Josh S.
Hey everyone. Well, I listened the concert over the live broadcast from someone's backyard. Wow. That concert was such a dissapointment. I feel bad for the people that spent so much money on seats and invested so much in that show. The setlist was unimpressive and one of the worst encores I personally have ever seen. Two Step- Nice opener. Good to hear. Boyd rocked the casbah SMTS>ASTB?>Too Much- Predictable.. thought they'd lead into Ants or I Did It, but they didnt. This was not anything special. I thought Stefan was too quiet on ASTB So Right- The 1/3 highlight of the evening! Amazing. Beautiful. Inspiring. Belonged on LWS! JTR- AMAZING! Loved it so much. The outro was so awesome that I was flipping out! When The World Ends- Very similar to the CD-- sounded pretty much alike. I Did It- meh. This bleh song sounded a little better than bad. What Would You Say?- An old favorite that never can upset me. Watchtower- Great to hear with Neil Young. I was hoping for an un-Watchtowered night-- since it's been overplayed a lot. Sleep To Dream Her- I thought it was horribly performed... even worse than on Everyday. Grace Is Gone- an excellent Lillywhite that I loved What You Are- I really enjoyed this track but that intro had me thinking (Last Stop, last stop)... True Reflections- ::sigh:: Again, this overplayed, underwritten song finds its way into a somewhat respectable setlist Angel- WOW! THIS WAS A SURPRISE. The gospel stuff w/ the Lovely ladies sounded great! I loved it! 36 & Everyday- Another highlight of this evening. Loved this so much! Ants Marching- Average-- nothing special. But you gotta love this song! Encore: If I Had It All- gag. This is where the setlist went downhill fast. A very confusing ending. Stay- To end an average show that had a lot of potential me and others were hoping for a second encore after Stay was over. Sadly, Stay ended the night Compared to 2000, 1999, and 1998 this show is not a stand out and hopefully will not be something to marvel at during the rest of this tour.. but something to compare of how good later shows were comapred to this. Overall Grade-- 7.5/10 (I was nice)

[name R.
Hey the first show was fantastic! Drove from Cleveland and stayed with one of my buddies. Dave sounded great tonight, along with the "Lovely Ladies", and Neil Young. Two Step was a great opener, followed by SMTS (saddly no ASTB) into Too Much. The "Everyday" songs were performed very well, I especially liked So Right. Dave and Neil Young also played an awesome version of Watchtower. The encore was very, very, unusual. A song from "Everyday" was expected, If I Had It All, but Stay was totally unexpected! This was my first live version of Stay with the "Lovely Ladies", and it was outstanding. Great show and I hope to see more of this for the rest of the tour! But one thing guys, we need more oldie favrites like Seek Up, Nancies, Say Goodbye, I'll back you up, etc. (P.S. Dave and the guys played an I'll Back You Up Tease for a souncheck, that got me hoping.

Dan P.
Ok, as you all prolly read already...we have been listening to the show ONline. Well, I must say, quite a disappointment people. Now, it might have been better if I was there, but I doubt it. The set was 16 songs long, but in just over 2 hours. Thats pretty bad DMB style. They played alot of Everyday songs, So Right and WTWE and What You Are sounded really cool. I like those songs, the others didn't. And he almost played the whole damn album. So, big bad thing right there. Most songs weren't jammed at all. They DID do that #36 teast into Everyday, which sounded ridiculous. The lovely Ladies sang on almost every song, and they suck. So from what I heard, the set: disappointing, the jam: bad. They played outstanding, but the songs and the regualr DMB style we are used to were lacking. They are playing Stay as I type this. And if this is the encore closer, I'm sorry, thats a pretty big motsaball hangin out there. I mean, Stay? Its so bad. This show was really really hyped, and its been a huge let down from my point of view, and I wasn't even there. I feel bad for the people there. While I'm sure it was a great time, like DMB shows always are...This could have been SO much better, especially for their homecoming. Even if Stay, which is still on, isn't their last song, nothing will save the show now. SO I'm gonan go ahead and post this...worst ending ever...It's official: DMBallard is here...

Erik O.
Hmm... Where do I begin. Lets just say this isnt what I expected from all the hype. The opening bands were awesome. Soulive and Neil Rocked... DMB came out strong with Two Step and the night was looking great. Then after a few great tunes, the everyday tunes began. I wasn't really amazed with how the new songs came together. It lacked with energy and So Right to me didn't sound so right... I don't think the crowd really knew what to expect with some of the new stuff. I was suprised with how many everyday tunes were played. I think everyones expectations of this being a show from 93 really didnt turn out that way. Where were the old tunes? Before These Crowded Streets, that was a bit lost too. Big guests?....no where to be found. Not one thing but the Watchtower with Neil was impressive and unique. People come 3,000 miles to hear a concert that will be done over again in a week?...thats pretty bad. I'm looking foreward to seeing the #36-->Everyday--->#36 again because for some reason that felt like the DMB concert I know. Overall it wasn't something I expected. I do want to say the scene and people during the day have been awesome. I know I had a good time seeing the sites and meeting the people. Oh well. See ya at Giants...

Dave S.
Wow. Just wow. Easily one of the most energized, joyous shows I've seen in a few years (DMB show 13 for me!). Wasn't perfect by any means setlist or performance-wise, but when either of those aspects flagged, the band's sheer energy carried the day. The stage show looks better than ever, with much better quality big screens, and some giant tube things lit from inside that look like giant musroom stalks. Or oddly shaped condoms, you decide. Sound quality was not great on the sides. I was in warehouse ticketing in 107, and the bass definition was pretty bad, but I heard the floor sound was better than ever. Neil Young was in great form and in a way better mood than last time I saw him play - Down By the River was fantastic. I was disappointed with Watchtower with Neil playing on it though -- I'm pretty sure he skipped a verse in the into, and it seemed like they didn't rehearse it together beforehand -- whenever there was a transition, things got a little shaky. No crazy end stuff either! But Neil added some nice solos at the start. The Lovely Ladies I think are being used alot better nowadays than when they first started making appearances. They were a perfect foil for boyd on True Reflections (huge crowd pleaser, very tight), and really gave some depth to Angel, which gets my vote as the best new song live so far. Everday was mixed up with #36, with Dave and the ladies alternating bits of "Hani, Hani..." with "...Love, everday" It was definitely one of the show's high points - the band looked like they were genuinely surprising themselves with each turn the song took, with a great extended outro. With the exception of Angel, the new songs with the electric sounded... well... kinda weak. It makes you realize how much Ballard reined in the band on the new album, coz on songs like So Right (featuring what will probably become a great Roi solo at the end), the band just overwhelmed Dave and his newest toy. Grace is Gone sounds more beautiful each time I hear it, and on the whole it was just a really terrific vibe at the show. I could complain about the lack of BTCS material or say "what the *hell* was up with that encore," but right now I'm too happy to nitpick what was, on the whole, a promising return to the road and live debut of the new stuff!

Mike N.
While not the best show I have seen, somehow this might have just been the "coolest." More worthwhile than the show itself to comment on was the feel of the town before and after. It was like the circus was coming to Charlottesville, and everyone was thrilled. Any stadium show I have gone to before was in a big city (Philly, NYC etc.), so to have a stadium show in a college town was, for lack of a better word, phenomenal. Everybody was going to the show; everybody was having a party; everybody was hyped up. Kids came from all over the east coast, so it wasn't all just UVA kids all over the place. It had this really cool feel to it that I just cant describe. As far as the show itself goes: like I said, it was not the greatest show ever, but it was still really awesome. I would have loved hearing more Lillywhite sessions stuff, and less from Everyday, but I was surprised to hear any Lillywhite stuff at all, so that was cool. The 36->Everyday->36->Everday (and so on) th! ing was really cool. The kids in front of me recording setlists had a really hard time keeping up on that one. It goes without saying that Neil Young on Watchtower was one of the highlights. The encore was disappointing, as was the fact that we were really tricked into expecting a second encore (the lights stayed off, no crew came out for a bit, etc.), and then all of a sudden it was over. Hmmmm. I still could do without the Lovely Ladies, but they seemed to be toned down at the show, not as "in-your-face" as previous shows. I don't know what to say about the crowd. I was up in the front where its all fan-clubbers, and normally they are rockin' the whole time, but I didn't see that at this show. Maybe that was just my section, I'm not sure. Anyway, to wrap up my ramblings, I want to say that even without being the best show I ever saw, it was well worth the drive from Penn State, and I had a blast.

Chris S.
The show in charlottesville without a doubt had a vibe about it. Everyone in the parking lot seemed happy to be there, met a lot of cool people even had some guys playing sax and guitar. the show. soulive was sweet, but they need to play in a smaller venue, during neil young some people asked to trade us seats...so we did and ended up about 30 rows in front of where we started. Two Step - awesome, very good solo by carter in the middle. SMTS -> Bridge -> Too Much - the bridge sounded like the little jam on BTCS before crush i believe So Right - Just didn't sound right, possibly leroi could save this. JTR - surprise to hear lillywhite WTWE - it was cool, didn't want it to end like it did on everyday, hoping a jam, but still cool I did it - knew this would be in the setlist, but the lovely ladies really assisted this WWYS - not disappointed, good crowd pleaser watchtower (w/ neil young) - wow, insane. dave broke a string, so neil soloed a little extra. interesting version, but still awesome. sleep to dream her - better than expected, with wasn't much grace is gone - surprised to hear 2 lillywhites, good version TR - boyd took this already amazing solo to a second level for the hometown crowd. angel - the lovely ladies helped a bit, not much #36/everyday - that was just amazing ants - sounded like philly 12.17.01 encore: if i had it all - one of the better off everyday live stay - typical version, but i believe they were implying that they wanted to "stay for awhile" in c'ville. all in all, dave needs to put down the electric. see you in raleigh. happy touring.

Chad F.
Okay, first off, this was NOT the best DMB show ever...I know everyone's expectations for this show were huge, and I'm pretty certain that many people are disappointed. Me? I think of the show in two ways. First, it was yet another collection of great, classic DMB songs, and I couldn't ask for more in that respect. Second, it was a demo of many Everyday songs, some that seem pretty cool and others that can clearly use alot of work. I'll go on to say that with the exception of Watchtower (which was revamped nicely with Neil Young) all of the other songs were played as usual, so I won't bother reviewing all of those. Onto the new stuff...I think it's a shame that many people go into these with a pre-disposted dislike for these songs, and even people in my section weren't too into them. SO RIGHT - Very nice, although Dave clearly wasn't sure about much of this song. He missed the lyrics a couple times, and forgot chord changes. Overall a great rendition, and LeRoi's ja! m at the end was nice. I can see this becoming a great addition to the live catalogue. WHEN THE WORLD ENDS - Probably my favorite live rendition of an Everyday song, just such a cool groove going on with it. And yes, Dave does cut it off live just like on the album (when the world ends...lol). I DID IT - This version kicked the prior versions' asses. It was loud, fast, distorted, and everything that a song like this should be. While the song itself is SLEEP TO DREAM HER - I thought that this was among the worst studio efforts Dave has released to date, and the live performance backed me up...I really hope this isn't a favorite for the band to play... WHAT YOU ARE - Awesome. Had a "Last Stop" kinda vibe to it, everyone was dancing, and the song just rocked the place. The lighting during this tune was phat too. ANGEL - Soon to become the next Crash or Satellite, female fans all around the building were screaming for more when he played this. #36 -> EVERYDAY -> #36 - Very nice. The ladies actually did add to this for once, and it sounded really cool. The jam they came up with worked really well, and this was a very solid song. IF I HAD IT ALL - My favorite of the Everyday studio songs, this was had a cool, mellow vibe to it. My only complaint was that Dave did not play the guitar intro to it, which would have been cool (since I didn't even recognize it at first without it) but it was nice overall. The entire show was solid, as solid as any other good performance by the boys. I definitely look forward to hearing the songs on CD, as well as going to more shows this summer so I can watch them progress first hand. Hope all who went had a safe trip back. Take care all, and I'll see ya in Vegas...

Caleb C.
Wow...That was great. The intensity was so thick as he started with the intro to Two Step. Girls around me were about to cry and to be honest i was close myself. Then So much to say-->anyone seen the bridge?-->Too Much. I needed that, id been waiting all winter for something like that. Through all of the shit about the lillywhite sessions, and everyday, i was starting to wonder if dave had sold out. Maybe he has, but it took me about 30 seconds for my faith to return. When the world end was preformed really well. Most of the everyday songs were just like the album, but i was expecting that, its really hard to jam to something when you dont know how a crowd will react to it. All along the watchtower was great, Neil + Dave. They sang a little duet, then kept teasing about the ending. Neil had his les paul playing lead. Perfect. I think the high point of the show was #36-->Everyday-->#36. It makes me mad, that the people who werent even at the show are reporting that it sucked, i wont even get into that, you cant quite report on how bad a show was if your werent there. but back to Everyday, it was so great, the lovely ladies, boyd, carter, and dave all singing different songs that fit together so well. I was expecting to hear a few more songs from B4TCS but ah well. THe only real disappointment i had was Stay at the end. Everyone was expecting something else. I was expecting #41. The first concert ive ever been to that i havent heard 41. But ill get over it. It was a great opening night. Sorry for this being so long. Thanks Dave.

