the (2021) summer so far

[Route_2]

Patiently waiting for the full band Break For It return.....

[DaveHead77]

Originally Posted by Jh4124

A lot of complaints about the live mix, I'm kinda concerned for WPB but hopefully I'm far enough back to get the full picture. I did notice from some youtube videos that they're not using any stage lip front fill speakers, so that might be why the pit seems "muffled" or quiet.

What does the bolded mean??

[joshg]

Originally Posted by Antiramie

Here are my theories:

A: Dave is jaded about the violin because of Boyd

B: Dave wanted to go a different direction with the sound at some point, and Boyd exiting the band gave him that opportunity

C: All of the above

This is a very smart take.

If that Dave Matthews Tribute Band wanted to take the new music and provide some violin arrangements, I would love to check out a show.

They have an excellent violinist in their band

[grilldanmo]

So, has the 3rd verse/chorus of Grey Street stuck?

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by RSSR

I'm currently happy with the set list choices. I just hope Blue And Black Bird and Virginia In The Rain full band gets play too.

Agreed on both. Was very happy to get VItR full band in 2018 at Hartford. Still loved hearing it at Bristow in 2019, but vastly prefer the whole band version.

Black & Bluebird should be an 8 minute song live...free Jeff...

[karczews41]

Originally Posted by #41#36#40

Those 2018 shows were all 3 amazing.. if you weren’t there then you don’t know.. fucking great modern DMB shows.,

No, I was there, for all three, pretty sure I know.

[karczews41]

I would trade out every organ part for subpar violin work at this point.

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by Route_2

Patiently waiting for the full band Break For It return.....

I'd be good w/ Dave doing this solo live w/ the looper like he did on the request show...maybe with the band coming in starting w/ Jeff jamming over the loop...have Fonz and Carter come back, drop the loop, everyone returns, and jam a bit, and into the next song...

[Xcacel]

A couple of artworks for Alpharetta 07.27.2021

https://images2.imgbox.com/2b/0d/AKi7rjTQ_o.png

https://images2.imgbox.com/9a/c3/3mYUdFef_o.png

[OutofDarkness]

Originally Posted by Antiramie

B: Dave wanted to go a different direction with the sound at some point, and Boyd exiting the band gave him that opportunity

I think this is true, and it started long before Boyd left. Starting with BW, most new songs had little room for the violin. So even before Boyd's really severe decline, the basic sonic direction of the band was changing. That's why I don't foresee DMB getting a full-time violinist again: Dave wants - and has wanted for the past 10 or 12 years - the horns/electric guitar sound. Buddy and his organ playing fit right into that sound, hence Dave's obvious and continuing enthusiasm for him. A violin, meanwhile, just doesn't fit into that sound.

It's funny, when they played that first show without Boyd in 2018, my first thought was, "they really don't sound any different." Even on a song like Ants: the Boyd solo was gone, sure, but the basic sound of the song was the same it had been for the past ten years. The violin really was a vestigial instrument at that point.

[FSUnTwoStepToo]

Originally Posted by grilldanmo

So, has the 3rd verse/chorus of Grey Street stuck?

Yup, we got it in Tampa last night.

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by OutofDarkness

I think this is true, and it started long before Boyd left. Starting with BW, most new songs had little room for the violin. So even before Boyd's really severe decline, the basic sonic direction of the band was changing. That's why I don't foresee DMB getting a full-time violinist again: Dave wants - and has wanted for the past 10 or 12 years - the horns/electric guitar sound. Buddy and his organ playing fit right into that sound, hence Dave's obvious and continuing enthusiasm for him. A violin, meanwhile, just doesn't fit into that sound.

It's funny, when they played that first show without Boyd in 2018, my first thought was, "they really don't sound any different." Even on a song like Ants: the Boyd solo was gone, sure, but the basic sound of the song was the same it had been for the past ten years. The violin really was a vestigial instrument at that point.

I think it's a chicken/egg situation. Did Dave move in that direction because of Boyd, or did Boyd lose interest/fall off because he was slowly getting phased out? I just can't imagine Dave at some point was randomly like "fuck this stupid violin sound" without there being an issue with Boyd that probably created a bias against that instrument.

[Bearclaw_]

As far as the 2021 summer so far - these shows are the best I’ve seen. Makes 2019 look like garbage.

[Jh4124]

Originally Posted by DaveHead77

What does the bolded mean??

In years past, they had supplemental speakers on the edge of the stage for the front rows/pit because they're typically out of coverage area of the main PA hangs. Youtube clips I've seen so far this tour seem to have a lot of crowd/ambiance compared to band mix in the pit area.

