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Dave Matthews Band August 5, 2009 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY Ants Rating:   |
Show Reviews
User: adam lynn
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I was so tired I left Syracuse after being at the stadium all day waiting to get in so I could be front row.drove to Ithaca then 2it hours north to lowellville then to bethel
User: Adawg12289
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weak setlist
User: agennaro1
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Went to the show previous in Syracuse, it couldnt compare. Still was a great show, just not as intense and feelin it as the night before. Still a great show, liked Two Step as the closer and Billies as the encore. Still had a great time, I can never not have a great time at a DMB show. Venue was BEAUTIFUL..
User: agk0125
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Fairly disappointing setlist, but it was my first time at Bethel and I LOVED it.
User: Aimhen
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I was eight months pregnant at the time, so I had to go to the bathroom a lot and didn't see the whole thing. Compared with later tours, I would agree with those that say Dave mails it in at Bethel. Getting out of there is horrible.
User: alofns
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It was virgin experience seeing the DMB. And like all first times, it was a rush!
User: asg25
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This show was mediocre at best. The hype of the bands first show at bethel did not live up to expectations. Third show of the summer and unexpectedly the worst. Although I enjoyed Proudest Monkey and The Maker for 2 out of the first 3 songs...the crowd seemed really out of it. It didnt seem like the crowd was alive till shake me like a monkey which was a prelude to the next 8 songs...6 being new and 2 being Bayou and Die Trying in the mix. Bayou had a cool intro but those two songs kind of killed the middle of the show for me. #41 and Two Step were highlights of course. Jeff tore 41 up and carter on Two Step was exciting as always. I thought the encore was very solid. Rye Whiskey, first time hearing it all summer was nice to hear with just Boyd and Dave. I have always liked squirm and Billies is just always great. Boyd rocks that solo which always energizes everyone. The encore was a slight save to a decent set. The band seemed like they were having a great time tonight which you always like to see. Concert could of been better with some older songs thrown in. New stuff sounded great for the most part just poor setlist order. LITHOG seems to be the best developed song with a nice little jam at the end. Bethel Woods is a beautiful venue and I hope they continue to play there.
User: bacardibat23
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great venue, set was decent
User: bambamdelta
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Favorite Show Ever.
User: bamitzhuge10591
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Danced my ass off and had an awesome time. Beautiful venue, but definitely a let down with the set list. I was expecting some of the songs theyve soundchecked/played recently like you never know or solsbury hill, but I was surprised that the concert was used to play all the BW songs. 41 and 2 step were obviously sick and I actually liked proudest monkey opener, esspecially in bethel with the sun going down. Not a fan of bayou or time bomb they took up space.
User: Beanitis
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Surprisingly average show for Bethel. Having seen them in June and July (Darien/SPAC), the new stuff is definitely getting tighter. However, they just played too much new stuff without an appropriate nod to Bethel. How can Dave talk about the naked swimming pond and then not play One Sweet World? No Levon Helm guest spot? No Crash (whose video was filmed nearby)? I don't even like crash, but I just was expecting something more for the first show here.
Great venue - will gladly come back and hope for a better set.
Everything was pretty tight, the band was up, and the venue was rocking. But for the DMB fan seeking a 'special' show, look elsewhere.
User: Beerbandit
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I understand they were supporting the new album, and I was stoked to hear all of those songs, but I would've been super stoked to hear some BTCS or BS instead of #41 AGAIN!
User: BigEydFish34
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Awesome show
User: bisceg
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Great show- had a blast!
User: Bossyman
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Cmon, people! You guys crying for "the old stuff" all the time is going to turn them into an oldies act!!! 10 new songs!!! Awesome. Dave was in a great mood, the band COOKED and the venue was amazing. Thank goodness they don't listen to us and play what THEY feel.
User: carly93
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Not bad at all!
User: cmca
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Awesome show!! I kinda liked the build up of the setlist. LOVE the new stuff and heard Shotgun for the first time. Can't wait for Tampa show 8-12!
