dontburnthepig.org
Dave Matthews Band Fan Site
0

Article Archives

Dave Matthews helped produce new Palahniuk film

October 11th, 2008

By ALEX VEIGA – Sep 27, 2008

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dave Matthews has acted in a few films, but the Grammy-winning musician has been playing a behind-the-scenes role in Hollywood of late — that of film producer.

The singer of his namesake band co-founded ATO Pictures and has served mostly as a silent partner. But in the company's latest film, "Choke," the musician was adamant that ATO do more than help finance the film.

"I felt very strongly about us being connected to the project. ... I loved the script," Matthews told The Associated Press during a phone interview Friday before performing with his band in the Brazilian city of Manaus.

"Choke," which was released Friday by Fox Searchlight Pictures, is an adaptation of a novel from "Fight Club" author Chuck Palahniuk.

Read More
2008, moviesdbtp
Dave Matthews Band's farewell to a fallen brother

August 20th, 2008

By BEN WENER
The Orange County Register

Even if it had been a merely half-hearted performance – which it wasn't, not even close, though who'd have blamed 'em if it were? – Tuesday's inspired show at Staples Center would still linger long in Dave Matthews Band lore.

For this, sadly, was the night the group played a nearly three-hour elegy for its fallen brother, LeRoi Moore.

You could tell something was different – something wasn't quite right – from the way Matthews approached the microphone after opening with a tremendous roar through "Bartender." Clearly striving for some sort of grieving catharsis during that track's dozen-minute running time, eventually achieving a high-pitched, hollered fervency like I haven't felt shake my soul since Bono was in his prime, he suddenly looked sullen, sad-eyed, kinda lost – yet at the same time all business, as if out to impress.

"We got some bad news today," he told the quickly quieted crowd. It was a heavy blow: Saxophonist and founding member Moore – DMB's own Clarence Clemons – who had suffered health complications ever since sustaining serious injuries from an ATV crash on his Virginia farm in late June, had died earlier that afternoon at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles, not far from where the band would play hours later. He was 46.

"(He) gave up his ghost today," Matthews said matter-of-factly, "and we will miss him forever."

Read More
2008, concert reviewsdbtp
Tim Reynolds Interview with Glide Magazine

July 14th, 2008

Tim Reynolds - Ace in the Hole
By Chad Berndtson

Fall 1998 remains my all-time favorite Dave Matthews Band tour—the band at its creative zenith with, to these ears, its best studio album (Before These Crowded Streets) just out, and blowing the roof off of arenas every single night with setlists that on paper looked short only because every song was a multi-layered jamfest. There were possibilities untold and musicianship unbound, and the DMB backlash among those in and outside the jamband community were not yet palatable.

No coincidence, perhaps, that the Flecktones were the opening act and nightly collaboration foil—and that Dave's longtime guitar-slinger pal Tim Reynolds was tearing it up as a full-time touring band member. There are still great DMB shows to be seen in 2008, sure, but night after night of all those expansive '98 readings of "#41" "Jimi Thing," "Minarets," "Crush," "Lie In Our Graves"—I’m not sure the band has ever been that daring.

To see the inscrutably exciting, relentlessly inventive Reynolds on tour with Dave Matthews Band full time again this summer, 10 years later, is a little jarring—and a little nostalgic. Jarring, perhaps, because DMB at present is a touring lineup that includes Reynolds, trumpeter Rashawn Ross and Flecktones sax ace Jeff Coffin, but no Butch Taylor, and, disquietingly, no LeRoi Moore, who continues his hospitalization and recovery from a recent ATV accident. But times of internal band challenge can also yield some really unique nights on tour–and having had a listen to some recent bootlegs, here's thinking 2008 will stand as the most adventurous and remarkable DMB tour in at least five years. Certainly one of the most exciting, and just wait til Roi gets back.