Mark W.
You have got to be kidding me. An old friend of mine who is a UVA grad and currently in the Peace Corps came ALL THE WAY FROM EL SALVADOR for this show, her first ever. All I can say is, what a disappointment. Is this really the best they could do for the home crowd? Being back in C-ville in that atmosphere was amazing, but the music came up way short, not to mention the length of the show. Two Step was awesome - and all downhill after that. Because of this I'm selling my RFK tickets. Anybody?

K.C. S.
This concert was certainly NOT a disappointment. The atmosphere was great, and while the setlist was not the best ever, it offered a good bit of surprise and variety, some cool features, and the first time ever in concert for 8 songs -- that's a pretty sweet concert if you ask me. Two step was a great opener (one of the best Two Steps I have ever heard) and really got the crowd going. Then SMTS rocked out, and the crowd got especially pumped for Anyone Seen the Bridge (which kind of surprised me, even though it was great). Too Much was a pretty typical, but flawless, rendition, very similar to the Listener Supported version. So Right was the first new song played, and of them all, it seemed to need the most polish. It was solid, but I think Dave was still a little nervous and his voice didn't really get going. However, the rest of the new songs were excellent, especially What You Are, which was a great surprise. The Lovely Ladies were in fine form, and thei amazing performance hopefully converted a few people who don't usually like them. I was a little disappointed in the crowd's response to Grace Is Gone. Dave really played it well, and it sounded so great, but the crowd didn't seem that into it. Hopefully, this won't discourage them from playing it in the future, as it could definitely become one of their best songs. True Reflections, a song which typically isn't my favorite, was played wonderfully, including Dave's trademark echo on "When you look into the mirror." Also, regarding the new songs, the Lovely Ladies added some beautiful touches to spice up Angel, and the version of #36 ---> Everyday ---> Everyday/#36 was just amazing. This was a real treat. The band ended the main set with Ants, featuring a quick start with no drum beats. It was a very Red-Rocks-like rendition. However, Boyd's solo was especially remarkable, possibly the best Ants solo I have heard. Lastly, despite most other reviewers whinings about the encore, I liked it. If I Had It All was a nice suprise (although I was hoping for The Space Between), and it was played really well. Finally, Stay really rocked the house. It was such an exhillarating version, with the whole band really clicking together. Overall, I give this concert a 9.25/10.

Jonathan H.
All in all I have to say this was a quality show. The Everyday songs (except Everyday) didn't really jiggle any nerves for me, but the rest of the performance was straight. I liked the intro to watchtower w/ N.Young, as for the rest of the song I've heard/felt better. I had 3rd row seats, section A and had to turn a bit too see the band well, but really couldn't complain. Sound was great from where I was, as well as considering it was a stadium. I think I would have liked to hear some more earlier bits, (warehouse, Jimmy thing, halloween) and thought it would have been appropriate considering. Was Really hopping they would do some more Lillywhite bits as well, but GIG was key, so can't complain much. Again, a tight show, glad I was there, and everytime I see the band (#11 this go around) Boyd imresses/amazes me w/ his energy throught the show! Cheers!

Neel S.
1. Two Step- great first song, almost ruined by girl behind me clapping in rhythym right in my ear (I hate clappers, and sing-alongers, but I'll get to that later). Good job though on Two Step. 2. So Much to Say, ASTB, Too Much- I was actually surprised. I thought it would be an Everyday song second, but it was a pleasant surprise. Even though I've heard these songs many times, I still love ASTB. 3. So Right- Good potential, esp. for jamming. Although I'm not really an Everyday fan, I got into it. 4. JTR- AMAZING. I Loved it esp. with intro. ending was awesome as usual. 5. When the World Ends- The ending still weirds me out, I'm not really a fan of the song, but what can you do, I was among some of the first people to hear it live, no complaints. 6. I Did It- It's I Did It, if you like it you like it, if you don't you don't 7. What Would You Say- I was hoping for something different, cuz ive heard it many times, but i still love it, so its ok 8. Watchtower- HOLY CRAP. Best live song I've ever heard, I orgasmed right there. 9. Sleep to Dream Her- I doubt it will be played that many times on tour, just too boring. 10. Grace Is Gone- really good. I love the fact that the everyday fans behind me shut up and couldnt sing along to this one. 11. What You Are- One of my faves off of everyday. Still though, none of the everyday ones are half as good as any of the older songs in concert (cept the song everyday) 12. True Reflections- Good, cant diss the song 13. Angel- Could have been better, got repetetive, would be good intro into something else. 14. Everyday- Brilliant. I got chills. It sounded so good with 36, I just hope they dont overplay it. 15. Ants Marching- Your usual good Ants. I knew it was coming though 16. If i Had It All- Terrible choice, wanted something earlier for the encores. But what can you do. 17. Stay- I was surprised. I was expecting Billies or Pantala into Rapunzel or even Stone. It was good though, disappointed though. I think theres some sort of significance in Stay being the last song, like that the ladies won't be accompanying the band for the tour or somehting. I also think that right after Dave broke a string in Watchtower, the rest of the song was improved, just saw the way they acted, and I act the same on stage if I'm improving. Seeing as I dont like Everyday that much, I was kinda disappointed. Also, none of the old songs were that rare, a nice Nancies or Typcical or Jane wouldve been nice. Basically, the set list is gonna end up being ordinary. Just my two cents

Oslo C.
This show was not the best i've been too, but it certainly was a very good show. I wanted to mention just a couple of things that i don't believe anyone else mentioned. First of all, for the songs that the band did play, old and new, they were very very clean, very very well played versions. WWYS and Ants were two of the best versions i believe i've ever heard. TR was even more energetic than ever. Secondly, Dave was wearing a beard. To me this was significant not just for the look, but for perhaps what it symbolizes. The newer, older, wiser Dave was on stage last night. The show itself and this new look for Dave i believe mark a new era for the DMB. I could be wrong, but i could be right. If i am, nothing DMB will ever be the same again.

Jay M.
All in all another Dave show in the books, but hey where was the funky jams? After all it's been how long since Dave performed in Charlottesville? I was pleased to here 2-Step for the opener, and you might expect from Dave's crazy beard he was sporting that the show was going to be the same. But after giving us some old school Dave went on a new school binge that he couldn't get off of totaling 7 songs off the new albumn sprinkled throughout the night. Now this is all good except the transitions weren't there. They just didn't seem to flow and mix nicely with the crowd. In the middle of this all Dave seemed to notice this and decided to throw a Watchtower in the mix, and give Neil Young another chance to redeem himself from that FarmAid experience. It started out so slowly that you just knew that there was going to be an orgasmic explosion coming soon. Dave even broke some strings on his guitar, however when Neil had to step up to the plate to take over the mike when Dave was temporarily sidelined, Neil crashed and burned as expected, finally Dave realizing this came in and salvaged what was left of the song which wasn't much. But on a good note, I was pleased to hear the 36-Everyday-36 transtion; and when Dave threw out the "we'll be burning one" line from "When the World Ends", the crowd jumped at the chance to get rowdy over that. And props to Boyd for playing so crazy that his shades flew off. I've been to many Dave shows, but this is the first one where I didn't feel worn out at the end of the show. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come up next weekend in Raleigh.

Matt O.
Let me first say that this was my first of many DMB shows. Even thought it was my first time, I am a big fan. The evening was started by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, who got the crowd into songs such as Cortez The Killer and Rocking In The Free World. Then the band came out and surprised everyone with Two Step. Dave kept the pace going until Sleep to Dream Her, which I personally loved, such a deep song for all the lovers out there. Dave played 8 songs off the new album which kinda surprised me, but in my opinion all of them were very good, highlights would have to be Angel and When the Wold Ends. Dave threw us another curve when he did a #36 tease into Everday with an Everyday/#36 outro, very cool. The house got rocking again with Ants at the end. The encores were kinda surprising, was dissapointed with Stay, however, it was a very good version. Overall I thought the show was great, I realize other people don't feel the same, but Dave and the boys shined at different times throughout the show. I am a big fan of the new album so maybe my views are subjective, but I would defiently recommend getting this show on tape!!

Jay M.
Maybe I expected too much out of this show. I felt that being in your home town would bring out the best in people, but that was not the case with the boys last night. Not to mention the ladies were there. I thaught the band was done with them. Oh yea I forgot they made Everday an album which they can't play by themselves in concert cause it would sound empty. Dave wasn't dancing and not even really talking. After the worst encore in the history of dmb they didn't even say good bye. I just thaught it was gonna be a special show. Neil young on watchtower was amazing but that was it. Listen to Listner Supported and Everyday and you have the concert. In the 20 plus shows I've been to I have never disliked a show but this one is damm close. They better get their heads out of their ass and remember that they are a jam band and not Glenn Ballard studio band. Atleast not in concert they can't play the ballard stuff. I hope they get things fixed.

Luke R.
I LOVE DMB. THEY RULE. However, last night was sort of a let down. I drove 5 hours for a show that I thought would be AMAZING, and what I got was the sort of thing I would expect to hear any other night. This is not to say I was upset, any DMB show will be good, and the band will put forth lots of energy. However, this was my 30thish show and it was about average, which was disappointing since it was hyped way up. Grace is gone - AWESOME, it always is. I loved WWYS, however I was upset that more songs didn't come from Remember 2 things, Under the Table, BTCS, Crash; well pretty much from every CD OTHER than the new one. It was WAY overplayed, which is surprising from DMB. I was delighted to see Dave play with Neil Young for Watchtower, but was disappointed that they didn't go more crazy, and I think the crowd was as well. It was over and I think I actually had blue balls. The lovely ladies were good but they screwed up the ending of If I Had It All. Stay was Stay, the same Stay as in every show since 1998. However, Ants was good and quite a surprise. Another cool surprise was the mixture of Everyday and 36, which in my opinion was kind of jamming that I had been hoping for since the start of the EVERYDAY entourage. Overall I did enjoy the vocals and music of DMB, but missed the crazy jams, lights and experimentation that caracterizes a GREAT show. Rating: 6/10

Drew B.
Dude, what a show.......it was good BUT....I could ramble on about a lot of "stuff" but I will focus on the POSITIVE, as much as I can! Great opener- 2 step! So Right didn't seem so right to me either...... We had 13 row section D ( off center on the left) GREAT SEATS and Dave looked like he was going to lose it a few times and seemed off with the rest of the band....... maybe just me?!? JTR- GREAT! Watchtower was BAD AS .... with Neil Young! They either skipped a verse or someone missed one.......anyway, I also wonder what was up with the end ( 2 riders were approaching) I know I saw Dave laugh when Neil sang it again and then look at Carter and laugh with him, then helped Neil out with the 2 riders were approaching thing......... COOL, one of those little things that made this show!!!!! Grace Is Gone- Maybe the best song tonight! I wasn't expecting True Refeltatoins....good! #36-> Everyday-> #36 was also a higlight! WOW ! I like, If I Had It All..... but to follow with Stay........ and then NOT in the typical DMB fashion (hit the lights, the show is over, which I find very smart and respectful to the fans) left the lights off and gear in it's place and with Stay being.....anyway,the show didn't seem to flow, I don't know! I KNOW I would be ALL BESIDE MYSELF if I had ALL the EYES on me like Dave did this weekend in Charlottesville! LOTS of fans,press, university officals,important C-ville & VA folks......I'd feel "burdened" too!!!! It was something to not have missed if you FEEL the DAVE MATTHEWS BAND!

Matt
Lets talk about what didnt happen, because thats the way I will always look back at this show. No STJL, no Recently, no IBYU, no 40, no granny, nothing at all special for the hometown crowd. I was SO disappointed. Before I just trash this concert let me say, they did the most that the setlist would allow them to do. This is by far the worst setlist I have ever seen. 'Stay' as the closer, are you kidding me. I cant wait to get a copy of this show just so I can count how many times the "Lovely ladies" sang the word 'STAY'. Im going to say it was at least 200. I dont think that the ladies add anything to the music and I really wish that they would go and be lovely somewhere else. The show did have some highpoints (Every Dave show does). I really enjoyed 2step, some of the 'everyday' songs were good. I just wish they would have mixed some old songs in. The watchtower with Neil was pretty cool. Dave broke a string though so it sounded kinda f*#@ed up. The 'two riders were approaching' thing that they did was cool. WEll I drove 7 hours to see this stinker. not what I was expecting. Also not what I was willing to drive 7 hours for. I was a bit disappointed actually. Dave seemed very nervous to me. Very little 'dave speak'. No mention of the infamous 4-22 show. Lillywhites were represented, which made me very happy. Great versions of Grace and JTR. I dont know what I think about the 36>everyday>36>everyday thing yet. Ill wait for the CD's before i decide for sure. As far as 'everyday' goes the best song (in my humble oppinion) is 'what you are' this song actually rocked and to me seems like it would be more at home on the 'LWS'. Well, maybe we all just built this show up a little too much, but I actually sat down TWICE during this show. Ive never been able to do that in 16 shows. It scarred me a little. (during 'sleep to dream her' and then again during the encore!)

