emmalovesdmb
06-01-2009, 11:09 PM
(written for general public who aren't as "in the know" as ants)
DMB Plays Fenway, Feels at Home
The outfield at Fenway Park this weekend looked a bit different than what Jacoby Ellsbury is used to seeing. Where he normally dives for pop flies a stage held a group of some of rock’s most beloved summer musicians as they jammed for tens of thousands. The Dave Matthews Band kicked off their summer tour at Darien Lake in New York earlier in the week, following a spring tour in April that stretched to the beginning of May. While the Red Sox have been missing their home, New England fans eagerly embraced their other favorite players, the ones with guitars and drums. DMB is promoting their new studio album Big Whisky and the GrooGrux King, which pays homage to the group’s late saxophone player LeRoi Moore (nicknamed the “GrooGrux King”) who passed away last August due to complications received in an ATV accident. It was slated for a June 2nd release, but Fenway fans were pleasantly surprised upon visiting the merchandise booths to find the CD available to purchase before it hit stores.
Pot smoke lingered in clouds above the stands and around the field, as a combination of die-hards, hippies, frat boys, sorority girls, teenagers, and oldies gathered for two nights of grooving. Overall, night one was superior in execution and energy. Dave busted some of his classic and crazy dance moves, violinist Boyd Tinsley had a killer solo on “Ants Marching” following a “Too Much” tease, and a collection of songs from Big Whisky made their way onto the set list. “Funny the Way It Is,” the first single from the new album, opened the show and was well received. Dave explained that the new “Why I Am” was LeRoi’s favorite and its lyrics unabashedly proclaim, “When my story ends, I’m going with him/Heaven or Hell/ I’m going down with the GrooGrux King.” Also among the new tracks played was “Time Bomb,” which began soft and steady, but quickly picked up into a screamer with Dave shouting a haunting cry of, “I want to believe in Jesus.” A Middle Eastern vibe reflective of the group’s continual social commentary appeared on “Squirm.” Like “Don’t Drink the Water,” it focused on negative aspects of colonialism and nationalism.
The album has a New Orleans jazzy vibe and “Alligator Pie,” which debuted on the second night, addresses Hurricane Katrina. DMB has been marketing their new sound extensively with several promotional perks, even allowing Pandora to stream the entire album online a week before its release date, so fans around the world could listen free of charge. They are on a mission to not only honor their fallen band mate, but also reinvent themselves. If Fenway’s performances are a precursor of what is to come, we can expect the summer tour will be full of experimenting with the new material to work out kinks and find the best rhythms.
Willie Nelson opened both nights, performing some of his classics like “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.” He also joined Dave on renditions of “Gravedigger” each night that unfortunately had many fans wincing with bittersweet faces; seeing the legend sing was obviously a big deal, but the heavy pot smoking might finally be catching up with Willie’s singing capabilities. Nonetheless, Dave remarked, “When this man said he wanted to sing this song with me, I almost shit my pants.”
Highlights from the second night included an unreal jam by saxophonist Jeff Coffin on the fan favorite “#41,” and drummer Carter Beauford’s stellar performance on the renowned “Two Step.” Perhaps the largest surprise of the weekend came with night two’s cover of “Dirty Water.” It seemed that every fan in the stadium rose to his or her feet in a raucous uproar belting, “Love that dirty water. Boston you’re my home!” It was a fitting cap to a weekend spent in the nation’s greatest baseball stadium with a group of musicians whose dedicated fans keep coming back year after year to hang out and have a good time. Naysayers of the band whine about DMB’s “live for the moment” vibe, citing them as playing for the masses in order please crowds. But the Dave haters are the ones missing out on the party. A fusion of rock, jazz, and funk, the Dave Matthews Band likes dancing, whisky, and love. And, they put on one hell of a live show.
DMB Plays Fenway, Feels at Home
The outfield at Fenway Park this weekend looked a bit different than what Jacoby Ellsbury is used to seeing. Where he normally dives for pop flies a stage held a group of some of rock’s most beloved summer musicians as they jammed for tens of thousands. The Dave Matthews Band kicked off their summer tour at Darien Lake in New York earlier in the week, following a spring tour in April that stretched to the beginning of May. While the Red Sox have been missing their home, New England fans eagerly embraced their other favorite players, the ones with guitars and drums. DMB is promoting their new studio album Big Whisky and the GrooGrux King, which pays homage to the group’s late saxophone player LeRoi Moore (nicknamed the “GrooGrux King”) who passed away last August due to complications received in an ATV accident. It was slated for a June 2nd release, but Fenway fans were pleasantly surprised upon visiting the merchandise booths to find the CD available to purchase before it hit stores.
Pot smoke lingered in clouds above the stands and around the field, as a combination of die-hards, hippies, frat boys, sorority girls, teenagers, and oldies gathered for two nights of grooving. Overall, night one was superior in execution and energy. Dave busted some of his classic and crazy dance moves, violinist Boyd Tinsley had a killer solo on “Ants Marching” following a “Too Much” tease, and a collection of songs from Big Whisky made their way onto the set list. “Funny the Way It Is,” the first single from the new album, opened the show and was well received. Dave explained that the new “Why I Am” was LeRoi’s favorite and its lyrics unabashedly proclaim, “When my story ends, I’m going with him/Heaven or Hell/ I’m going down with the GrooGrux King.” Also among the new tracks played was “Time Bomb,” which began soft and steady, but quickly picked up into a screamer with Dave shouting a haunting cry of, “I want to believe in Jesus.” A Middle Eastern vibe reflective of the group’s continual social commentary appeared on “Squirm.” Like “Don’t Drink the Water,” it focused on negative aspects of colonialism and nationalism.
The album has a New Orleans jazzy vibe and “Alligator Pie,” which debuted on the second night, addresses Hurricane Katrina. DMB has been marketing their new sound extensively with several promotional perks, even allowing Pandora to stream the entire album online a week before its release date, so fans around the world could listen free of charge. They are on a mission to not only honor their fallen band mate, but also reinvent themselves. If Fenway’s performances are a precursor of what is to come, we can expect the summer tour will be full of experimenting with the new material to work out kinks and find the best rhythms.
Willie Nelson opened both nights, performing some of his classics like “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.” He also joined Dave on renditions of “Gravedigger” each night that unfortunately had many fans wincing with bittersweet faces; seeing the legend sing was obviously a big deal, but the heavy pot smoking might finally be catching up with Willie’s singing capabilities. Nonetheless, Dave remarked, “When this man said he wanted to sing this song with me, I almost shit my pants.”
Highlights from the second night included an unreal jam by saxophonist Jeff Coffin on the fan favorite “#41,” and drummer Carter Beauford’s stellar performance on the renowned “Two Step.” Perhaps the largest surprise of the weekend came with night two’s cover of “Dirty Water.” It seemed that every fan in the stadium rose to his or her feet in a raucous uproar belting, “Love that dirty water. Boston you’re my home!” It was a fitting cap to a weekend spent in the nation’s greatest baseball stadium with a group of musicians whose dedicated fans keep coming back year after year to hang out and have a good time. Naysayers of the band whine about DMB’s “live for the moment” vibe, citing them as playing for the masses in order please crowds. But the Dave haters are the ones missing out on the party. A fusion of rock, jazz, and funk, the Dave Matthews Band likes dancing, whisky, and love. And, they put on one hell of a live show.