Reynolds himself is having a banner year. After years of solo tours and spot projects, he's not only back in the spotlight with DMB but has revived TR3 (if not former members) in a new configuration. The new TR3 formed with bassist Mick Vaughn and drummer Dan Martier shortly after Reynolds moved to North Carolina's Outer Banks from New Mexico in 2007, and as he told us in a recent interview, there'll be plenty more from them in the near future, too.

Read The Full Interview

Read More
2008, interviewsdbtp
Rocky Mountain New Interview with Dave Matthews

July 11th, 2008

By Mark Brown - Rocky Mountain News

It's an uncertain time for Dave Matthews Band fans. Longtime keyboard player Butch Taylor recently left the band. Saxophonist LeRoi Moore had an accident on his ATV in late June, breaking ribs and more, which forced a sudden, indefinite exit from the band (Jeff Coffin of Bela Fleck's band is standing in). The recording of a new album is only partially complete, with no release date in sight, three years after the release of Stand Up. Matthews continues to be grateful to the Colorado music scene that gave the band its first toehold outside the East Coast, as evidenced by the Red Rocks stands he's played and his willingness to headline the first Mile High Music Festival. The self-effacing Matthews sat for a long telephone interview with Rocky pop music writer Mark Brown about the state of the band and his life, ending with a good-natured "Thanks for putting up with me."

Read the Full Interview

Read More
2008, interviewsdbtp
Dave Matthews Band show no signs of letting up

June 6th, 2008

By BRIAN McCOLLUM

a060508.jpgThe 15-year mark is a crucial point in the life of a rock act.

It's the stage when a veteran band can slip into contentedly running through the motions, or decide it's going to stay on its toes and keep challenging itself.

For the Dave Matthews Band, says bassist Stefan Lessard, opting for the latter is a no-brainer.

It was spring 1993 when the Southern college band settled into its permanent lineup, preparing to issue its first record as it began the wild journey into national fame and eventual status as one of the world's top touring draws. Fifteen years later, it's all still electric for Lessard, drummer Carter Beauford, violinist Boyd Tinsley, sax man LeRoi Moore and the band's singer-songwriter namesake.

"This band is kind of a living, breathing organism," says Lessard in advance of the band's Monday show at DTE Energy Music Theatre. "We're constantly morphing into different shapes and sounds. We don't really aim to sound one particular way or have one particular type of show. We just let it happen as it happens. It's very much in the moment."

The ever-evolving DMB story has entered a new chapter: Back on the road with the band is guest guitarist Tim Reynolds, a close confederate of Matthews who played with the band during the late '90s. Most notably, the group inaugurated a recording partnership last year with producer Rob Cavallo, best known for his work with Green Day and My Chemical Romance. Sessions have begun for the follow-up to 2005's "Stand Up," the band's latest chart-topping, pop-savvy fusion of rock, funk, jazz and world music.

As other '90s bands have fluttered off to the fringes -- back to playing small venues or linking up for retro package tours -- DMB remains vital and relevant. The group sold more than 831,000 tickets in the United States last year, according to Pollstar magazine, placing it behind only the Police, Kenny Chesney and Justin Timberlake. That's a standard sort of feat for the group: Dave Matthews Band is widely regarded in the concert industry as the contemporary act with the most dependable box-office draw.

Read More
2008, articlesdbtp
Dave Matthews Band Still Plugging away on New CD
May 16, 2008
 
Gary Graff, Detroit
 

dmstudio.bmp The Dave Matthews Band is emphasizing the "band" part of its equation on the group's next album. "It literally was a collaborative effort from beginning to end," violinist Boyd Tinsley tells Billboard.com. "Every song was written by everybody at the same time -- we've never really done that before."

"We all got together and played and got these ideas, and we'd all work through building these songs all together," he continues. "Everybody's just really excited about it. That's why I say it sounds very much like DMB. It couldn't be more purely DMB than what it is."

But the album, DMB's first since 2005's chart-topping "Stand Up," is a long way from done. The group, along with guitarist Tim Reynolds and producer Rob Cavallo, got together early in the year in Charlottesville, Va., to start working on ideas, then in March continued in Seattle to be closer to Matthews' home.