Lenny C.
Personally, I thought the whole experience made up for any lack during the show. The fact that the town was a circus for the weekend made the whole experience (includeing the show) one of the best times of my life. However, the show did lack something. I asked myself why and what the show lacked. Were my expectations too high? Did the band not perform their best? What exactly was missing? And then, it dawned on me! Have you ever taken a speech class? You know how the first time you have the give a speech in that class is really nervewracking? I mean, you know you're a great speaker, you've given speeches many of times. However, you're still nervous and overwhelmed. You prepair and prepair and the speech is great when you're alone in your room practicing it, but infront of everyone you don't execute as well. Yet, by the end of the semester you are shitting out speeches like a champ. During the show, Dave said (and i paraphrase), "When you're infront of your hometown you want to do your best." The band was just overwhelmed. There was so much hype and everyone was talking about how it was going to be the best show ever. Therefore, it turned into more of a chore than an exciting event for them. The bottom line is that, I think, had there been a second night, it would have been a much better show. I feel the band would have been more relaxed and calmed down. Just my humble opinion. -Lenny Biggest let down's: 3. No rarities 2. No "Special Guest" 1. Only one song w/ Neil Young?!?!?! High Points: 3. #36 / Everday 2. Watchtower 1. Stay to finish the show (this song is all about C'ville, Dave got the idea for the song from a tourist brochure that said, "Charlottesville, doesn't it make you want to stay.")

Colin S.
What an awesome awesome show. Not the best I've seen, but still a teriffic experience. DMB put on quite a show. Things worth mentioning: TWO STEP - I'd never seen it as an opener but it's my new favorite now. It gets the crowd into the show very quickly. Dave sang something about "coming home" during the intro. SO RIGHT - This is going to be a live favorite for a long long time. Dave messed the words up, but the song is so energetic that no one noticed or cared. WATCHTOWER - A-MA-ZING. Everyone around me was dancing but I was in such bewilderment that I couldn't move. It was different than other versions, more mellow, but still a mind-blower. SLEEP TO DREAM HER - Talk about a crowd-killer. It's not a good song to begin with, and it's real slow, and that's not a good combination. ANGEL - It's Crash Into Me for the 21st century. Everyone was singing along and all the girls were screaming. At least Crash is a good song. Ugh. #36/EVERYDAY - Are they playing #36? Or are they playing Everyday? I don't know! But I do know that it was an amazing fusion of the songs that featured the Everyday chorus repeated over the #36 jam for a solid five minutes. Best song of the night, besides Watchtower. STAY - Disappointing way to end any show, especially one as good as this. A new record of 39 repeated "stay"s at the end. But I can't complain because the show was worth every second of my 15-hour-drive.

Lee G.
Well, just where do I start. This was my 11 dave show and I drove from Georgia to see what turned out to be a very disappointing concert. Neil Young and Soulive really jammed out and had good energy. Two step was a nice intro, but Dave looked very sloppy, even missing words and notes at times throughout the show. WWYS was an old friend, but where was the jam? Watchtower was one of the best versions I've ever heard but simply because of Neil Young tremendous energy. Alot of new stuff was played, which is nice but no jams and little to no energy and no true emotion showed out of Dave. True Reflections, Boyd never seems to let us down, really jammed out on the fittle. Finally, the encore was the worst of all my 11 shows, Stay? Not quite what I aspected but Charlottesville folk are great and a beautiful place to see the show, just thought Dave would show more emotion and definitely a better set list being his homecoming!

Dave O.
Well, the tour has started. Was it the best show ever...no. But, it was a GREAT show. I thought it started out awesome with lots of energy. Two Step, So Much To Stay, and Too Much were excellent. But, I feel the show did lose 'something' in the end. A lot of people are trashing the encore. I thought it was solid, but STAY is not the best closer. The highlights of the show were Watchtower with Neil Young and the 36->EVERYDAY combo. Looking back on it, the show was a slight let down given the mega hype. Would have like to hear Warehouse and some jams (most songs were only 5 minutes). The new stuff sounded nice but I did not like the down-time when Dave switched from electric to accoustic Also, the Sanatana/Macy Grey rumors (they were going to join DMB on stage) were a total hoax. But you know what, the entire town of Charolettesville was alive for this show. The beautiful day had everyone outside, grilling and drinking prior to the show. I can't remember the last show I attended were the audience was so alive and into the act. Everyone in Scott's Stadium really wanted to be there and it showed. Thanks to my friends and brothers who showed me an awesome time. See you at RFK!

Shannon S.
So Right (a bit rough, I'll admit, but seriously, my favorite song off the new album and with some practice ....will be a really sweet live one LeRoi Moore,yeah),JTR (memories of the Gorge last summer and with the lovely ladies or hoochiemama's, was really nice,)When The World Ends (they did a really nice job on this one...dave of course goofed on the lyrics, but shit, that happens with every new bunch of songs,and was fairly tight regardless,I Did It(the boys have tightened this one right up and had everyone dancin' in my area,What You Are (My second favorite from the new album....this was really good and I predict folks will be beggin to hear it through out the tour,True Reflections lovely ladies yet again, and I must say they compliment Boyd very well),Everyday(the high point to my evening here....the crowd was singing counterpoint Hani, Hani.....come and dance with me to the stage who were singing everyday....very beautiful words cannot describe)sweet show and well worth my 50 bucks.

Jason B.
I have to say that I am not as educated about Dave as many of the people that post opinions here are: however, I have been to 5 Dave concerts and have several more on CDs from 1992-present. All that to say that I was very excited about the concert because I thought it would be something extraordinary due to the fact that it was a homecoming concert. That is why I made the six hour pilgrammage. However, it was a disappointment to say the least... I felt like Dave was trying to sell Everyday to me, which I have not bought and will not anytime soon. If that was what he was trying to do, then it did not work. But what I really wanted to point out is this... I have my education and experience in studio work. I know studio work and I know it well. When I found out that Dave was working with Ballard, my heart sank because I knew that he would try to convert them to a studio band which means poor translation to live performances. I feel that I was right... I believe that Dave and the boys are unbelievably talented and can do some of the new songs much better than what is on the record... but the fact remains they are studio songs and unless that enviroment can be recreated (i.e. keyboardist, another guitarist, etc.) these songs are going to fall flat and hard every concert. There was a point during So Right that I felt bad for Dave because the sound just fell apart because there was nothing there... the space and emptiness about killed me. And the answer for that is not to bring the lovely ladies on stage for every song. The answer is to give the studio version a face lift and make them the typical live Dave sound. As many witnessed, the studio work cannot be recreated well and that is what makes Lillywhite a genius in my book... he took a live band and made stellar studio records out of live stuff. That is much harder and challenging than what Ballard did which is shove Dave in a cookie cutter and leave him with the burden to recreate the pop stuff live. Overall, I liked the show but the Everyday stuff has to be changed or kicked off the set list for this tour to survive at the the expected Dave level all his true fans know.

Ralph V.
I know there have been a lot of reviews posted about this show, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents on an AMAZING show because i think a lot of people are missing the point about a lot of what went on in Charlottesville. First of all, DMB is promoting a new album, so why are people so damn disappointed when 8 out of a relatively high total of 18 songs are from "Everyday"....what did they think they were going to hear?? Plus, people fail to realize that this WAS a special night, because Dave obviously wanted to christen many of his new tunes in his hometown that had heretofore never been heard live. And many people complain that DMB doesn't play enough songs at concerts....so this time he gives us a treat with 18 (not including ASTB and #36 mixed in with "Everyday")!!...and everyone now complains that he didn't jam enough....make up your mind! I personally loved hearing song after song for 2+ hours! Two Step as an opener was a great beginning and a great surprise and t! he show only got better from there. Everone has written about the songs, so I will highlight just a few aspects of the show. First of all, I think people need to pay more attention to what is really going on when they are at a DMB show, and not get all caught up on being pissed after "Dave didn't play my favorite songs!"...like the person who said that DMB didn't play ASTB b/t SMTS and Too Much! People need to realize that it will be impossible for DMB to please everybody, so they are looking to put together what will be the most enjoyable show for both the fans AND the band. And they did this in Charlottesville. Old school favs in the beginning were a great "ease-in" to the newer tunes. So Right was tremendous and Dave's new electric guitar sounds unbelievable in concert. The sweetness of WTWE, Sleep to Dream Her (which gives you a new appreciation for the song when you hear it live), and Angel were very impressive. As for the ladies, they are now being utilized as they should be....to electrify certain songs such as I Did It, which sounded 100 times better than on TRL or SNL, as the ladies gave the chorus the "punch" that is present on the studio album. Overall, the new tunes sounded great, and the best part was watching the rest of the band play their parts and bring the tunes together...something that is overlooked due to the nature of the new album. JTR was great as the ladies introed the song with an accapella "Rain Down On Me" before Dave kicked the song into gear on his 12-string acoustic.....Grace is Gone was one of, if not the best song of the night. The unique version of Watchtower was out of control, especially with Dave and Neil repeating the line "...two riders were approaching..." as the song climaxed, which we have never heard before. And to refute what somebody else wrote, Neil Young didn't bring the song down by "taking the reins" while Dave got a new string......do they think the song is just made up as they go along? They may improvise, but not that much!! I will admit, though, that the encore was very disappointing, and I was very surprised not to hear "Warehouse" at all during the show considering the location....but overall it was great to get away from hearing reduntant setlists, and overall it was a very impressive homecoming for DMB.

Frank S.
Ok. well i wanted to wait to write my review until i read some other ones. I have and let me just say this. WHAT REASON DO PEOPLE GO TO A SHOW FOR??? THE SAME REASON AS LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE OR 10 YEARS AGO??? This is 2001 and DMB has a new album out. What did people expect! i LOVE THE NEW ALBUM I LOVE THE UNRELEASED SONGS. I GO TO THE SHOW TO SEE DMB AND LISTEN TO THEM PLAY. I dont care what they play! Now i know some things sound better than other and some shows are special and some are not. This was the 1st show of the tour i expected exactly what i got. People cannot assume things that are not pubically stated. there were rumors at the show of popper and mick jagger of all people. I LOVED THE SHOW THOUGHT THEY DID GOOD FOR A 1ST SHOW AND THE NEW STAGE SETUP IS AWESOME. LOVED THE LADIES ON THE NEW STUFF AND CANT WAIT TILL MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER TO HEAR HOW THEY DEVELOP. Once again all of those people who were dissappointed about the show YOU EXPECTED TOO MUCH!!

Todd B.
Okay, I too gotta admit, when I walked out of the show, I was disappointed with the set-list. But they cannot please all of us. Two Step-thought this was a phenominal set closer, but its even better as an opener. powerful, energetic. I did it-better live than on the CD, but predictable. So right. . .rediculously good. Angel-Amazing. When the World Ends-awesome. What You Are-Unexpected and an incredible song. Ants Marching-Nothing special, but still Ants Marching. #36 into Everyday back into #36-Give me a break. How good this not be as good as it sounds. Nice surprise to see a new mix and it was great. If I Had it All was terrific, but Dave, how could you close an encore with Stay? One huge disappointment. But the show was wonderful (and I didn't mention JTR, Grace is Gone, So Much to say into Too Much), and the Watchtower with Neil Young was incredible. Would have liked to hear more old songs, but the new ones are even better live. Everyone needs to see a show on this tour and hear how terrific this band really is.

Nick B.
I'd have to say this was one of the better DMB shows that I have seen. Everything about the day was really nice. The venue was extremely nice compared to most of the other stadiums that the band plays at, the weather was so nice after the rain that we left in Pittsburgh, and the town of Charlottesville was out in full force for this concert. It just had all the intangibles right for a perfect show. Now for the show itself. It was nice to see the band full of energy again, unlike the winter tour where it seemed they were just going through the motions. The highlights of the show for me were: 1) ALL THE NEW SONGS - I love the new album, but I had some doubt about these sounding a little thin in the live setting. All those doubts went out the window after the first new song was played. 2) TWO STEP - You know its going to be a good show when it starts out like this. The new lyrics(I think) during the intro were really nice. 3) WHAT YOU ARE - This song sounds like it would fit well with the songs of BTCS, and just kicks some major ass live. 4) WATCHTOWER - What can I really say about this one, but it was simply amazing. The way that they reworked it with Neil sounds good and the outro was really cool. 5) ANGEL - This is just a sweet song and I really love what the lovely ladies added to it. 6) #36-->EVERYDAY-->#36 - Well I think this shows that the songs on the new album can and will be jammed. This was definitely the high point of the show for me. 7) SO RIGHT - The new outro to this was a nice addition. 8) WHEN THE WORLD ENDS - I love the way that this cuts out at the end like the album version. 9) THE LOVERLY LADIES - Usaully I don't like what the band does to some of the songs when the ladies are singing, but tonight they just added something that made everything sound better. Overall, this was just a special show and I'm glad I made the trip.

David L.
I was disappointed but not too surprised. Dave played too much new stuff w/ not enough classics. JTR was good, two step is getting too predictable along w/ Watchtower, which was, however, very good w/ Neil Young. I did it was a disappointement w/ the tease of The Stone before it. I was hopping for a Halloween or #40/41, dreaming tree, but still am yet to hear one. Very disappointing Encore. A song from Everyday (too blah) and a popular radio hit. The highs were high and the lows were low. It was too concentrated on the "new" fans of dave and his modernized songs...