User: collmp46
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good show but could of used a more upbeat first few songs
User: cory22t
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Changed Raven to Everyday (crowd sang the Everyday outro to #41).
User: cry_minarets458
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Most fun I've ever had at a show. The setlist was all over the place...sets need more than just BW (even though it is an album tour). Performances were great, but I don't think the setlist fit the venue nor the crowd DMB performed to.
User: DMB205
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good show, amazing venue!
User: dmbaddict6swife
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was upgraded to row aaa seat 1&2 free while walkn around before show'best nite of our lives.we were in very 1st row.best show ever,best setlist ever. our family will never forget it . dave was standing right in front of us.
User: DMBand205
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good show, amazing venue!
User: Dmbant15
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Great Great Show, Awesome Setlist, Started mellow and slow but Shake Me Like A Monkey got me pumped, 5 stars, Fun Night!
User: dmbdanfan
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Absolutely stellar setlist. Of course they played a lot of BW tracks, but that only makes sense since that's what this tour is promoting. The three openers were unexpected, but the crowd wasn't the most enthusiastic so it ended up working out. By the time they got to Shake Me Like A Monkey, the lawn was going crazy. Excellent encore, I hope they play here again.
User: DMBdreamgirl24
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I heard the whole new album on the way up in the car... Didnt need to hear the entire album again..in order too. Not that Im the biggest Watchtower fan either but with the Woodstock Anniversary it would have been pretty cool.
User: dpheuzey
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I was on-site 40 years ago for a slightly bigger concert. DMB performed as well (with the possible exception of CCR) as any of them. TwoStep was magical. LITHOG will be a great tour item for a long time to come.
User: dray10486
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This band rules, was on the lawn and got an upgrade to dead center front row never ever have I been that close at any concert let alone a dmb show. they could have played any song and missed every note and it still would have rocked. I always wondered how people got that front little row....amazing. Loved the opener and the new stuff slams and has gotten much deeper since last saw them at SPAC. Lying in the hands of god had a nice extension and Jeff on the jam really put me out there. Havent heard shotgun since 07, that was great to hear again as well. Seven is still my favorite live of the new songs but love the shake me like a monkey back to the belly line so good. Two step--carter is one of a kind and we got to shake his hand as well. Overall a great venue, wonderful experience we love this band, night like tonite will never happen again for us---"my mind is blown"
User: dunnie022
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very beautiful venue!
User: Fatoldsun
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Carter handed me a stick!
User: FireDancer9494
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My first DMB Show it was amazing
User: fishman 41
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This was my first DMB show!
#41-> everyday was great, #36 outro :)
TRIPPING BILLES to end was perfect
Two Step rockedddd
User: fuvonks
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Set Sucked, i left before two step. it was that bad
User: gotthemeyes
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Very dissappointed with the set list - although everything was performed great,and the new material is awesome, 10 new songs is overkill. Too mellow also! When Tripping Billies is the highlight in the show....ugh.
does anyone agree with me TIM HAS TO GO....he had his place/time and it's over!
NEVER AGAIN at that venue...beautiful place but 2 hours to get out of the parking lot???? no thanks!
User: harken412
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Had a lot of fun. Beautiful place to see a show. Started a little slow, but picked up and had a good time. Liked hearing Shotgun and a great job on 41.
User: hazeman
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Great venue
User: HoneyBs
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really love the new album
User: hottcorner10
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Good show. slow start, but a quality slow start. From being at syracuse the night before it was a very similar show. 10 songs from BW is a lot. Shotgun two nights in a row... can't complain.
great solo with boyd during rye whiskey. i didnt even know boyd was on the stage till the light came on and he started jamming out. It reminded me of an old school long black veil with leroi. this was the highlight of the show for me last night.