Tinsley says the songs have been composed and are now waiting for Matthews to write lyrics, with a plan to return to the studio after the group comes off the road in early September.

Read More
2008, articlesdbtp
Matthews and Reynolds put on meaningful, lively show in honor of Dalai Lama's visit

April 12th, 2008

By Gene Stout

Dave Matthews and longtime collaborator Tim Reynolds capped a day of enlightenment, inspiration and compassion with an electrifying performance at KeyArena.

Coinciding with the Dalai Lama's historic visit to Seattle, Friday's concert was a benefit for Seeds of Compassion, the campaign to raise worldwide awareness for "the importance of nurturing kindness and compassion."

Matthews and Reynolds' concert covered a wide range of songs, from the harrowing "Gravedigger" to the funky, countrified "Cornbread." The sound was surprisingly good for a semi-acoustic show at KeyArena, and overhead video screens assured that everyone in the packed arena could see close-ups of the two musicians' masterful guitar-playing.

Reynolds' playing, in fact, was nothing short of brilliant. And the interplay between the two guitarists was lively and often riveting.

"I'm lucky I get to share the stage with Tim," Matthews said. "He's one of my heroes."

Read More
2008, concert reviewsdbtp
Dave looks to the other side

newsicon.jpgDecember 31st, 2007

By Helen Herimbi

Hollywood film releases are not something you'd associate with Dave Matthews. The 40-year-old South African native is rather better known for his musical exploits - enjoying the not-to-be-sniffed-at status of being the lead singer of America's biggest touring act.

Yes, that's right. More people attend his Grammy Award-winning band's concerts every year than say, a slick Justin Timberlake, rap mogul Jay Z, or even, heaven forbid, the newly reformed Spice Girls.

Together with Jonathan Dorfman and a few friends, his latest exploit is as a movie producer for the psychological thriller Joshua. Matthews was in Joburg last week to promote the film.

Joshua, which according to Matthews "was the first film where all the pieces just fell together", follows the life of a precocious 9-year-old whose world is shattered when a new child enters the household. His jealousy takes sibling rivalry to a new level as a series of fatal events raise unanswered questions and leave a dark cloud over the family. On top of being one of the producers, Matthews contributed a poignant ditty to the film.

In high spirits, Matthews - who was born and attended St Stithians High School in Johannesburg - explains that in the original script there was meant to be a song in the final scene where the boy would reveal that he is he puppet master of the whole thing.

"The scriptwriters hadn't written the song. So they asked if I knew anyone who would do it . So I said 'well, give me a chance'.

Read More
2007, articles, moviesdbtp
Cadets win 'Pep Rally' prize - Dave Matthews Band

newsicon.jpg October 25th, 2007

By Alexa James

Times Herald-Record

cadets.jpgWest Point — "Go Army! Beat Navy!" It's the unofficial mantra of the U.S. Military Academy, and it extends to all things on post.

When cadets walk by officers, they salute and murmur, "Go Army," and officers bark back, "Beat Navy."

There are four flower boxes on the superintendent's front porch. "Go Army," says one pair. The other pair? You guessed it.

At the nation's bastion for Army excellence, young men and women are trained to win wars and football games.

So when West Point Cadet Jeff Caslen heard about a contest for the "World's Loudest Pep Rally," he knew what to do:

"Stick it to the other academies!" he said.

The competition, sponsored by AT&T, challenged 120 NCAA schools, including West Point and the Naval and Air Force academies, to vote online to win a free, live concerts by the Dave Matthews Band.

Read More
2007, articlesdbtp
Live Earth Heading To CD/DVD In November

newsicon.jpgOctober 16th, 2007

Aimee Rawlins, N.Y.

liveearth.gifJuly's worldwide Live Earth concerts will be encapsulated as a 1-CD/2-DVD package due Nov. 20 via Warner Bros.

"Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis" includes performances by Madonna, Foo Fighters, Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, Beastie Boys and Rihanna, among many others. The first single from the release will be Linkin Park's "Bleed It Out," which was performed at Maduhari Messe in Japan.

The digital version of the album will be available Nov. 6, and John Mayer's version of "Waiting on the World To Change" will serve as an exclusive track for those who pre-order from iTunes.

The event, organized by Al Gore and Kevin Wall, brought together more than 150 artists in New York, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rio de Janiro, Johannesburg, and Hamburg to raise awareness for the climate crisis. An estimated 2 billion people tuned in to the live broadcast.

Proceeds from the CD/DVD will benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection, which works to persuade the public of the urgency of developing solutions for the climate crisis.

Track Lists for CD and DVD:

Read More
2007, articlesdbtp
Stand Up Producer Mark Baston: Interview

microphone.jpgOctober 3rd, 2007

Mindy Longanecker

batson.jpg Music producer Mark Batson has come a long way from the Brooklyn projects where he was raised. Over the past several years, he has worked both as a producer and contributing musician (he plays just about every instrument known to man) with an eclectic group of artists ranging from G-Unit to India.Arie to Beyoncé to Anthony Hamilton to Seal to The Game to Gwen Stefani to Eminem to Rachel Yamagata to Talib Kweli.

Batson gained national stature with India.Arie's 2001 release Acoustic Soul, on which Batson co-wrote and co-produced several songs. The album garnered seven Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year.

His latest project is Dave Matthews Band's Stand Up, out May 10. Tableau recently chatted with Batson about his personal and professional background and his production experience, as well as his work with DMB.

Read More
2007, interviewsdbtp
Matthews battles to get it right on the stage and in life

concertreviewicon.jpgSeptember 28th, 2007

By George Varga
UNION-TRIBUNE POP MUSIC CRITIC

 
a092807.jpgThere are two good reasons why Dave Matthews, one of the most consistently uncompromising artists in or out of rock, rarely submits to interviews. He doesn't need to and doesn't like to, so why bother?

“Generally, it's along the lines of 'What's your favorite color?' or 'What brings you to Boston?' ” he said from a tour stop last week in North Carolina with his group, the Dave Matthews Band (or DMB for short).

“Because of what it is, 'rock journalism,' like much of the other mainstream media, is an attempt to sell an oversimplified, nicely packaged vision of the world that will be palatable and easy to travel, when the truth is far more confusing. I can assure anyone that gets their news from the mainstream media that there's a far more inspirational, complex and breathtaking world out there than the one portrayed to us in general by the purveyors of information.”

The inspiration and confusion of everyday life make Matthews thrive, on and off stage. His success as the leader of one of the few bands anywhere that can consistently fill stadiums and large outdoor venues like Coors Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, where they perform tonight, has made it even less necessary for him to speak to the press.

Read More
2007, concert reviewsdbtp
Dave Matthews Band delivers too much, too much

concertreviewicon.jpgSeptember 27th, 2007

By PETER LARSEN
The Orange County Register
 

dmb2.jpgA lot of the Dave Matthews Band goes a long way – three hours long if you were at Irvine's Verizon Wireless Amphitheater for an almost-sold out show on Wednesday night.

And from the ecstatic reactions of the fans, that's a good thing. Maybe not even enough of a good thing, judging by the two young women standing nearby who shouted in vain all night for Dave to play "Two Step."

So the tricky thing to figure becomes this: If 15,000 fans are having such a great time, why didn't this show move me as much as it seemed to be moving so many others?

Read More
2007, concert reviewsdbtp
Dave Matthews Band delivers crowd-pleasing show

concertreviewicon.jpgSeptember 25th, 2007

John Schreiber

 
crowdpleaser.jpgIf you weren't in Fort Worth Saturday night watching a certain football game, chances are you were at the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Smirnoff Music Centre in Fair Park.

In front of a sold-out crowd of over 20,000, Matthews and his band played a crowd-pleasing, three-hour set filled with a mix of old favorites, a few new, unreleased songs and a whole lot of energetic jams.