Joseph R.
I know there are going to be a lot of complaints about this show, but that was inevitable because of all the hype. The local TV news in Richmond, VA even mentioned the rumor that Grammy award winner Santana might be making an appearance. Dave even mentioned during the show that he was scared of this gig, and who wouldn't be really? It would have been impossible to meet everyone's expectations, including mine, but having said that I thought they put on an excellent show. When Neil Young and Crazy Horse finished, there was still a little daylight left, but they turned on the stadium lights. I kept thinking there is no way they are going to keep the lights on for the show, and sure enough when it came time all of a sudden it was completely dark, and there was just so much electricity in the air. Opening with Two Step almost brought tears to my eyes.there was just something about a whole stadium singing along to every word. They rocked the house on that one and every song up until Watchtower was upbeat and had tons of energy. The lights and the big screen shots were amazing tonight. They did an excellent job of showing on screen the person who was making the dominant sound on stage, if that makes sense. They did some funky stuff to the screen shots too, like slowing the motion down, adding video clips (like on Ants Marching they had clips of people's feet walking really fast up and down a street and cars going by really fast), and mixing more than one person on screen at the same time. Dave was sporting somewhat of a beard tonight too. So Right was the first new one that they played, and before it's all said and done this one is going to be great live. It just has tons of potential. I think he used an acoustic on When the World Ends (and a few of the other new ones as well), and that one did end pretty much like it is on the cd, if anyone was wondering if they'd jam it out or transition it somehow, they didn't. Watchtower was definitely one of the highlights of the show. It started off really slow with Dave and Neil playing dueling guitars, kind of like Dave and Boyd do on Two Step. Then they alternated singing, and I thought Neil was going to take it home, but when he got to the point where it goes "Two riders were approaching (and the wind began to howl)", well he said the line "Two riders were approaching" twice, and I thought he messed up, but then Dave got up and sang that line twice, and then they both shared the mike for that line again, and then Dave took it home with "The wind began to hoooooowwwwwlll!!!!!)" At that point the lights were flickering on and off so fast that it looked like they were moving in slow motion on stage.it was pretty amazing. I should add here too that Dave broke out several times in dance during the whole show and the crowd loved it. The setlist slowed down a little after Watchtower, but I think we all needed a break after the songs they opened with (so much energy). Sleep To Dream Her was a big surprise, and I enjoyed it actually. Several of my least favorite tunes were played tonight, like True Reflections, What Would You Say, Stay, and Sleep To Dream Her, but I have to tell you I enjoyed them all tonight. The Lovely Ladies, who I'm usually not a big fan of, were great tonight. They really were used well and added alot to some songs, especially and surprisingly Angel. My least favorite part of that song "Why do I beg like a child for your candy" is when they sang along and it really made a big difference, and actually Angel was probably my favorite new one from the night, although Everyday was amazing. Like I said True Reflections even rocked the house (I wasn't actually too surprised that Boyd would get to sing this one for their homecoming). I thought What You Are translated well live. I knew the night was coming to and end when they started the #36 intro into Everday, which was another highlight of the night. This one just soared through the stadium. Amazing! They jammed it out for a while, and at the end had kind of a "row row row your boat" thing going with Dave and the lovely ladies between "Honey Honey come and dance with me(the lovely ladies) and the lines to Everday(Dave). Ants was a great closer, but I honestly had no idea what to expect for the encore at that point. If I Had It All was definitely a surprise, it was a little slower and mellower than on the cd, and actually Stay as the encore closer kind of summed up the whole evening (for me at least). It wasn't what I was expecting, and even though it's one of my least favorite songs, I still loved it. It was high energy, positive, and fun, just like the rest of the concert. On the screen shots you could tell they were all having a blast. My wife even mentioned how content they looked. Indeed they did, laughing, smiling, enjoying the hell out of it. I thought the flow of the show was perfect. They opened like gang busters with tons of energy and slowed it down at the right time and just soared at the end. Even with no rarities, no surprise guests, no extra special davespeak (I thought for sure he'd say something more about how special the occasion was), and a setlist that included 8 new songs, I still think it was an amazing show. Online broadcasts and mp3s won't do this show justice, nor will looking at the setlist, and I'm sure people will have something bad to say after they have a chance to think about the show, but to me it seemed like Scott Stadium was loving every minute of the show. I did.

Mindy W.
I started reading the reviews of this show, but I had to stop. I had to make my opinion heard before others' opinions cluttered my head. I was one of MANY who came from far away. We were sort of with the U of Illinois caravan, although our started in the Chicago area, went to Illinois State, then to U of I, and on to C'ville. The atmosphere on the downtown mall pre-concert was amazing. We grabbed a drink at Miller's, jumped in the huge group picture, and rode the shuttle to the stadium. Soullive and Neil Young, cool. Dave with a beard, cool. The show?... wow, we were pretty disappointed. It was my 19th show, and I was TOTALLY expecting a thunder of applause to welcome the boys home, Dave to go crazy, awesome jams, and Carlos Santana (...I believed the rumor, oh well..) Unfortunately, I got the feeling that either the acoustics at the stadium were totally weird or Charlottesville just does not like the Dave Matthews Band. Between songs, it was practically silent in there! Many people were hardly moving, let alone dancing!! I have to say, I did like the Watchtower and what I'm calling the "#36/Everyday confusion", but it sounded like the boys had hardly rehersed the new songs! I understand it was the first time they'd played them live before an audience, but I guess I was just expecting more from them. Overall, by FAR not my best show. I had a horrible time at the first Soldier Field last year, so I guess this also wasn't my alltime worst show. I just hope the boys pick up the slack by the time they hit Chicago in July... We had a hell of a time in Charlottesville, but it seems a bit odd that the town is not a bit more proud of these hometown boys...

Jim W.
I'm not sure what everyone was expecting, but for me this was a trip of a lifetime. I left work from Chicago on Friday, drove 13 hours to C'Ville, went to show show, turned around and drove 13 hours back, and had a HUGE smile on my face the whole time. If you are reviewing this off the setlist, a webcast, whatever, you just don't get it. The idea of finally getting to C'Ville and seeing the hometown show with all the energy and excitement was a thrill in itself. Yeah, the setlist wasn't that great, but you new they were going to play a lot from Dave's solo album. Besides a lot of those songs sounded good even though Dave was clearly nervous. How often do you get to hear eight debuts? I did think the Everyday/#36 was special. That, along with a Neil Young Watchtower, made it a pretty cool show. A Two Step opener also never hurts. Overall, I'm very pleased and I think as the summer goes on they will gel on the new songs and start mixing the old stuff in and it's going to be an amazing tour. Besides, won't all those old songs sound better after you haven't heard them for a while.

Phillip S.
Well im back from my 3rd DMB show. I have heard a few hundred shows and i guess i just expected too much out of this one. I figured being a home coming they might play alot of treats like older songs, rarieties, interesting intros/outros, or mabye something like #40. Dont get me wrong it was a good show, but they played too many new songs. I can say the songs they choose were good new songs, but again i would have liked to hear some variety. However, the show did have some high points. The opening Two Step was as good as ever, the same with Anyone Seen the Bridge. However the highlight of the evening was Watchtower with Neil Young. Ive heard at least 100 different watchtowers, and this tops them all. The new songs werent bad the just need a little more jam time in them. Besides the setlist the show was pretty good, i just wish the show was geared to more long time fans instead of those who have only been aroung since Feb 28, 01.

Joe F.
This show rocked! Just the fact that I drove from Philly and saw a DMB show in thier hometown of Charlottesville made it even better. "Stay" was crap and they shouldnt have played it but oh well. My favs of the night were "Everyday/#36" and "If I Had It All". When the World Ends was cool too. Watchtower was very different from normal but was great. I didnt think they would play "Sleep to dream her", but it was cool to hear it live. Im not a big fan of that song though. Alrighty Later.

Steve H.
Hey guys I would like to say that I was at the show and I seen a great show. I hear alot of people gripping about how bad it was and it makes me mad. First of all I was around when Boyd Tinsley was in his own band and dave and him just fooled around.(Boyd Tinsley Band) Second im from c-ville, I have seen them in bars with 150 people, you cant expect a band to be on its best the very first show. They have played those old songs for so long its time for a change. The new songs are great and I welcome all the new songs. If you want to hear the old ones go get your cd's. The last thing I would like to comment on is the fans at the show. People need to learn a little about going to concerts. No one wants to hear people singing. I couldn't even hear Dave from all the people clapping and singing. If you want to sing, stay at home and sing to the cd. I have been to hundreds of concerts and this was the worst for singing. Just sit back and listen for a change.I would love for him to come back to c-ville and the community is very happy how things went over the weekend. Businesses said they estimated 4 millon was dropped into the community and no trouble occured. thanks

Courtney B.
I personally thought that the concert was amazing! Just the fact that it was DMB's first concert of the series, first concert playing songs from Everyday and Dave's hometown was enough in itself. When they opened with "Two Step", you could feel the good vibes from everyone around you. Not a single person was sitting down and everyone was pumped! I thought that "Grace is Gone" was done so beautifully. I was surprised that so many songs from the album "Crash" were played, but they were still done very well. "So Right" and "When the World Ends" were definitly crowd pleasers. Of coruse the high point of the night was when Neil Young came out to play "All Along the Watchtower". Althugh "Stay" was an interesting song that they chose as the encore, it was filled with great energy. I heard that the reason Dave chose to close with this song is because there was once a brochure that said, "Charlottesville, makes you wanna stay." Overall, the band put on a great, high energy show and they're off to a great start for the summer!

Dennis S.
Well, start of the summer 2001 tour, first of 14 this year, and all I can say is It will get better. Dave seemed kinda nervous that night, like he was not with the rest of the band. It was kinda weird that he didn't introduce Soulive. At just about every other show, he has introduced all the other bands. Well, next topic. Soulive, from NYC, same as me, were great. Nice jams, catchy beats, have to grab that CD. Neil Young, what can I say. He was great. Cool to hear F'n Up, and Down By The River. Neil kicks ass. Now, for DMB. Opening with Two Step was nice, though the jam at the end was missing Butch, he really fills the end up nicely. So Much, Anyone seen the Bridge, Too Much was cool, typical, but energetic no less. So Right was great, even if Dave lost it in the middle, jumping in a few measures early with the 2nd verse, he still made up for it. JTR was sweet, I wish he played Grey Street or Big Eyed Fish (Lillywhite) though. When the World Ends, I Did It, nothing special. WWYS was standard. Watchtower with Neil Young was different, I cant say I liked it, it didn't have the same feel to it. The Two Riders part was catchy, but it lacked. The only other High's after that were What you Are ( 2nd Fave off Everyday ), and 36, Everyday, 36. That was hot. The ladies made that all come together. Stay as an Encore, not at all. Very Dissappointing. Almost as bad as Digging A Ditch and What Would You Say (At Meadows 8/26/00). No rare songs, no jams, no hotel within 1 1/2 hours of Charlottesville, not worth the 8 Hour drive. At least the rain stopped and it was a peacefull night, see ya at RFK.

Chris C.
What I wanted was something special...and what I got was good, but nothing more. The entire experience of the concert, the trip and the tailigaitng and the people was much more memorable than the concert, which filled a packed Scott Stadium. I was in the 13th row, and I saw a lot. The enormous crowd behind me was enough to make me laugh and shudder at the same time. The opening acts were great, almost too good. There was an inticipation in the air which was almost tangible. Dave walked out on stage, scraggily, with a hald beard and dog brown eyes. He looked scared. I thought Seek Up would open, but Two Step began this show, and it was ominous. The opening lyrics, which I have not transcribed, were haunting, and very much a fitting intro to a strange show. I thought that the show was good, and I will not go through all the songs. What was good was WWYS with Leroi being good as usual, and the new songs, which were very nice, but left something to be desired. The spontenaeity of Neil Young's additions in Watchtower was one brief glimpsed of what I wanted to hear. Strange and good. Sleep To Dream her was one of the best surprises of the night- it was really good, and faded into a great Grace Is Gone. What was most disappointing was the encore...OK frigging Stay as the last song was very much of a let down. I wish this concert was memorable for one reason: that it was a great show. But it wasn't. It was the first UVA show in more than 6 years, and it was for charity, which in itself was great. But what made the weekend so great was the whole experience; the Econo Lodge, the guitar playing and the cool people I met, which made my weekend great....DMB was good, but not great. The UVA trip was.

Jonathan W.
After reading all of these reviews, although I respect everyone's opinion, I think we all expected a little too much from our boys. This concert/trip was a pilgrimage for DMB fans all over the country. I for one came all the way from West Tennessee (11 hours) to see the concert and all of the DMB landmarks. I thought the show was amazing. There truly could have been longer jams, more classics, and a better encore(I thought Stay sucked). BUT, you have to respect DMB for going out and having confidence in their new stuff. I really was impressed and I think as time goes on, those songs will develop jams and will be performed much better. I will see them at Memphis in May and then again in July in Nashville. I think the Nashville show will be completley different from the UVA. So I plea to all DMB fans out there: Give the new songs a chance, let them evolve, and everything will be cool. What if people at Trax in '92 would have said DMB sucked after hearing Ants or OSW for the first time live? Peace.

