luke7
06-25-2004, 11:18 PM
From the Friday, June 25, 2004 edition of The Columbus Dispatch
" Singer's soild, eloquent sound speaks to a younger generation "
By John Ross The Columbus Dispatch
Playing the first of two Columbus shows, the Dave Matthews Band packed the Germaine Amphitheater lawn to " no-blankets allowed " capacity and proved itself one of the tightest, most talented bands in contemporary rock.
The group performed songs from its newer albums on Wednesday and illustrated why so many others have copied the mix of rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk and college-a genre Matthews almost single-handedly invented when he picked up an acoustic guitar and put down tracks with a band in Charlotte, VA, in 1991.
Don't blame Matthews for copycats at barroom open-mike nights. His band's sound is definitely more complex, especially when the group begins to cook onstage.
Whereas others ape genres, the Matthews Band appropriates them. Each musician seems to take what he likes, leaves the rest and inconspicuously sneaks back to his own sound.
And when the musicians improvised during Rapunzel, Crush and Warehouse, they explored new sounds in extended formats while keeping the music tight.
Matthews himself, with his trademark grimaces and goofy faces, was the perfect maestro. While defining one person in terms of occasionally useless,it might be relevant here: Matthews is the Bruce Springsteen of Generation Y.
Both are literate songwriters. Both play with a band whose influences are as diverse as its members and whose live shows are the stuff of legend. And, like the Boss, Matthews woos his crowd through emotion and candor.
From the subtle version of The Stone that kicked off the show to the improvisational jams at the end of the set, the crowd - bozzy, exhausted, sunbured - stood in awe. Those in the paviliondid not sway or wave their hands like their counterparts at shows in big arenas. Instead, they stopped and stared at Matthews or sang so melodramatically that they jostledthe people around them.
" I've been to 26 shows, " said Columbus resident Brad Ranly, 24, " and I've never seen a bad one. "
The sentiment is common. After all, Matthews has sung the soundtrack of heartache, sorrow, loss and joy for the past 10 years to millions now leaving college to enter aworld where they will have to face such problems head-on.
And although many in the audience seemed to wonder when Matthews was going to get to Satellite and other early songs that were standards for adolescent memories, they stood and watched, captivated by their poet of record.
" Singer's soild, eloquent sound speaks to a younger generation "
By John Ross The Columbus Dispatch
Playing the first of two Columbus shows, the Dave Matthews Band packed the Germaine Amphitheater lawn to " no-blankets allowed " capacity and proved itself one of the tightest, most talented bands in contemporary rock.
The group performed songs from its newer albums on Wednesday and illustrated why so many others have copied the mix of rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk and college-a genre Matthews almost single-handedly invented when he picked up an acoustic guitar and put down tracks with a band in Charlotte, VA, in 1991.
Don't blame Matthews for copycats at barroom open-mike nights. His band's sound is definitely more complex, especially when the group begins to cook onstage.
Whereas others ape genres, the Matthews Band appropriates them. Each musician seems to take what he likes, leaves the rest and inconspicuously sneaks back to his own sound.
And when the musicians improvised during Rapunzel, Crush and Warehouse, they explored new sounds in extended formats while keeping the music tight.
Matthews himself, with his trademark grimaces and goofy faces, was the perfect maestro. While defining one person in terms of occasionally useless,it might be relevant here: Matthews is the Bruce Springsteen of Generation Y.
Both are literate songwriters. Both play with a band whose influences are as diverse as its members and whose live shows are the stuff of legend. And, like the Boss, Matthews woos his crowd through emotion and candor.
From the subtle version of The Stone that kicked off the show to the improvisational jams at the end of the set, the crowd - bozzy, exhausted, sunbured - stood in awe. Those in the paviliondid not sway or wave their hands like their counterparts at shows in big arenas. Instead, they stopped and stared at Matthews or sang so melodramatically that they jostledthe people around them.
" I've been to 26 shows, " said Columbus resident Brad Ranly, 24, " and I've never seen a bad one. "
The sentiment is common. After all, Matthews has sung the soundtrack of heartache, sorrow, loss and joy for the past 10 years to millions now leaving college to enter aworld where they will have to face such problems head-on.
And although many in the audience seemed to wonder when Matthews was going to get to Satellite and other early songs that were standards for adolescent memories, they stood and watched, captivated by their poet of record.