, articlesdbtpAugust 31, 2006