Joao D.
OK, Now, I've been a DMB fan for awhile, and been to 5 shows (this uva show being my 6th), and hvae to say that this show was my worst. Now, I'm a HUGE dave fan, and can't go a day without listening to his music or lyrics, but once again gotta say, this show was all hyped up, but ended up being a letdown for us real fans. I drove all the way from jacksonville, FL, took special time off from the United states NAVY, spent over $750 for the weekend (not including hotel), and yada yada. DO NOT GET ME WRONG!!!!... the whole atmostphere of the UVA campus was great, everyone was free, having a good time either in town, campus, or at their hotels partying, good times, but the show was a thing to not remember, I had section B, row 11 for this show, and wasn't all that bad. I got to meet Butch Taylor on the floor around 4:15, no one was really around near the stage, but got a few pics with him, and talked about everyday with him for a few sec's, I knew he wasn't playing that night cause he had a wrist band on, and he was just there to watch, but always a pleasure to meet butch....Opener- two stepo, really cool..then SMTS-brige-too much, THAnk you dave for giving me that cool version of too much to make me relize I went through alot of crap to be at UVA and it really was too much..., then WWYS, a good old tune that I can never get bored of, WATCHTOWER-, man, what is everyone talking about, it wasn't good at all, I've heard better live at Listener supoorted, it was just like farm aid, all choped up, messed up, dave broke a string, and then it all was just scratch ended from there, STDH into GIG, ok ok ok, I apprciate it, at least we got 2 LWS songs, it was really mellow, but some non dmb fans feel asleep in my section. TR was fucking good, but I think it's over played now, and then ANGEL, I DID IT,WYA, (i lost my voice on it, Last stop intro tease)......WTWE ending... dave looked pissed off and gave me a funny look on the floor as he ended it), DAVE, I UNDERSTAND THESE ARE YOUR BEST LYRICS YOU EVER WRITTEN, BUT COME ON NOW MAN, THEY SOUND REALLY BAD LIVE, WHERE WAS ALL THE OLD STUFF, BTCS?????... some fans are loosing intrest already and the tour just started!!!!!!!!, ANTS WAS A GOOD 1ST SET CLOSER, BOYD WAS GREAT, LOST HIS SHADES ON HIS SOLO. The encore: If I had it all, no intro to it, but sounded ok, once again, dave and his new toy, the electric guiat, just doesnt blend, I think it would be ok if he played alittle less of the "everyday" stuff with a acoustic or 12 string. Then to close the most hyped up show ever with STAY!????, COME ON NOW DAVE!..... whose idea was this?.... I know it wasn't Stefans. Cause he was quite all night, Leroi was grooving and Boyd was on fire, carter, nice UVA football jersey.... After STAY..... the lights stayed off for a few minutes and everyone thought there would be one more special homecoming encore, maybe a dave solo encore, but nothing, lights came on, it was over,,, I give it a C..... and the drive from Flordia was crazy nuts too, man, what else can I say,,, see ya'll at Giants stadium on the floor.

Matthew C.
Alright first of all, the people who thought this show sucked are crazy. Dave tore through this great set. Dave sounded better than he has live in a while. Granted that they played alot of new songs and not some old fav's like Warehouse, they stilled played beautifully. I was a little disappointed that they didn't quite live up to the hype of the homecoming show. I was expecting maybe some rare songs like Blue Water or Song that Jane Likes. Dave and Neil rocked on Watchtower and Two Step was awesome. Dave keep it up and fuck those who doubt your selection of songs, they aren't real fans or worthy of your concerts.

Matthew C.
Awful show. This is as close to selling out as Dave can be without actually doing so. Almost the entire show was to promote his new CD (which is terrible thanks to his new producer). If Lillywhite were around, I feel he would never have let this happen. I'm also upset the Capshaw (Dave's manager) should have influenced the show in a more positive way. This was the first show that has been played in C'ville since the Crash CD release party (which was incredible). I am one of thousands of true C'ville natives that attended the show, and I feel as if I speak for all of us. Many of us there were expecting a powerful, energetic, 'old-school' Dave reunion of sorts. In actuality it was quite the opposite. For those of you who did see Dave back in the early 90's at Trax, Jewish Mother, Miller's, the Downtown Ampitheater (as I did), you should agree with me. I truly hope that Dave turns his act around and continues his tradition of inspiring awe in the faces of ALL those who attend his shows.

Anthony L.
[editor's note: though this isn't a review, the fact that "Anthony" called this a "great" idea deserved a post] Well, this isn't a set list but it is rather a intresting story. Today, the day before the show, the band was doing a sound check and I waited outside to see the band. Anyways, I had a great idea to flash the members of the band as they were driving away. I flashed Carter as he was stopping to sign autographs. Anyways, I got him to sign my tit. Later on I flashed Dave himself. He was in a van with dark tit but I still put em on the glass. He pointed and laughed

[Name R.
Hey the first show was fantastic! Drove from Cleveland and stayed with one of my buddies. Dave sounded great tonight, along with the "Lovely Ladies", and Neil Young. Two Step was a great opener, followed by SMTS (saddly no ASTB) into Too Much. The "Everyday" songs were performed very well, I especially liked So Right. Dave and Neil Young also played an awesome version of Watchtower. The encore was very, very, unusual. A song from "Everyday" was expected, If I Had It All, but Stay was totally unexpected! This was my first live version of Stay with the "Lovely Ladies", and it was outstanding. Great show and I hope to see more of this for the rest of the tour! But one thing guys, we need more oldie favrites like Seek Up, Nancies, Say Goodbye, I'll back you up, etc. (P.S. Dave and the guys played an I'll Back You Up Tease for a souncheck, that got me hoping. IM or E-mail me to set up a trade for this show at...Rimbo21@aol.com.

Erik O.
Hmm... Where do I begin. Lets just say this isnt what I expected from all the hype. The opening bands were awesome. Soulive and Neil Rocked... DMB came out strong with Two Step and the night was looking great. Then after a few great tunes, the everyday tunes began. I wasn't really amazed with how the new songs came together. It lacked with energy and So Right to me didn't sound so right... I don't think the crowd really knew what to expect with some of the new stuff. I was suprised with how many everyday tunes were played. I think everyones expectations of this being a show from 93 really didnt turn out that way. Where were the old tunes? Before These Crowded Streets, that was a bit lost too. Big guests?....no where to be found. Not one thing but the Watchtower with Neil was impressive and unique. People come 3,000 miles to hear a concert that will be done over again in a week?...thats pretty bad. I'm looking foreward to seeing the #36-->Everyday--->#36 again because for some reason that felt like the DMB concert I know. Overall it wasn't something I expected. I do want to say the scene and people during the day have been awesome. I know I had a good time seeing the sites and meeting the people. Oh well. See ya at Giants...

Dan P.
Ok, as you all prolly read already...we have been listening to the show ONline. Well, I must say, quite a disappointment people. Now, it might have been better if I was there, but I doubt it. The set was 16 songs long, but in just over 2 hours. Thats pretty bad DMB style. They played alot of Everyday songs, So Right and WTWE and What You Are sounded really cool. I like those songs, the others didn't. And he almost played the whole damn album. So, big bad thing right there. Most songs weren't jammed at all. They DID do that #36 teast into Everyday, which sounded ridiculous. The lovely Ladies sang on almost every song, and they suck. So from what I heard, the set: disappointing, the jam: bad. They played outstanding, but the songs and the regualr DMB style we are used to were lacking. They are playing Stay as I type this. And if this is the encore closer, I'm sorry, thats a pretty big motsaball hangin out there. I mean, Stay? Its so bad. This show was really really hyped, and its been a huge let down from my point of view, and I wasn't even there. I feel bad for the people there. While I'm sure it was a great time, like DMB shows always are...This could have been SO much better, especially for their homecoming. Even if Stay, which is still on, isn't their last song, nothing will save the show now. SO I'm gonan go ahead and post this...worst ending ever...It's official: DMBallard is here...

Dave S.
Wow. Just wow. Easily one of the most energized, joyous shows I've seen in a few years (DMB show 13 for me!). Wasn't perfect by any means setlist or performance-wise, but when either of those aspects flagged, the band's sheer energy carried the day. The stage show looks better than ever, with much better quality big screens, and some giant tube things lit from inside that look like giant musroom stalks. Or oddly shaped condoms, you decide. Sound quality was not great on the sides. I was in warehouse ticketing in 107, and the bass definition was pretty bad, but I heard the floor sound was better than ever. Neil Young was in great form and in a way better mood than last time I saw him play - Down By the River was fantastic. I was disappointed with Watchtower with Neil playing on it though -- I'm pretty sure he skipped a verse in the into, and it seemed like they didn't rehearse it together beforehand -- whenever there was a transition, things got a little shaky. No crazy end stuff either! But Neil added some nice solos at the start. The Lovely Ladies I think are being used alot better nowadays than when they first started making appearances. They were a perfect foil for boyd on True Reflections (huge crowd pleaser, very tight), and really gave some depth to Angel, which gets my vote as the best new song live so far. Everday was mixed up with #36, with Dave and the ladies alternating bits of "Hani, Hani..." with "...Love, everday" It was definitely one of the show's high points - the band looked like they were genuinely surprising themselves with each turn the song took, with a great extended outro. With the exception of Angel, the new songs with the electric sounded... well... kinda weak. It makes you realize how much Ballard reined in the band on the new album, coz on songs like So Right (featuring what will probably become a great Roi solo at the end), the band just overwhelmed Dave and his newest toy. Grace is Gone sounds more beautiful each time I hear it, and on the whole it was just a really terrific vibe at the show. I could complain about the lack of BTCS material or say "what the *hell* was up with that encore," but right now I'm too happy to nitpick what was, on the whole, a promising return to the road and live debut of the new stuff!

Mike N.
While not the best show I have seen, somehow this might have just been the "coolest." More worthwhile than the show itself to comment on was the feel of the town before and after. It was like the circus was coming to Charlottesville, and everyone was thrilled. Any stadium show I have gone to before was in a big city (Philly, NYC etc.), so to have a stadium show in a college town was, for lack of a better word, phenomenal. Everybody was going to the show; everybody was having a party; everybody was hyped up. Kids came from all over the east coast, so it wasn't all just UVA kids all over the place. It had this really cool feel to it that I just cant describe. As far as the show itself goes: like I said, it was not the greatest show ever, but it was still really awesome. I would have loved hearing more Lillywhite sessions stuff, and less from Everyday, but I was surprised to hear any Lillywhite stuff at all, so that was cool. The 36->Everyday->36->Everday (and so on) thing was really cool. The kids in front of me recording setlists had a really hard time keeping up on that one. It goes without saying that Neil Young on Watchtower was one of the highlights. The encore was disappointing, as was the fact that we were really tricked into expecting a second encore (the lights stayed off, no crew came out for a bit, etc.), and then all of a sudden it was over. Hmmmm. I still could do without the Lovely Ladies, but they seemed to be toned down at the show, not as "in-your-face" as previous shows. I don't know what to say about the crowd. I was up in the front where its all fan-clubbers, and normally they are rockin' the whole time, but I didn't see that at this show. Maybe that was just my section, I'm not sure. Anyway, to wrap up my ramblings, I want to say that even without being the best show I ever saw, it was well worth the drive from Penn State, and I had a blast.

Chris S.
The show in charlottesville without a doubt had a vibe about it. Everyone in the parking lot seemed happy to be there, met a lot of cool people even had some guys playing sax and guitar. the show. soulive was sweet, but they need to play in a smaller venue, during neil young some people asked to trade us seats...so we did and ended up about 30 rows in front of where we started. Two Step - awesome, very good solo by carter in the middle. SMTS -> Bridge -> Too Much - the bridge sounded like the little jam on BTCS before crush i believe So Right - Just didn't sound right, possibly leroi could save this. JTR - surprise to hear lillywhite WTWE - it was cool, didn't want it to end like it did on everyday, hoping a jam, but still cool I did it - knew this would be in the setlist, but the lovely ladies really assisted this WWYS - not disappointed, good crowd pleaser watchtower (w/ neil young) - wow, insane. dave broke a string, so neil soloed a little extra. interesting version, but still awesome. sleep to dream her - better than expected, with wasn't much grace is gone - surprised to hear 2 lillywhites, good version TR - boyd took this already amazing solo to a second level for the hometown crowd. angel - the lovely ladies helped a bit, not much #36/everyday - that was just amazing ants - sounded like philly 12.17.01 encore: if i had it all - one of the better off everyday live stay - typical version, but i believe they were implying that they wanted to "stay for awhile" in c'ville. all in all, dave needs to put down the electric. see you in raleigh. happy touring.

