Weekend On The Rocks

Weekend On The Rocks review

Dave Matthews Band revisits Colorado's unique stone venue

The South African vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews formed the Dave Matthews Band in Virginia in the early '90s. Featuring Matthews, Stefan Lessard, Leroi Moore, Boyd Tinsley, and Carter Beauford, the group's music presents a more pop-oriented version of the Grateful Dead crossed with the worldbeat explorations of Paul Simon and Sting. The band built up a strong word-of-mouth following in the early '90s by touring the country constantly, concentrating on college campuses. The Dave Matthews Band released their major-label debut, Under the Table and Dreaming, in the fall of 1994. An official double-disc live album, Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95, appeared in the fall of 1997. It was an unexpected success, debuting at number three on the charts and selling a million copies within the first five months of its release. Another live effort, Listener Supported, followed in 1999. This year no stranger to live albums – or even live albums recorded at natural amphitheaters – the Dave Matthews Band revisits Colorado's unique stone venue with Weekend on The Rocks.

Some tracks have never been released on previous Dave Matthews Band live recordings

It didn't take a genius to come up with this idea: take one of the world's best live bands, put it in one of the country's most beautiful concert settings and let the tape roll. Dave Matthews Band's Weekend on The Rocks captures highlights from the band's four-night stand in September 2005 at Red Rocks Amphitheater. The album includes numerous tracks that have never been released on previous Dave Matthews Band live recordings including songs from the band’s most recent studio release Stand Up. The disc kicks off with a charged rendition of the fan-favorite The Stone, which bleeds into a crowd-sung snippet of the Elvis Presley-chestnut Can't Help Falling in Love, and then moves quickly into a frantic version of the new song American Baby. Although some tunes (most notably the epic Bartender and the groove-heavy Smooth Rider) evolve into lengthy jams, the Dave Matthews Band also shows off its knack for tight, focused songs, particularly on the one-two punch of the aforementioned surging American Baby and a straight-forward cover of The Zombies' Time of the Season.

Weekend on the Rocks doesn't shy away from Dave Matthews Band oldies

Although Weekend on The Rocks leans heaviest on this year's Stand Up, it doesn't shy away from occasional Dave Matthews Band oldies and genuine goodies. Although Matthews is in fine voice the disc, Carter Beauford is the single most dominating presence on Weekend on The Rocks. He again proves to be one of the very best drummers in the business with his mesmerizing and powerful runs on such songs as Say Goodbye and Halloween. At this point in their careers, Matthews and his band gel effortlessly in concert, so it's refreshing to hear pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph and other guest musicians sitting in with the group to dynamic effect. There are few natural settings more stunning than Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre, few bands more committed to performing than the Dave Matthews Band, and few fan bases more good-naturedly crazy about their guy.