But #41 will never be the same to me and my friends. Though we love the Jeff Coffin and Carter dueling jam and understand that when Bela Fleck and the flecktones guested in this song Sojourn of Arjuna was always played. does it need to be recurring thing. I think it takes alot away from tim's solo in this song because when he played the solo first, as he did last summer it was electrifying and powerful and most importantly longer. No offense to Jeff but this song more then any other will never be the same without leroi.
User: jackf61
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Great start to the show, Dave great with the crowd. 10 new songs was a bit too much. Great place.
User: jhsoccer18
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Bethel Woods was a great location! Dave could play there any time and I would go back. Set list was awesome. It was nice to have a mellow set list compared to others that I've been too. For all of you out there that didn't like the set list, stay home then. You should respect the band's choice of songs. Yes there were a lot of BW songs, duh, they are promoting the new album. I've been going to Dave shows for 13 years now and I have never been disappointed with a show because they are all different. Yes I have my favorite songs from the older albums but I also love this new album as well. To all of you out there that need to be drunk or high off you a#@ to see the band and have a good time, don't waste your money, stay home and let all the true fans enjoy what Dave and the band have to offer.
User: jln5054
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disappointed for being at the site of woodstock days away from the 40th anniversary.
User: jmcoll007
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brent seats
User: jose6729
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Horrid setlist with a completely drugged out tim reynolds
User: joshypagedmb1
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Awesome Two Step!
User: jsgemini0716
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1st time in lawn-hated it. Two Step had awesome beat to it that I didn't hear again until montage mt 2010
User: JShaf
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Sat front row in section 2!! Great show!
User: lilvic*20
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Overall, great energy and performance from the band, and I think all of the songs were well played. Awesome venue, opening songs, and #41! But the night was unbalanced; song selection and placement could have been better for middle of first set and for the encore. The concert should have been better for the band's first time at this venue, and considering it's the 40th anniversary of Woodstock.
There definitely were some 5/5 moments where I thought, "My Mind Is Blown". Monkey/Satellite/Maker/Shotgun/SMLAM was a frikkin incredible start to the night and set us up for a potentially 5-star show. I really enjoy The Maker, this was only my third Shotgun, and interestingly I heard Maker played into Shotgun exactly two years before (love it!). I even kinda enjoyed hearing LB again, and I absolutely loved to hear YMDT. Of course, Two Step was awesome to end the first set, but my personal highlight was #41-->#36-->Everyday-->#36. That was a 5+ moment and I was so elated to have experienced it from the center of Section 1. Jeff absolutely destroyed his solo, and truly delivered us a treat for his birthday.
However, just like Night 2 at Jones Beach there were WAY too many BW songs played (C'mon, 48% of the night!?!). It feels like when the setlist was developed, they thought, "Hey, we're gonna kill some concert classics, and then play all our new songs in between so the audience likes them better." For as much as the first five songs was an absolutely brilliant idea, playing Spaceman/Alligator/Seven/Time Bomb in a row after YMDT was a really bad idea, which ruined the high-energy that was established in the first half of the set. Although that did make the energy *SOAR* when the opening chords of #41 started to play...
I think You And Me was an odd choice to play before Two Step. It gets played so much, and considering the previous 4-song lull it definitely should have been replaced with an older fan-favourite to keep the energy up (so many examples come to mind). Although I do love Two Step, it was predictable to close out the first set, and it was the same as N2 at Jones Beach. I was relieved to not hear Sister to start the encore yet again. Admittedly, I was somewhat disappointed to hear Billies as the final song, because it was the same as when I was at JB, which was my last DMB concert and just two weeks ago. If not for my love of DMB, I could have left early in hopes of beating the traffic (but to do so with DMB would be a sin).
Still, I'm so glad I was there last night. I really hope the band decides to play at Bethel Woods again, as I think this venue is both beautiful and tranquil, and rivals SPAC for the most beautiful concert setting I've been to thus far (and now JB being the third).. I wish I had gotten there earlier so I could have seen more, but of course the bad traffic on 17B ruined that chance… This was nothing compared to the completely absurd traffic we sat in trying to leave there. This is my only complaint about going to Bethel Woods.