Chad F.
Okay, first off, this was NOT the best DMB show ever...I know everyone's expectations for this show were huge, and I'm pretty certain that many people are disappointed. Me? I think of the show in two ways. First, it was yet another collection of great, classic DMB songs, and I couldn't ask for more in that respect. Second, it was a demo of many Everyday songs, some that seem pretty cool and others that can clearly use alot of work. I'll go on to say that with the exception of Watchtower (which was revamped nicely with Neil Young) all of the other songs were played as usual, so I won't bother reviewing all of those. Onto the new stuff...I think it's a shame that many people go into these with a pre-disposted dislike for these songs, and even people in my section weren't too into them. SO RIGHT - Very nice, although Dave clearly wasn't sure about much of this song. He missed the lyrics a couple times, and forgot chord changes. Overall a great rendition, and LeRoi's jam at the end was nice. I can see this becoming a great addition to the live catalogue. WHEN THE WORLD ENDS - Probably my favorite live rendition of an Everyday song, just such a cool groove going on with it. And yes, Dave does cut it off live just like on the album (when the world ends...lol). I DID IT - This version kicked the prior versions' asses. It was loud, fast, distorted, and everything that a song like this should be. While the song itself is SLEEP TO DREAM HER - I thought that this was among the worst studio efforts Dave has released to date, and the live performance backed me up...I really hope this isn't a favorite for the band to play... WHAT YOU ARE - Awesome. Had a "Last Stop" kinda vibe to it, everyone was dancing, and the song just rocked the place. The lighting during this tune was phat too. ANGEL - Soon to become the next Crash or Satellite, female fans all around the building were screaming for more when he played this. #36 -> EVERYDAY -> #36! - Very nice. The ladies actually did add to this for once, and it sounded really cool. The jam they came up with worked really well, and this was a very solid song. IF I HAD IT ALL - My favorite of the Everyday studio songs, this was had a cool, mellow vibe to it. My only complaint was that Dave did not play the guitar intro to it, which would have been cool (since I didn't even recognize it at first without it) but it was nice overall. The entire show was solid, as solid as any other good performance by the boys. I definitely look forward to hearing the songs on CD, as well as going to more shows this summer so I can watch them progress first hand. Hope all who went had a safe trip back. Take care all, and I'll see ya in Vegas...

Caleb C.
Wow...That was great. The intensity was so thick as he started with the intro to Two Step. Girls around me were about to cry and to be honest i was close myself. Then So much to say-->anyone seen the bridge?-->Too Much. I needed that, id been waiting all winter for something like that. Through all of the shit about the lillywhite sessions, and everyday, i was starting to wonder if dave had sold out. Maybe he has, but it took me about 30 seconds for my faith to return. When the world end was preformed really well. Most of the everyday songs were just like the album, but i was expecting that, its really hard to jam to something when you dont know how a crowd will react to it. All along the watchtower was great, Neil + Dave. They sang a little duet, then kept teasing about the ending. Neil had his les paul playing lead. Perfect. I think the high point of the show was #36-->Everyday-->#36. It makes me mad, that the people who werent even at the show are reporting that it sucked, i wont even get into that, you cant quite report on how bad a show was if your werent there. but back to Everyday, it was so great, the lovely ladies, boyd, carter, and dave all singing different songs that fit together so well. I was expecting to hear a few more songs from B4TCS but ah well. THe only real disappointment i had was Stay at the end. Everyone was expecting something else. I was expecting #41. The first concert ive ever been to that i havent heard 41. But ill get over it. It was a great opening night. Sorry for this being so long. Thanks Dave.

Mark W.
You have got to be kidding me. An old friend of mine who is a UVA grad and currently in the Peace Corps came ALL THE WAY FROM EL SALVADOR for this show, her first ever. All I can say is, what a disappointment. Is this really the best they could do for the home crowd? Being back in C-ville in that atmosphere was amazing, but the music came up way short, not to mention the length of the show. Two Step was awesome - and all downhill after that. Because of this I'm selling my RFK tickets. Anybody?

K.C. S.
This concert was certainly NOT a disappointment. The atmosphere was great, and while the setlist was not the best ever, it offered a good bit of surprise and variety, some cool features, and the first time ever in concert for 8 songs -- that's a pretty sweet concert if you ask me. Two step was a great opener (one of the best Two Steps I have ever heard) and really got the crowd going. Then SMTS rocked out, and the crowd got especially pumped for Anyone Seen the Bridge (which kind of surprised me, even though it was great). Too Much was a pretty typical, but flawless, rendition, very similar to the Listener Supported version. So Right was the first new song played, and of them all, it seemed to need the most polish. It was solid, but I think Dave was still a little nervous and his voice didn't really get going. However, the rest of the new songs were excellent, especially What You Are, which was a great surprise. The Lovely Ladies were in fine form, and thei amazing performance hopefully converted a few people who don't usually like them. I was a little disappointed in the crowd's response to Grace Is Gone. Dave really played it well, and it sounded so great, but the crowd didn't seem that into it. Hopefully, this won't discourage them from playing it in the future, as it could definitely become one of their best songs. True Reflections, a song which typically isn't my favorite, was played wonderfully, including Dave's trademark echo on "When you look into the mirror." Also, regarding the new songs, the Lovely Ladies added some beautiful touches to spice up Angel, and the version of #36 ---> Everyday ---> Everyday/#36 was just amazing. This was a real treat. The band ended the main set with Ants, featuring a quick start with no drum beats. It was a very Red-Rocks-like rendition. However, Boyd's solo was especially remarkable, possibly the best Ants solo I have heard. Lastly, despite most other reviewers whinings about the encore, I liked it. If I Had It All was a nice suprise (although I was hoping for The Space Between), and it was played really well. Finally, Stay really rocked the house. It was such an exhillarating version, with the whole band really clicking together. Overall, I give this concert a 9.25/10.

Jonathan H.
All in all I have to say this was a quality show. The Everyday songs (except Everyday) didn't really jiggle any nerves for me, but the rest of the performance was straight. I liked the intro to watchtower w/ N.Young, as for the rest of the song I've heard/felt better. I had 3rd row seats, section A and had to turn a bit too see the band well, but really couldn't complain. Sound was great from where I was, as well as considering it was a stadium. I think I would have liked to hear some more earlier bits, (warehouse, Jimmy thing, halloween) and thought it would have been appropriate considering. Was Really hopping they would do some more Lillywhite bits as well, but GIG was key, so can't complain much. Again, a tight show, glad I was there, and everytime I see the band (#11 this go around) Boyd imresses/amazes me w/ his energy throught the show! Cheers!

Neel S.
1. Two Step- great first song, almost ruined by girl behind me clapping in rhythym right in my ear (I hate clappers, and sing-alongers, but I'll get to that later). Good job though on Two Step. 2. So Much to Say, ASTB, Too Much- I was actually surprised. I thought it would be an Everyday song second, but it was a pleasant surprise. Even though I've heard these songs many times, I still love ASTB. 3. So Right- Good potential, esp. for jamming. Although I'm not really an Everyday fan, I got into it. 4. JTR- AMAZING. I Loved it esp. with intro. ending was awesome as usual. 5. When the World Ends- The ending still weirds me out, I'm not really a fan of the song, but what can you do, I was among some of the first people to hear it live, no complaints. 6. I Did It- It's I Did It, if you like it you like it, if you don't you don't 7. What Would You Say- I was hoping for something different, cuz ive heard it many times, but i still love it, so its ok 8. Watchtower- HOLY CRAP. Best live song I've ever heard, I orgasmed right there. 9. Sleep to Dream Her- I doubt it will be played that many times on tour, just too boring. 10. Grace Is Gone- really good. I love the fact that the everyday fans behind me shut up and couldnt sing along to this one. 11. What You Are- One of my faves off of everyday. Still though, none of the everyday ones are half as good as any of the older songs in concert (cept the song everyday) 12. True Reflections- Good, cant diss the song 13. Angel- Could have been better, got repetetive, would be good intro into something else. 14. Everyday- Brilliant. I got chills. It sounded so good with 36, I just hope they dont overplay it. 15. Ants Marching- Your usual good Ants. I knew it was coming though 16. If i Had It All- Terrible choice, wanted something earlier for the encores. But what can you do. 17. Stay- I was surprised. I was expecting Billies or Pantala into Rapunzel or even Stone. It was good though, disappointed though. I think theres some sort of significance in Stay being the last song, like that the ladies won't be accompanying the band for the tour or somehting. I also think that right after Dave broke a string in Watchtower, the rest of the song was improved, just saw the way they acted, and I act the same on stage if I'm improving. Seeing as I dont like Everyday that much, I was kinda disappointed. Also, none of the old songs were that rare, a nice Nancies or Typcical or Jane wouldve been nice. Basically, the set list is gonna end up being ordinary. Just my two cents

Oslo C.
This show was not the best i've been too, but it certainly was a very good show. I wanted to mention just a couple of things that i don't believe anyone else mentioned. First of all, for the songs that the band did play, old and new, they were very very clean, very very well played versions. WWYS and Ants were two of the best versions i believe i've ever heard. TR was even more energetic than ever. Secondly, Dave was wearing a beard. To me this was significant not just for the look, but for perhaps what it symbolizes. The newer, older, wiser Dave was on stage last night. The show itself and this new look for Dave i believe mark a new era for the DMB. I could be wrong, but i could be right. If i am, nothing DMB will ever be the same again.

Jay M.
All in all another Dave show in the books, but hey where was the funky jams? After all it's been how long since Dave performed in Charlottesville? I was pleased to here 2-Step for the opener, and you might expect from Dave's crazy beard he was sporting that the show was going to be the same. But after giving us some old school Dave went on a new school binge that he couldn't get off of totaling 7 songs off the new albumn sprinkled throughout the night. Now this is all good except the transitions weren't there. They just didn't seem to flow and mix nicely with the crowd. In the middle of this all Dave seemed to notice this and decided to throw a Watchtower in the mix, and give Neil Young another chance to redeem himself from that FarmAid experience. It started out so slowly that you just knew that there was going to be an orgasmic explosion coming soon. Dave even broke some strings on his guitar, however when Neil had to step up to the plate to take over the mike when Dave was temporarily sidelined, Neil crashed and burned as expected, finally Dave realizing this came in and salvaged what was left of the song which wasn't much. But on a good note, I was pleased to hear the 36-Everyday-36 transtion; and when Dave threw out the "we'll be burning one" line from "When the World Ends", the crowd jumped at the chance to get rowdy over that. And props to Boyd for playing so crazy that his shades flew off. I've been to many Dave shows, but this is the first one where I didn't feel worn out at the end of the show. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come up next weekend in Raleigh.

Matt O.
Let me first say that this was my first of many DMB shows. Even thought it was my first time, I am a big fan. The evening was started by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, who got the crowd into songs such as Cortez The Killer and Rocking In The Free World. Then the band came out and surprised everyone with Two Step. Dave kept the pace going until Sleep to Dream Her, which I personally loved, such a deep song for all the lovers out there. Dave played 8 songs off the new album which kinda surprised me, but in my opinion all of them were very good, highlights would have to be Angel and When the Wold Ends. Dave threw us another curve when he did a #36 tease into Everday with an Everyday/#36 outro, very cool. The house got rocking again with Ants at the end. The encores were kinda surprising, was dissapointed with Stay, however, it was a very good version. Overall I thought the show was great, I realize other people don't feel the same, but Dave and the boys shined at different times throughout the show. I am a big fan of the new album so maybe my views are subjective, but I would defiently recommend getting this show on tape!!

Jay M.
Maybe I expected too much out of this show. I felt that being in your home town would bring out the best in people, but that was not the case with the boys last night. Not to mention the ladies were there. I thaught the band was done with them. Oh yea I forgot they made Everday an album which they can't play by themselves in concert cause it would sound empty. Dave wasn't dancing and not even really talking. After the worst encore in the history of dmb they didn't even say good bye. I just thaught it was gonna be a special show. Neil young on watchtower was amazing but that was it. Listen to Listner Supported and Everyday and you have the concert. In the 20 plus shows I've been to I have never disliked a show but this one is damm close. They better get their heads out of their ass and remember that they are a jam band and not Glenn Ballard studio band. Atleast not in concert they can't play the ballard stuff. I hope they get things fixed.