With a crowd ranging from teenagers to mothers of teenagers, the Dave Matthews Band had the unique challenge of appeasing its wide scope of fans. The band, which has been touring almost every year since its formation in the early '90s, undertakes this task masterfully.

The band started things off slowly with the new tune "A Dream So Real," a darker song characteristic of the band's older albums. Although a decent song, it failed to start off the concert with enough energy. However, the tempo picked up a bit as the band jammed out to a 20-minute version of "Seek Up," complete with lively solos from violinist Boyd Tinsley and trumpet player Rashawn Ross (of Robert Randolph & the Family Band).

Read More
2007, concert reviewsdbtp
Starbucks to distribute iTunes "Song of the day" cards

newsicon.jpgSeptember 24th, 2007

Dave Caolo

starbucksitunes.jpgWhen the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks launches in New York and Seattle on Tuesday, October 2nd, the coffee giant will be armed with promotions.

First of all, they'll distribute 1.5 million "Song of the day" cards across 10,000 locations. Each card will provide a free single from artists like Bob Dylan (Of course - Steve loves Dylan. In fact, Dylan's "Joker Man" will be the first giveaway), Paul McCartney and Dave Matthews via iTunes (US). They'll be valid until the end of 2007.

Also, select Starbucks locations will sell "iTunes Digital Release Cards," which allow customers to download music and bonus materials (like music videos and digital booklets) from artists like KT Tunstall and Eddie Vedder. These must be activated at Starbucks before use in the iTunes Store (US).

Finally, they'll also be selling the "Starbucks Card Plus Two"; a re-chargable coffee card that includes two free downloads from iTunes (US).

Read More
2007, articlesdbtp
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds: Duo possesses undeniable chemistry in live album

newsicon.jpgSeptember 20th, 2007

by Mark Manley,

dtradiocity1.jpgIntricate, eclectic and smooth, the latest Dave Matthews album, "Live at Radio City Music Hall," could be one of the best albums you buy this year.

Matthews pairs up again with Tim Reynolds in his latest solo release for a very distinctive listen. Reynolds accounts for much of this undeniably different touch through his virtuoso guitar accompaniment and rambling forays into ambient sounds.

He sometimes strays from the bounds of the typical tonal music that most people are accustomed to and enters into a strange experimental zone - leaving the listener a little perplexed and uncomfortable. Thankfully these moments don't last long, but they leave a lasting impression.

The great chemistry between Matthews and Reynolds is impressive. Matthews gives a great vocal performance, nailing both falsettos and screams in well-known songs like "Crash Into Me" and "Don't Drink the Water." Meanwhile, Reynolds keeps up a subtle, ornate background - an accompaniment that pleases but does not distract.

Read More
2007, album review, articlesdbtp
Green Concert Lives Up To Name

concertreviewicon.jpgSeptember 9th, 2007

Reported by: Duffie Dixon

greenconcert.jpgDave Matthews Band was the headline act for The Green Concert at Piedmont Park on Saturday, September 8, 2007. The event helped raise more than $1 million for the park's expansion, which is set to begin later this fall.

The special guest who joined Dave Matthews Band was Georgia's own The Allman Brothers Band, who last played in the Park more than 30 years ago with the Grateful Dead and Delaney & Bonnie. The sold out concert drew more than 50,000 fans and with absolutely no parking on-site or in surrounding neighborhoods, concert organizers urged everyone to take MARTA, walk or bike to get to the park.

The Green Concert for Piedmont Park was the latest in a series of special concerts Dave Matthews Band has played to benefit some of the United States' most treasured parks, including New York City's Central Park and San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

"As a band, we've always found playing in an historic park to be a remarkable experience," said Dave Matthews. "Given Piedmont Park's rich legacy of outdoor concerts, we're particularly honored to be chosen along with The Allman Brothers Band to help the Conservancy expand the park."

Read More
2007, concert reviewsdbtp