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Show Recordings to Iraq

By Waldo Jaquith
Jun.04.2005

We received this e-mail recently from Sgt. Joshua Patton, of the 331st AG:

I am a very huge fan of Dave Matthews Band from Pittsburgh, PA. I've been down since 1994 and have bought all of the albums, some of them more than once. I've seen the band when they performed at the AJ Palumbo Center to Star Lake to Three Rivers Stadium.

I had served six years in the US Army Reserve, being activated to Germany, Bosnia, and Korea. After my active reserve time was up, President Bush actived the Inactive Ready Reserve, of which I am a member thus calling me up to active duty to serve over here in Iraq. I linked up with a Unit from Chicago, IL and I was pleased to find out that most of them are Dave Matthews Band fans as well. Everyday we listen to the band. We listen to them while we work, we listen to them while we work out, we listen to them when to do our online college courses at night. There have been many stressful moments that during this tour we have been able to use the music of the Dave Matthews Band to take us away from the place we do not want to be and find ourselves, mentally, a little closer to home.

That being said, we are obviously not going make it to any of the 2005 DMB shows, as we are here until December or later. I know that fans are allowed to record the shows and we were wondering if perhaps there was any possible way that one or two of these recordings could be sent to us in Iraq. What would make it even better is if they were the recordings of the Pittsburgh and Chicago shows. We love "Stand Up" and would love to be able to hear those songs live. Thanks for your time and attention, wish I could be at home and going to the show. Thanks for reading this.

Recordings can be sent to:

Sgt Joshua M. Patton
331st AG
FOB Warrior
APO, AE 09338

Extra bonus points to anybody who can send a recording with the liner notes in Arabic or Kurdish, so the 331st AG can share the love.