User: lindz37275
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I have mixed feelings about this show. On one hand, the band played flawlessly and Dave's voice was the best I've heard it be in a while. #41 and Two Step were definite highlights, as they usually are! I don't even think the setlist was that bad, even though 10 Big Whiskey songs seems a little much... but I enjoyed it all! Bayou is one of my least favorite songs so it was a downer when it started, but this was my first time hearing it live and I was pleasantly surprised!
My only big problem with this show was the energy of the crowd. It was a much older crowd than I have ever seen and a lot of them seemed like they knew little to nothing about DMB... like they just showed up because they lived in the area and had nothing better to do. Those lawn chairs are also horrible and contributed to too much clutter on the lawn and WAY too many people sitting down and talking. Still had a fun night though!
User: lo0obrandono0ol
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shotgun and squirm were my favorites, but the whole show was awesome!
User: LoVE41LoVE
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I was walking around with my free hug sign and my tickets got promoted to front row!
User: Love_Is_Hell_41
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First show!
User: Mark837
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despite the majority of people being upset about this show, I had a really good time. 10 BW songs is a lot, but who knows, after this year you may only hear 3 or 4 of them again. Gorgeous venue but I do have to admit that the parking/exiting situation sucks and the beer selection is not too great (unless, of course, I missed something). But since this is only about 65 miles from where I live, I really hope this fits in the schedule next year....sure beats driving to Hartford!!
User: mattbp102191
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Very good show. It deserves 5 stars but the traffic getting out was awful and a couple jerks in the lawn made the beginning unenjoyable. As for the show it was awesome. I really enjoyed two step smlam and hands in god. The encore was great and I loved billies
User: mullet420247
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It was cool cause i got to see the new stuff performed live, but this crowd really sucked, and really there wasnt much energy from the band. Plus i kinda figured i would hear some sort of cover being that it is the site of the original woodstock. Still it was just OK
User: nathan.davidson
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If they had played Raven instead of Every-goddamn-day, this show would easily be 4 or 5 stars. but instead it was Hershey, with Shotgun instead of Seek Up. lame.
User: notaprep81
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Good show, not great. I think I would have enjoyed the show more if the encore had been a little better
User: notorious v.i.g
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Thought the set was great and overall the show was better than JB night 2 which was the only other show on this tour i've been to. I've seen the older songs so many times so i prefer to hear newer songs which were great. They will continue to get better and definitely have more staying power than the songs on ED and SU. Dave's voice was pretty solid.
Venue is beautiful. Easily right up there with any in the east.
User: onnabell
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Very fond of this show. Really dug the setlist...very mellow and smooth vibe, plus we got to hear Shotgun - Rye Whiskey was cool as hell! The venue is fantastic (traffic out sucked, but very much worth it)...Bethel is on the grounds of the original Woodstock concert. Got nicely yelled at for peeing where I wasnt supposed to by Security...I guess they were cool with the couple smoking weed right next to me in the woods. Someone puked in our aisle...venue staff hooked us up with different seats in our scetion (closer to the stage!). Stayed at a cool little cottage in Jeffersonville, right on a little creek. Had a nice dinner at a really good pizza shop right on a lake near the venue (nice beer selection). Would return to Bethel in a heartbeat. Funny observation driving from Scranton to Woodstock: only women appear to do yard work in this region!!
User: Primordialsoup
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Nice and close
User: pritts1237
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For my seventh show this summer I thought it was towards the end!!
User: Randyregan87
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Home town venue, 41 a highlight. BigBlueTarp.us will have an in depth review posted tomorrow
User: Revolution36
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Eh....it was ok. Two step and #41 were awesome as usual. All of the BW stuff was very standard/plain.
User: robrob52
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meh. too much big whiskey. dropped raven
User: robval333
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it was awesome.
