Dan
Well, this was my second dave concert, but first since I began to actually appreciate the music. So I considered it my first. I had mono and tonsulitis, but nothing could stop me from going. We had 19th row seats on the right side of the stage. After Poi Dog played (they were pretty good and I thought about getting the cd), Dave came on. It was incredible!   They opened with Pantala Naga Pampa-->Repunzel, which was good. It really couldn't have been bad-sitting right in front of Dave while they played one of the best songs on the new cd.   Next was Two Step, which was awesome! They had a good jam at the end, with Carter taking control with his drums.   Lie In Our Graves followed, which was nothing special, but still great. For me, anything they played would kick ass, so I might not be the best critic. The first three songs went great together and set the tempo for the whole night.   Then came Don't Drink The Water. I happen to despise that song, but it was actually pretty good live. During this song I decided to go up to the  lawn section to see my friends because I planned on not leaving my seat again.   But Stay was next and I was stuck in the back, which pissed me off. This song was amazing! I liked it better without the backup singers. It's definitely my favorite song on the cd, and it was great live.   The next song might be my favorite Dave song live-Jimi Thing! My friend and I rushed up to the front row to get a close up of the band. For the one minute we were there, it was great standing 20 feet away from Dave Mathews. He was awesome! The whole night he was dancing around, making funny noises, and just doing his DaveTalk. Jimi Thing was an incredible version-it was probably 15 minutes, but I'm just guessing. Dave's guitar was great in the jam, as well as Boyd who probably, in my opinion, played the best last night.   Pig followed, and it was pretty good. I like the slower songs on the cd, but I would probably rather here them acoustic than live. But it's probably because I need to listen to the cd more and get used to them.   Tripping Billies was next and it was my favorite song of the night. It started slowly, like Dave does when he play acoustic with Tim sometimes. Everyone was confused about what it would be, but I figured it out and got praise by everyone. Billies was awesome! They were all jamming together. Dave, Stephan and Boyd were standing in a little circle playing, while it seemed like the climax to the whole night. I guess I know when it's a great show when there are three different moments where I feel satisfied enough if it ended. This was the first of the three. During the jam, a guy ran on stage and put his arm around Dave. He was immediately pulled off by a security guard and thrown off the stage. Dave just kept jammin. This was the best version I've ever heard of it.   Next was The Last Stop. This was a great song. Before the show, I enjoyed it, but I grew to love it after seeing it live. This was a long song-it was awesome! It would like to see in the future maybe a Minarets lead into The Last Stop.   Crash Into Me was next. I'm not a big fan of that song, but it was still great. Everyone was singing along with it, while the band played it better than I've ever heard it.   The Dreaming Tree and The Stone were next. They were both pretty good and mellow, but extremely long. Dave played them out for a while. They were a good time to relax and soak up the atmosphere. Right at the end of The Last Stop, they all started jamming real hard, which hinted that we were about to hear another fast one.   Here's where the second time occured where after this, I would be satisfied leaving right then. So Much To Stay was amazing-Leroy showed everyone up on this song. I've never heard this song played better. It was followed by a good jam, and then led into Too Much, which was jazzier than on the cd. It was awesome! Again, the best version I've heard. When Dave left the stage, we were in complete awe, knowing that we had just seen the most incredible we'd ever witnessed.   When Dave came back on, we were hoping for two songs-Granny and Recently. Granny was played, which surprised me, and my friend and I went nuts. We were the only people in the area who knew it and everyone was watching us as we sang along with it. Maybe this was the true test of who were actual Dave fans. I admit that me and my friend aren't the most knowledgable fans, but it felt good being asked what it was and how we knew it.   The last song wasn't Recently, but it was Drive In Drive Out. I've never really liked it much, but it was awesome last night! They played for about 2 1/2 hours. My mono is pretty much cured. I can't wait until Sunday when I'll see Dave again in Saint Louis.

Garrett W.
Overall, a pretty good show.  Dave seemed a little more talkative than at the Red Rocks shows, which is good.  I had a great time and reserved seating is definitely the way to go at Sandstone.  I saw a four or five tapers but I have no idea if they're affiliated either directly or indirectly with Nancies, and I didn't ask.  Dave seems to have been practicing his guitar playing because his solos are a lot better than past tours (don't we say this every tour?)  There was a little Davespeak-- about half way through the show Dave was bemoaning the fact that he wore a sweater and it was pretty warm out and his sweater was now all sweaty and floppy. Setlist and comments-- Pampa--like the album version, not much you can do with it, but I like it. Rapunzel--Seemed like they really weren't into the groove quite yet. Two Step--This isn't one of my favorite songs (sacriledge?), but this version seemed really good.  The sound at Sandstone is really good and LeRoi's baritone blew my hair back a few times.  I'm starting to like this song more. Lie In Our Graves--Boyd had a beautiful solo.  I was almost moved to tears. DDTW--I always think this will be "For the beauty of Wynona" so I'm a little disappointed when it turns out to be DDTW.  But, still one of my favorites and a very powerful song.  I love it when near the end it's just Stefan and Carter goin' at it (that doesn't sound right but oh well).  You can't help but get this pained look on your face, stomp your foot and just jam.  Well, I can't anyway. Stay--Fun song, fun to dance to, but they always drag it out a bit.  I could do with fewer repetitions of "makes me wanna...stay...round here." LeRoi had his groove on for this song. Jimi Thing--You just can't go wrong with this song.  Dave had a good guitar solo, as did Boyd on the violin.  However, I do have one complaint.  I was a little disappointed with LeRoi's solo.  Both times I've heard him solo on this song, it's been three or four quick notes and then a long pause and then three or four more notes.  It's funky, but I wish this solo would be a lot more fluid.  Listen to the 7/2/97 Jimi if you want to know what I mean. Pig--not too much different from the album imho, but I was glad to hear it nonetheless.  The "Come sister, my brother...shake up your bones, shake up your feet" part is great. Billies--Boyd rokked as usual.  This is such a great song live and it's hard to ever say anything negative about it.  Some guy did jump up on stage and Dave must have been a little worried because he stopped singing for a brief moment.  However, that asshole was quickly smothered by security. Good riddance. Last Stop--this is also a great live song and really kept the energy going from Billies.  Dave does a little vocal improv at the beginning--kind of like the album but longer and only he is playing. Crash--wasn't surprised.  Dixie chicken outro Dreaming Tree--Some compared this to Seek Up, and if you're talking about the album versions  I would tend to agree.  However, I believe a live Seek Up is a little better than a live Dreaming tree. The Stone--I'm a huge fan of this song.  There's just a lot of stuff going on and Dave's guitar part is really pretty cool.  I really didn't notice the absence of the Kronos Quartet.  Boyd does some neat things strumming some chords.  Yes, I do mean boyd. SMTS>Lil Baby Jam>Too Much--So they played it a lot last year and it got old to a lot of people.  Not to me.  I've always loved SMTS, the lil baby jam was funky as hell, and Too Much was loud as hell. Encore: Granny--Never thought I'd hear this live.  Not too much jamming, but it's just a really good song (how many times have I written that now?). DIDO--Great song to end on.  Carter, as usual, ripped it up at the end.  I was kind of hoping they'd do three songs for the encore a la red Rocks but it didn't happen. And now I've noticed that I pretty much left Carter and Stefan out of the review.  Carter had a few solos throughout the show and they were really good.  I believe Stefan had one or two.