Luke R.
I LOVE DMB. THEY RULE. However, last night was sort of a let down. I drove 5 hours for a show that I thought would be AMAZING, and what I got was the sort of thing I would expect to hear any other night. This is not to say I was upset, any DMB show will be good, and the band will put forth lots of energy. However, this was my 30thish show and it was about average, which was disappointing since it was hyped way up. Grace is gone - AWESOME, it always is. I loved WWYS, however I was upset that more songs didn't come from Remember 2 things, Under the Table, BTCS, Crash; well pretty much from every CD OTHER than the new one. It was WAY overplayed, which is surprising from DMB. I was delighted to see Dave play with Neil Young for Watchtower, but was disappointed that they didn't go more crazy, and I think the crowd was as well. It was over and I think I actually had blue balls. The lovely ladies were good but they screwed up the ending of If I Had It All. Stay was Stay, the same Stay as in every show since 1998. However, Ants was good and quite a surprise. Another cool surprise was the mixture of Everyday and 36, which in my opinion was kind of jamming that I had been hoping for since the start of the EVERYDAY entourage. Overall I did enjoy the vocals and music of DMB, but missed the crazy jams, lights and experimentation that caracterizes a GREAT show. Rating: 6/10

Drew B.
Dude, what a show.......it was good BUT....I could ramble on about a lot of "stuff" but I will focus on the POSITIVE, as much as I can! Great opener- 2 step! So Right didn't seem so right to me either...... We had 13 row section D ( off center on the left) GREAT SEATS and Dave looked like he was going to lose it a few times and seemed off with the rest of the band....... maybe just me?!? JTR- GREAT! Watchtower was BAD AS .... with Neil Young! They either skipped a verse or someone missed one.......anyway, I also wonder what was up with the end ( 2 riders were approaching) I know I saw Dave laugh when Neil sang it again and then look at Carter and laugh with him, then helped Neil out with the 2 riders were approaching thing......... COOL, one of those little things that made this show!!!!! Grace Is Gone- Maybe the best song tonight! I wasn't expecting True Refeltatoins....good! #36-> Everyday-> #36 was also a higlight! WOW ! I like, If I Had It All..... but to follow with Stay........ and then NOT in the typical DMB fashion (hit the lights, the show is over, which I find very smart and respectful to the fans) left the lights off and gear in it's place and with Stay being.....anyway,the show didn't seem to flow, I don't know! I KNOW I would be ALL BESIDE MYSELF if I had ALL the EYES on me like Dave did this weekend in Charlottesville! LOTS of fans,press, university officals,important C-ville & VA folks......I'd feel "burdened" too!!!! It was something to not have missed if you FEEL the DAVE MATTHEWS BAND! Drew

Lenny C.
Personally, I thought the whole experience made up for any lack during the show. The fact that the town was a circus for the weekend made the whole experience (includeing the show) one of the best times of my life. However, the show did lack something. I asked myself why and what the show lacked. Were my expectations too high? Did the band not perform their best? What exactly was missing? And then, it dawned on me! Have you ever taken a speech class? You know how the first time you have the give a speech in that class is really nervewracking? I mean, you know you're a great speaker, you've given speeches many of times. However, you're still nervous and overwhelmed. You prepair and prepair and the speech is great when you're alone in your room practicing it, but infront of everyone you don't execute as well. Yet, by the end of the semester you are shitting out speeches like a champ. During the show, Dave said (and i paraphrase), "When you're infront of your hometown you want ! to do your best." The band was just overwhelmed. There was so much hype and everyone was talking about how it was going to be the best show ever. Therefore, it turned into more of a chore than an exciting event for them. The bottom line is that, I think, had there been a second night, it would have been a much better show. I feel the band would have been more relaxed and calmed down. Just my humble opinion. -Lenny Biggest let down's: 3. No rarities 2. No "Special Guest" 1. Only one song w/ Neil Young?!?!?! High Points: 3. #36 / Everday 2. Watchtower 1. Stay to finish the show (this song is all about C'ville, Dave got the idea for the song from a tourist brochure that said, "Charlottesville, doesn't it make you want to stay.")

Colin S.
What an awesome awesome show. Not the best I've seen, but still a teriffic experience. DMB put on quite a show. Things worth mentioning: TWO STEP - I'd never seen it as an opener but it's my new favorite now. It gets the crowd into the show very quickly. Dave sang something about "coming home" during the intro. SO RIGHT - This is going to be a live favorite for a long long time. Dave messed the words up, but the song is so energetic that no one noticed or cared. WATCHTOWER - A-MA-ZING. Everyone around me was dancing but I was in such bewilderment that I couldn't move. It was different than other versions, more mellow, but still a mind-blower. SLEEP TO DREAM HER - Talk about a crowd-killer. It's not a good song to begin with, and it's real slow, and that's not a good combination. ANGEL - It's Crash Into Me for the 21st century. Everyone was singing along and all the girls were screaming. At least Crash is a good song. Ugh. #36/EVERYDAY - Are they playing #36? Or are they playing Everyday? I don't know! But I do know that it was an amazing fusion of the songs that featured the Everyday chorus repeated over the #36 jam for a solid five minutes. Best song of the night, besides Watchtower. STAY - Disappointing way to end any show, especially one as good as this. A new record of 39 repeated "stay"s at the end. But I can't complain because the show was worth every second of my 15-hour-drive.

Lee G.
Well, just where do I start. This was my 11 dave show and I drove from Georgia to see what turned out to be a very disappointing concert. Neil Young and Soulive really jammed out and had good energy. Two step was a nice intro, but Dave looked very sloppy, even missing words and notes at times throughout the show. WWYS was an old friend, but where was the jam? Watchtower was one of the best versions I've ever heard but simply because of Neil Young tremendous energy. Alot of new stuff was played, which is nice but no jams and little to no energy and no true emotion showed out of Dave. True Reflections, Boyd never seems to let us down, really jammed out on the fittle. Finally, the encore was the worst of all my 11 shows, Stay? Not quite what I aspected but Charlottesville folk are great and a beautiful place to see the show, just thought Dave would show more emotion and definitely a better set list being his homecoming!

Dave O.
Well, the tour has started. Was it the best show ever...no. But, it was a GREAT show. I thought it started out awesome with lots of energy. Two Step, So Much To Stay, and Too Much were excellent. But, I feel the show did lose 'something' in the end. A lot of people are trashing the encore. I thought it was solid, but STAY is not the best closer. The highlights of the show were Watchtower with Neil Young and the 36->EVERYDAY combo. Looking back on it, the show was a slight let down given the mega hype. Would have like to hear Warehouse and some jams (most songs were only 5 minutes). The new stuff sounded nice but I did not like the down-time when Dave switched from electric to accoustic Also, the Sanatana/Macy Grey rumors (they were going to join DMB on stage) were a total hoax. But you know what, the entire town of Charolettesville was alive for this show. The beautiful day had everyone outside, grilling and drinking prior to the show. I can't remember the last show I attended were the audience was so alive and into the act. Everyone in Scott's Stadium really wanted to be there and it showed. Thanks to my friends and brothers who showed me an awesome time. See you at RFK!

Shannon S.
So Right (a bit rough, I'll admit, but seriously, my favorite song off the new album and with some practice ....will be a really sweet live one LeRoi Moore,yeah),JTR (memories of the Gorge last summer and with the lovely ladies or hoochie mama's, was really nice,)When The World Ends (they did a really nice job on this one...dave of course goofed on the lyrics, but shit, that happens with every new bunch of songs,and was fairly tight regardless,I Did It(the boys have tightened this one right up and had everyone dancin' in my area,What You Are (My second favorite from the new album....this was really good and I predict folks will be beggin to hear it through out the tour,True Reflections lovely ladies yet again, and I must say they compliment Boyd very well),Everyday(the high point to my evening here....the crowd was singing counterpoint Hani, Hani.....come and dance with me to the stage who were singing everyday....very beautiful words cannot describe)sweet show and well worth my 50 bucks.

Jason B.
I have to say that I am not as educated about Dave as many of the people that post opinions here are: however, I have been to 5 Dave concerts and have several more on CDs from 1992-present. All that to say that I was very excited about the concert because I thought it would be something extraordinary due to the fact that it was a homecoming concert. That is why I made the six hour pilgrammage. However, it was a disappointment to say the least... I felt like Dave was trying to sell Everyday to me, which I have not bought and will not anytime soon. If that was what he was trying to do, then it did not work. But what I really wanted to point out is this... I have my education and experience in studio work. I know studio work and I know it well. When I found out that Dave was working with Ballard, my heart sank because I knew that he would try to convert them to a studio band which means poor translation to live performances. I feel that I was right... I believe that Dave and the boys are unbelievably talented and can do some of the new songs much better than what is on the record... but the fact remains they are studio songs and unless that enviroment can be recreated (i.e. keyboardist, another guitarist, etc.) these songs are going to fall flat and hard every concert. There was a point during So Right that I felt bad for Dave because the sound just fell apart because there was nothing there... the space and emptiness about killed me. And the answer for that is not to bring the lovely ladies on stage for every song. The answer is to give the studio version a face lift and make them the typical live Dave sound. As many witnessed, the studio work cannot be recreated well and that is what makes Lillywhite a genius in my book... he took a live band and made stellar studio records out of live stuff. That is much harder and challenging than what Ballard did which is shove Dave in a cookie cutter and leave him with the burden to recreate the pop stuff live. Overall, I liked the show but the Everyday stuff has to be changed or kicked off the set list for this tour to survive at the the expected Dave level all his true fans know

Ralph V.
I know there have been a lot of reviews posted about this show, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents on an AMAZING show because i think a lot of people are missing the point about a lot of what went on in Charlottesville. First of all, DMB is promoting a new album, so why are people so damn disappointed when 8 out of a relatively high total of 18 songs are from "Everyday"....what did they think they were going to hear?? Plus, people fail to realize that this WAS a special night, because Dave obviously wanted to christen many of his new tunes in his hometown that had heretofore never been heard live. And many people complain that DMB doesn't play enough songs at concerts....so this time he gives us a treat with 18 (not including ASTB and #36 mixed in with "Everyday")!!...and everyone now complains that he didn't jam enough....make up your mind! I personally loved hearing song after song for 2+ hours! Two Step as an opener was a great beginning and a great surprise and the show only got better from there. Everone has written about the songs, so I will highlight just a few aspects of the show. First of all, I think people need to pay more attention to what is really going on when they are at a DMB show, and not get all caught up on being pissed after "Dave didn't play my favorite songs!"...like the person who said that DMB didn't play ASTB b/t SMTS and Too Much! People need to realize that it will be impossible for DMB to please everybody, so they are looking to put together what will be the most enjoyable show for both the fans AND the band. And they did this in Charlottesville. Old school favs in the beginning were a great "ease-in" to the newer tunes. So Right was tremendous and Dave's new electric guitar sounds unbelievable in concert. The sweetness of WTWE, Sleep to Dream Her (which gives you a new appreciation for the song when you hear it live), and Angel were very impressive. As for the ladies, they are now being utilized as they should be....to electrify certain songs such as I Did It, which sounded 100 times better than on TRL or SNL, as the ladies gave the chorus the "punch" that is present on the studio album. Overall, the new tunes sounded great, and the best part was watching the rest of the band play their parts and bring the tunes together...something that is overlooked due to the nature of the new album. JTR was great as the ladies introed the song with an accapella "Rain Down On Me" before Dave kicked the song into gear on his 12-string acoustic.....Grace is Gone was one of, if not the best song of the night. The unique version of Watchtower was out of control, especially with Dave and Neil repeating the line "...two riders were approaching..." as the song climaxed, which we have never heard before. And to refute what somebody else wrote, Neil Young didn't bring the song down by "taking the reins" while Dave got a new string......do they think the song is just made up as they go along? They may improvise, but not that much!! I will admit, though, that the encore was very disappointing, and I was very surprised not to hear "Warehouse" at all during the show considering the location....but overall it was great to get away from hearing reduntant setlists, and overall it was a very impressive homecoming for DMB.

Todd B.
Okay, I too gotta admit, when I walked out of the show, I was disappointed with the set-list. But they cannot please all of us. Two Step-thought this was a phenominal set closer, but its even better as an opener. powerful, energetic. I did it-better live than on the CD, but predictable. So right. . .rediculously good. Angel-Amazing. When the World Ends-awesome. What You Are-Unexpected and an incredible song. Ants Marching-Nothing special, but still Ants Marching. #36 into Everyday back into #36-Give me a break. How good this not be as good as it sounds. Nice surprise to see a new mix and it was great. If I Had it All was terrific, but Dave, how could you close an encore with Stay? One huge disappointment. But the show was wonderful (and I didn't mention JTR, Grace is Gone, So Much to say into Too Much), and the Watchtower with Neil Young was incredible. Would have liked to hear more old songs, but the new ones are even better live. Everyone needs to see a show on this tour and hear how terrific this band really is.

Nick B.
I'd have to say this was one of the better DMB shows that I have seen. Everything about the day was really nice. The venue was extremely nice compared to most of the other stadiums that the band plays at, the weather was so nice after the rain that we left in Pittsburgh, and the town of Charlottesville was out in full force for this concert. It just had all the intangibles right for a perfect show. Now for the show itself. It was nice to see the band full of energy again, unlike the winter tour where it seemed they were just going through the motions. The highlights of the show for me were: 1) ALL THE NEW SONGS - I love the new album, but I had some doubt about these sounding a little thin in the live setting. All those doubts went out the window after the first new song was played. 2) TWO STEP - You know its going to be a good show when it starts out like this. The new lyrics(I think) during the intro were really nice. 3) WHAT YOU ARE - This song sounds like it would fit well with the songs of BTCS, and just kicks some major ass live. 4) WATCHTOWER - What can I really say about this one, but it was simply amazing. The way that they reworked it with Neil sounds good and the outro was really cool. 5) ANGEL - This is just a sweet song and I really love what the lovely ladies added to it. 6) #36-->EVERYDAY-->#36 - Well I think this shows that the songs on the new album can and will be jammed. This was definitely the high point of the show for me. 7) SO RIGHT - The new outro to this was a nice addition. 8) WHEN THE WORLD ENDS - I love the way that this cuts out at the end like the album version. 9) THE LOVERLY LADIES - Usaully I don't like what the band does to some of the songs when the ladies are singing, but tonight they just added something that made everything sound better. Overall, this was just a special show and I'm glad I made the trip.

David L.
I was disappointed but not too surprised. Dave played too much new stuff w/ not enough classics. JTR was good, two step is getting too predictable along w/ Watchtower, which was, however, very good w/ Neil Young. I did it was a disappointement w/ the tease of The Stone before it. I was hopping for a Halloween or #40/41, dreaming tree, but still am yet to hear one. Very disappointing Encore. A song from Everyday (too blah) and a popular radio hit. The highs were high and the lows were low. It was too concentrated on the "new" fans of dave and his modernized songs...

