Dave Mathews Band

Tuesday night I had the opportunity to see the Dave Mathews Band in concert at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto. Actually this concert venue is a 10 minute walk south of my condo. It is an outside venue and the night was cold. So it is a good thing that the band kept us moving and shaking!

This band has been around since 1991 and hails from Virginia, USA. Dave Mathews was born in South Africa but came with his family to live in the southern States when he was 2. He spend time in London England and then again in South Africa in his gowing up years, but finally relocated to Charleston Virginia in 1986.



According to Wiki:

Founding members include singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, violinist Boyd Tinsley, and drummer Carter Beauford. Saxophonist LeRoi Moore, a founding member, was part of the band until his death in August 2008. His spot is now occupied by Grammy Award-winner Jeff Coffin,[1] of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones fame. With band members who each have roots in differing genres, including jazz, classical music, soul music, and Afrobeat, the combination of each member has created a sound which has earned them fans from a variety of quarters

They do indeed have a very unique sound. With guitar, bass, brass, violin and drums they have a full sound. They have sold over 31 million units in the United States alone, putting them in the Top 100 highest selling music acts of all time.

One distinctive thing about this band is that they allow audience members to record most live shows and permits non-profit trading of the recordings. The band cites college students trading these tapes in the early 1990s as a key reason for their current fame. Up until February 23, 1995 the band allowed tapers to plug directly into the soundboard at shows but after profiteering on these often high quality tapings, the taping policy was changed to only include microphones

Although Crash, is probably their best known song, my favourite of theirs is this one.


Say Goodbye
Dave Mathews

So here we are tonight
You and me together
The storm
outside, the fire is bright
And in your eyes I see
What's on my mind
You've got me wild
Turned around inside
And then desire, see, is creeping
Up heavy inside here
And know you feel the same way
I do now
Now let's make this an evening
Lovers for a night, lovers for tonight
Stay here with me, love, tonight
Just for an evening
When we make
Our passion pictures
You and me twist up
Secret creatures
And we'll stay here
Tomorrow go back to being friends

Go back to being friends
But tonight let's be lovers,
We kiss and sweat
We'll turn this better thing
To the best
Of all we can offer, Just a rogue kiss
Tangled tongues and lips,
See me this way
I'm turning and turning for you
Girl just tonight

Float away here with me
An evening just wait and see
But tomorrow go back to your man
I'm back to my world
And we're back to being friends
Wait and see me,
Tonight let's do this thing
All we are is wasting hours until the sun comes up it's all ours
On our way here
Tomorrow go back to being friends

Go back to being friends
Tonight let's be lovers, say you will
And hear me call, soft-spoken whispering love
A thing or two I have to say here
Tonight let's go all the way then
Love I'll see you,
Just for this evening
Let's strip down, trip out at this
One evening starts with a kiss
Run away

And tomorrow
back to being friends
Lovers...love...lovers
Just for tonight, one night...love you
And tomorrow say goodbye

To find out more about Dave Mathews Band:

See Wiki "Dave Mathews Band"
The Dave Mathews Band Website


Note: I added the lyrics to this post on July 12,2009 - they are too good not to be read as well as listened to.