I don't think WPB has any noise restrictions so I'm hoping we get a good mix. They recently renovated the lawn PA so the coverage/level out there is generally pretty good at shows there.

[Jh4124]

Originally Posted by grilldanmo

I'd be good w/ Dave doing this solo live w/ the looper like he did on the request show...maybe with the band coming in starting w/ Jeff jamming over the loop...have Fonz and Carter come back, drop the loop, everyone returns, and jam a bit, and into the next song...

I don't see the looper making any appearances with the full band. DMB is still one of very few AAA acts that aren't using click tracks or backing tracks, I don't see them diving into something like that at this point.

Would LOVE to see Break For It this weekend though

[crashintonickdm]

Originally Posted by Bearclaw_

As far as the 2021 summer so far - these shows are the best I’ve seen. Makes 2019 look like garbage.

18/19 were garbage regardless. This is starting like 2013 which is a good thing

[seanbrutus]

Rain supposedly for a bit on Friday and Saturday. Come on JTR! You can do it little buddy!

[RSSR]

Hoping for a little bit of rain on 8.28.21.

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by Bearclaw_

As far as the 2021 summer so far - these shows are the best I’ve seen. Makes 2019 look like garbage.

I don't think they're a massive upgrade overall from 2019. Aside from omitting some songs people were getting tired of (Jimi, covers, etc) and having better/longer runs of "good" songs, I think the shows so far aren't too far off from 2019.

Swap out a song or two in the 5-6 song opening runs of Tampa and ATL, and you could put "2019" next to every setlist so far and most people wouldn't know the difference.

[Route_2]

Originally Posted by Antiramie

Swap out a song or two in the 5-6 song opening runs of Tampa and ATL, and you could put "2019" next to every setlist so far and people wouldn't know the difference.

But with the right songs what a difference that makes, right?

[seanbrutus]

I'd say that I enjoyed my 2019 shows, but the last few shows have blown them out of the water. I can't wait to see what WPB brings.

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by Route_2

But with the right songs what a difference that makes, right?

I agree that starting off really strong, even if the rest of the show really isn't much different, definitely helps a lot. But it's only been 2/4 shows, and I'm willing to bet Jimi, covers, Ants, Bayou, Everyday, etc are going to come back/get played more. I just think there are more similarities than differences to 2019 to think that this year is going to blow that year away when all is said and done. But I'd love to be proven wrong.

I also think that comparing anything to 2018/2019 is selling the band's potential short. But an improvement is an improvement, and I don't expect the band to reinvent the wheel at this point. I'm just cautious that we're going to see more of a correction to some of these crazy runs than see them become the norm...or that if they become the norm they'll come with the caveat of there being runs people don't like mixed in too ala Atlanta.

[OutofDarkness]

Time will tell. This band has a history of starting tours hot, but then the shows get stale after a few weeks. Thus far, the sets have been nice and unpredictable, both in terms of song choice and placement within the set. If they keep that up, this tour could easily be as good as 2013.

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by FSUnTwoStepToo

Yup, we got it in Tampa last night.

Good to hear...we're hitting four shows, assuming we'll get GS at at least one and I really want to hear the full version in person for the first time.

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by RSSR

Hoping for a little bit of rain on 8.28.21.

Yeah the absence of VItR in Bristow and VA Beach in 2018 was insane...

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by grilldanmo

Good to hear...we're hitting four shows, assuming we'll get GS at at least one and I really want to hear the full version in person for the first time.

Guarantee you'll get it at least once out of four shows.

[ToySoldier#34]

The '19 European spring tour was aggressively awful

[TurboPGT]

Originally Posted by mquerques92

This is an insane argument. They've passed their peak so now they MUST get worse every single day? So the first show of every tour is the best and the last show is always the worst?

They haven't just past their peak, jack. They peaked 20 years ago. It has been a long, slow, unwavering decline since then. Mostly in songwriting, but also in sound and performance. I long since abandoned the "well at least they're still playing" veil, and can now be honest about them. They sound the worst they have ever sounded, and each new album is the worst thing they've ever made.

[RSSR]

Come Tomorrow, Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King, or even AFTW is not more worse than Stand Up. What hyperbole nonsense. And people wonder why/where Hilly gets his shtick.

[RSSR]

Originally Posted by TurboPGT

They haven't just past their peak, jack. They peaked 20 years ago. It has been a long, slow, unwavering decline since then. Mostly in songwriting, but also in sound and performance. I long since abandoned the "well at least they're still playing" veil, and can now be honest about them. They sound the worst they have ever sounded, and each new album is the worst thing they've ever made.

I don't know, but I'm guessing you like AFTW more than Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King.