User: Silverman1
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Venue is amazing. DMB should definitely be back in years to come.
As good as the venue was, however, the setlist was piss poor. I'm usually not one to complain about setlists, but the fact that 10 Big Whiskey tunes were played without one from UTTAD or BTCS is just disheartening. I like BW, but it was just too unbalanced. Also, I'm not a big fan of Proudest Monkey as an opener. I'm all for starting with a bang. There really wasn't any surprise in the setlist except for the shock of how bad it was.
The songs they played were performed well, but variety is the key to a great show.
User: Sledgehammer41
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should have stuck with raven
User: spinartist
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lowest energy DMB show I\'ve ever seen... not sure why, with the Woodstock vibe and all, but it just never found traction, band and audience alike. wasn\'t a bad show, just did not ever shift into gear.
User: StarkMtn
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Jeff and Carter's jam together - WOW!
A lot of BW songs, which is understandable, but a whole bunch in a row? But it was cool to hear how the new songs sound live.
Loved the lead-off with Proudest Monkey, and was happy to hear The Maker for the first time in a long time.
User: Stevethedj
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First show at Bethel Woods. What a great venue!
User: sugarwill1992
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Awesome show. Incredible energy/interaction from the band, great set, wonderful performances of every song...overall fantastic night!
User: TablesTurnAgain
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Wonderful show. Nothing short of amazing, as always!
User: TBolts712
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Hate to say it but despite having a blast in the lawn, I left disappointed. 10 Big Whiskey songs is quite a bit, leaving out only Dive In from the show.
Proudest Monkey brought a nice relaxing atmosphere and that pretty much set the tone. Nothing crazy happened during th night and I was disappointed. Louisiana Bayou and The Maker took me out from the show. While the setlist wasn't bad by any stretch, I thought it was really uneven, I guess is the word. 3 from BW, 2 from SU, and another 4 from BW right in a row? Then #41>ED right into 2 more BW songs? It seemed like the set didn't have any rooms for surprises!
Crowd was into it the whole time and it was a beautiful venue! The best I've seen! Only gripe were the random fools that made it a point to move past you, jam themselves into a spot in front of you where no one can fit, and then proceed to stay there. I guess you'll have that everywhere but man, there were many people like that!
With all the soundchecked songs and the random ones in rotation, the least heard songs played last night were The Maker, Bayou, and Everyday?? Left me looking for more...
Overall, far from the worst show I've seen but I wish just one treat came out.
User: teach4life98
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Venue was beautiful! They need to play some new stuff! I pretty much heard all of "Big Whiskey."
User: The-stone23
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Perfect day out and the Venue was so cool
User: vanceromance
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Great show. Band was tight and loved the 10 Big Whiskey songs. Crowd and venue were amazing.
User: wc2310
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I had high hopes for this show since it was DMB's first time performing at the venue. But this show left a lot to be desired. The venue is awesome, i only wish the setlist could have been. I liked the mellow opening with Proudest, Satellite, Maker and Shotgun and figured that they had an awesome set list ahead. But it wasn't so.
I understand this tour is promoting Big Whisky, which i do really like. But to hear nearly the whole album was a bit much. I think it would have made for a much better show to pull out three or four of the BWGK tracks for older material.
#41, Maker and Shotgun were highlights for me, just wish that they had not played the whole new album. I hope Camden has a better setlist next month.
User: WinnGTI
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Would've been better if:
a) season ticket holders showed up
b) season ticket holders sold their tickets
c) staff let other people sit in the empty center seats that the season ticket holders didn't find a way to utilize.
how is a band supposed to play off of everybody's energy if the center section is missing???
Amazing venue otherwise... songs are really progressing... YMDT outro extended a bit too long... Dave should go back to singing "if you give..." or improving like he did at SPAC... the scatting doesn't sound nearly as energetic as either...
User: Winter Val
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First time to Bethel... ADORE!
