Dave Matthews Band: the wizards of live concerts

Maybe even Dave Matthews Band members themselves sometimes fancy how astonishingly the fate of their collective is. As when they were starting in 1991, the band had only four songs in their repertoire. They had to make rehearsals in the basements of the houses and in an empty bar, where Matthews worked as a bartender. Moreover, for a couple of years they did not have even a name. At one concert they were announced by accident as Dave Matthews Band and they had no time for correcting the mistake and decided to take this name, which is so powerful in the musical circles nowadays. First of all, it is due to the brilliant personal qualities of the band leader as Matthews has recommended himself a long time ago as both a talented songwriter and a singer, able to transfer any emotional coloring by the voice to the public. But the most striking thing in him is his charisma, which can make huge stadiums full with listeners exult. However, it is strongly recommended to remember about the other collective members, each of whom is a master to his musical instrument. This can be proved by practices as Dave Matthews Band is famous for being the wizards of live concerts. This year they decided to gather money for the Piedmont Park expansion in Atlanta, Georgia, and played a concert there. The record of this event got the title of Live At Peidmont Park.

All new has root in the well-forgotten old things

The members of Dave Matthews Band like to choose unusual places for their concerts. They recorded in the Red Rocks Amphitheater - the phenomena of natural origin in Colorado, made a gig in the historical building of the New York Radio City Music Hall. This time they made up their mind to make a set in the city park. Recorded in the fresh air Live At Peidmont Park is good thanks to its amazing acoustics, first of all. But the songs on this work are hard to spoil as the disc featured the tested by the time repertoire by Dave Matthews Band. One can find there the fiery composition Louisiana Bayou, which turns into a real jam on the scene, and the mystical Don't Drink The Water, singing which Matthews almost shouts. Eh Hee also was sung in a new way, though becoming no ways worse. The composition You Might Die Trying reflected the immense emotional tension in the soloist’s voice, while the instrumental jam Anyone Seen The Bridge features the magnificent duet of the drummer and the saxophonist of the band. A pondering, decorated with the romantic violin Melissa represented the actively explored by Matthews the theme of the female gender. All Along The Watchtower and Two Step became two truly rocky and energizing things, which made the youth idols out from Dave Matthews Band.

Every live concert by Dave Matthews Band is a legend

Live At Peidmont Park is the eighth official concert full-length by Dave Matthews Band and the second one for this year. The previous disc Live At Radio City Music Hall was released in August, 2007, and contains the performance of the band with the long-time friend and partner of Matthews, the gifted musician Tim Reynolds. This album also features guests - Warren Haynes and Gregg Allman from the Allman Brothers Band. The artists are aware that their power is in live concerts – though theoretically any decent rock band should know how to ignite the public, theory and practices meet seldom coincide. That is why Matthews often makes live albums with his band without forgetting to release studio records. Now they are working at the new thing The Best Band Ever, which should be released soon. Well, the capacity for work of Dave Matthews Band strikes the imagination. As the gig at the park was a routine for them, the amount of energy and mastery put in was so huge that even knowing nothing about the place of this album in the band's discography one would greedily anticipate the next creation by Dave Matthews Band. Anyway, this album fits perfectly the devoted fans of the command, the amateurs of good music and those who like good lyrics.

Ninelle Kazakoff
25.12.2007