Joseph R.
I know there are going to be a lot of complaints about this show, but that was inevitable because of all the hype. The local TV news in Richmond, VA even mentioned the rumor that Grammy award winner Santana might be making an appearance. Dave even mentioned during the show that he was scared of this gig, and who wouldn't be really? It would have been impossible to meet everyone's expectations, including mine, but having said that I thought they put on an excellent show. When Neil Young and Crazy Horse finished, there was still a little daylight left, but they turned on the stadium lights. I kept thinking there is no way they are going to keep the lights on for the show, and sure enough when it came time all of a sudden it was completely dark, and there was just so much electricity in the air. Opening with Two Step almost brought tears to my eyes.there was just something about a whole stadium singing along to every word. They rocked the house on that one and every song up until Watchtower was upbeat and had tons of energy. The lights and the big screen shots were amazing tonight. They did an excellent job of showing on screen the person who was making the dominant sound on stage, if that makes sense. They did some funky stuff to the screen shots too, like slowing the motion down, adding video clips (like on Ants Marching they had clips of people's feet walking really fast up and down a street and cars going by really fast), and mixing more than one person on screen at the same time. Dave was sporting somewhat of a beard tonight too. So Right was the first new one that they played, and before it's all said and done this one is going to be great live. It just has tons of potential. I think he used an acoustic on When the World Ends (and a few of the other new ones as well), and that one did end pretty much like it is on the cd, if anyone was wondering if they'd jam it out or transition it somehow, they didn't. Watchtower was definitely one of the highlights of the show. It started off really slow with Dave and Neil playing dueling guitars, kind of like Dave and Boyd do on Two Step. Then they alternated singing, and I thought Neil was going to take it home, but when he got to the point where it goes "Two riders were approaching (and the wind began to howl)", well he said the line "Two riders were approaching" twice, and I thought he messed up, but then Dave got up and sang that line twice, and then they both shared the mike for that line again, and then Dave took it home with "The wind began to hoooooowwwwwlll!!!!!)" At that point the lights were flickering on and off so fast that it looked like they were moving in slow motion on stage.it was pretty amazing. I should add here too that Dave broke out several times in dance during the whole show and the crowd loved it. The setlist slowed down a little after Watchtower, but I think we all needed a break after the songs they opened with (so much energy). Sleep To Dream Her was a big surprise, and I enjoyed it actually. Several of my least favorite tunes were played tonight, like True Reflections, What Would You Say, Stay, and Sleep To Dream Her, but I have to tell you I enjoyed them all tonight. The Lovely Ladies, who I'm usually not a big fan of, were great tonight. They really were used well and added alot to some songs, especially and surprisingly Angel. My least favorite part of that song "Why do I beg like a child for your candy" is when they sang along and it really made a big difference, and actually Angel was probably my favorite new one from the night, although Everyday was amazing. Like I said True Reflections even rocked the house (I wasn't actually too surprised that Boyd would get to sing this one for their homecoming). I thought What You Are translated well live. I knew the night was coming to and end when they started the #36 intro into Everday, which was another highlight of the night. This one just soared through the stadium. Amazing! They jammed it out for a while, and at the end had kind of a "row row row your boat" thing going with Dave and the lovely ladies between "Honey Honey come and dance with me(the lovely ladies) and the lines to Everday(Dave). Ants was a great closer, but I honestly had no idea what to expect for the encore at that point. If I Had It All was definitely a surprise, it was a little slower and mellower than on the cd, and actually Stay as the encore closer kind of summed up the whole evening (for me at least). It wasn't what I was expecting, and even though it's one of my least favorite songs, I still loved it. It was high energy, positive, and fun, just like the rest of the concert. On the screen shots you could tell they were all having a blast. My wife even mentioned how content they looked. Indeed they did, laughing, smiling, enjoying the hell out of it. I thought the flow of the show was perfect. They opened like gang busters with tons of energy and slowed it down at the right time and just soared at the end. Even with no rarities, no surprise guests, no extra special davespeak (I thought for sure he'd say something more about how special the occasion was), and a setlist that included 8 new songs, I still think it was an amazing show. Online broadcasts and mp3s won't do this show justice, nor will looking at the setlist, and I'm sure people will have something bad to say after they have a chance to think about the show, but to me it seemed like Scott Stadium was loving every minute of the show. I did.

Mindy W.
I started reading the reviews of this show, but I had to stop. I had to make my opinion heard before others' opinions cluttered my head. I was one of MANY who came from far away. We were sort of with the U of Illinois caravan, although our started in the Chicago area, went to Illinois State, then to U of I, and on to C'ville. The atmosphere on the downtown mall pre-concert was amazing. We grabbed a drink at Miller's, jumped in the huge group picture, and rode the shuttle to the stadium. Soullive and Neil Young, cool. Dave with a beard, cool. The show?... wow, we were pretty disappointed. It was my 19th show, and I was TOTALLY expecting a thunder of applause to welcome the boys home, Dave to go crazy, awesome jams, and Carlos Santana (...I believed the rumor, oh well..) Unfortunately, I got the feeling that either the acoustics at the stadium were totally weird or Charlottesville just does not like the Dave Matthews Band. Between songs, it was practically silent in there! Many people were hardly moving, let alone dancing!! I have to say, I did like the Watchtower and what I'm calling the "#36/Everyday confusion", but it sounded like the boys had hardly rehersed the new songs! I understand it was the first time they'd played them live before an audience, but I guess I was just expecting more from them. Overall, by FAR not my best show. I had a horrible time at the first Soldier Field last year, so I guess this also wasn't my alltime worst show. I just hope the boys pick up the slack by the time they hit Chicago in July... We had a hell of a time in Charlottesville, but it seems a bit odd that the town is not a bit more proud of these hometown boys...

Jim W.
I'm not sure what everyone was expecting, but for me this was a trip of a lifetime. I left work from Chicago on Friday, drove 13 hours to C'Ville, went to show show, turned around and drove 13 hours back, and had a HUGE smile on my face the whole time. If you are reviewing this off the setlist, a webcast, whatever, you just don't get it. The idea of finally getting to C'Ville and seeing the hometown show with all the energy and excitement was a thrill in itself. Yeah, the setlist wasn't that great, but you new they were going to play a lot from Dave's solo album. Besides a lot of those songs sounded good even though Dave was clearly nervous. How often do you get to hear eight debuts? I did think the Everyday/#36 was special. That, along with a Neil Young Watchtower, made it a pretty cool show. A Two Step opener also never hurts. Overall, I'm very pleased and I think as the summer goes on they will gel on the new songs and start mixing the old stuff in and it's going to be an amazing tour. Besides, won't all those old songs sound better after you haven't heard them for a while.

Phillip S.
Well im back from my 3rd DMB show. I have heard a few hundred shows and i guess i just expected too much out of this one. I figured being a home coming they might play alot of treats like older songs, rarieties, interesting intros/outros, or mabye something like #40. Dont get me wrong it was a good show, but they played too many new songs. I can say the songs they choose were good new songs, but again i would have liked to hear some variety. However, the show did have some high points. The opening Two Step was as good as ever, the same with Anyone Seen the Bridge. However the highlight of the evening was Watchtower with Neil Young. Ive heard at least 100 different watchtowers, and this tops them all. The new songs werent bad the just need a little more jam time in them. Besides the setlist the show was pretty good, i just wish the show was geared to more long time fans instead of those who have only been aroung since Feb 28, 01.

Joe F.
This show rocked! Just the fact that I drove from Philly and saw a DMB show in thier hometown of Charlottesville made it even better. "Stay" was crap and they shouldnt have played it but oh well. My favs of the night were "Everyday/#36" and "If I Had It All". When the World Ends was cool too. Watchtower was very different from normal but was great. I didnt think they would play "Sleep to dream her", but it was cool to hear it live. Im not a big fan of that song though. Alrighty Later.

Ben F.
hey, not really a review, just some constructive criticism... should you guys really be posting reviews sent in by people who listened to a *radio broadcast from 1/4 away from the stadium where the concert took place*? the first review of this show states: hey, i listened to the radio broadcast from 1/4 mile away from scott stadium and man, this show was HORRIBLE! how can this guy know whether it was a good song or not? i listened to the same broadcast, you could barely recognize the songs that were played, so why are we letting this moron try and tell us how the concert was when he obvioiusly has no idea because he wasn't there. i want to listen to reviews from more informed people... ie, people who were there and who know precisely how each song sounded and what the energy of the band the reaction from the crowd was. this guy is simply giving his own impression of the show based solely on the setlist, well guess what, the setlist is posted on your site, and anyone who sees it can draw their own conclusions from it without the help of this guy's rambling. we, the people who didn't attend the concert, want to get a review from someone who was actually there, because obviously the experience of actually being present at the concert is a lot different than listening to a faint internet broadcast of what the show sounded like from outside the venue. thanks a lot, and sorry i went on for so long

Steve H.
Hey guys I would like to say that I was at the show and I seen a great show. I hear alot of people gripping about how bad it was and it makes me mad. First of all I was around when Boyd Tinsley was in his own band and dave and him just fooled around.(Boyd Tinsley Band) Second im from c-ville, I have seen them in bars with 150 people, you cant expect a band to be on its best the very first show. They have played those old songs for so long its time for a change. The new songs are great and I welcome all the new songs. If you want to hear the old ones go get your cd's. The last thing I would like to comment on is the fans at the show. People need to learn a little about going to concerts. No one wants to hear people singing. I couldn't even hear Dave from all the people clapping and singing. If you want to sing, stay at home and sing to the cd. I have been to hundreds of concerts and this was the worst for singing. Just sit back and listen for a change.I would love for him to come back to c-ville and the community is very happy how things went over the weekend. Businesses said they estimated 4 millon was dropped into the community and no trouble occured. thanks

Courtney B.
I personally thought that the concert was amazing! Just the fact that it was DMB's first concert of the series, first concert playing songs from Everyday and Dave's hometown was enough in itself. When they opened with "Two Step", you could feel the good vibes from everyone around you. Not a single person was sitting down and everyone was pumped! I thought that "Grace is Gone" was done so beautifully. I was surprised that so many songs from the album "Crash" were played, but they were still done very well. "So Right" and "When the World Ends" were definitly crowd pleasers. Of coruse the high point of the night was when Neil Young came out to play "All Along the Watchtower". Althugh "Stay" was an interesting song that they chose as the encore, it was filled with great energy. I heard that the reason Dave chose to close with this song is because there was once a brochure that said, "Charlottesville, makes you wanna stay." Overall, the band put on a great, high energy show and they're off to a great start for the summer!

Dennis S.
Well, start of the summer 2001 tour, first of 14 this year, and all I can say is It will get better. Dave seemed kinda nervous that night, like he was not with the rest of the band. It was kinda weird that he didn't introduce Soulive. At just about every other show, he has introduced all the other bands. Well, next topic. Soulive, from NYC, same as me, were great. Nice jams, catchy beats, have to grab that CD. Neil Young, what can I say. He was great. Cool to hear F'n Up, and Down By The River. Neil kicks ass. Now, for DMB. Opening with Two Step was nice, though the jam at the end was missing Butch, he really fills the end up nicely. So Much, Anyone seen the Bridge, Too Much was cool, typical, but energetic no less. So Right was great, even if Dave lost it in the middle, jumping in a few measures early with the 2nd verse, he still made up for it. JTR was sweet, I wish he played Grey Street or Big Eyed Fish (Lillywhite) though. When the World Ends, I Did It, nothing special. WWYS was standard. Watchtower with Neil Young was different, I cant say I liked it, it didn't have the same feel to it. The Two Riders part was catchy, but it lacked. The only other High's after that were What you Are ( 2nd Fave off Everyday ), and 36, Everyday, 36. That was hot. The ladies made that all come together. Stay as an Encore, not at all. Very Dissappointing. Almost as bad as Digging A Ditch and What Would You Say (At Meadows 8/26/00). No rare songs, no jams, no hotel within 1 1/2 hours of Charlottesville, not worth the 8 Hour drive. At least the rain stopped and it was a peacefull night, see ya at RFK.

Chris C.
What I wanted was something special...and what I got was good, but nothing more. The entire experience of the concert, the trip and the tailigaitng and the people was much more memorable than the concert, which filled a packed Scott Stadium. I was in the 13th row, and I saw a lot. The enormous crowd behind me was enough to make me laugh and shudder at the same time. The opening acts were great, almost too good. There was an inticipation in the air which was almost tangible. Dave walked out on stage, scraggily, with a hald beard and dog brown eyes. He looked scared. I thought Seek Up would open, but Two Step began this show, and it was ominous. The opening lyrics, which I have not transcribed, were haunting, and very much a fitting intro to a strange show. I thought that the show was good, and I will not go through all the songs. What was good was WWYS with Leroi being good as usual, and the new songs, which were very nice, but left something to be desired. The spontenaeity of Neil Young's additions in Watchtower was one brief glimpsed of what I wanted to hear. Strange and good. Sleep To Dream her was one of the best surprises of the night- it was really good, and faded into a great Grace Is Gone. What was most disappointing was the encore...OK frigging Stay as the last song was very much of a let down. I wish this concert was memorable for one reason: that it was a great show. But it wasn't. It was the first UVA show in more than 6 years, and it was for charity, which in itself was great. But what made the weekend so great was the whole experience; the Econo Lodge, the guitar playing and the cool people I met, which made my weekend great....DMB was good, but not great. The UVA trip was.

Joao D.
OK, Now, I've been a DMB fan for awhile, and been to 5 shows (this uva show being my 6th), and hvae to say that this show was my worst. Now, I'm a HUGE dave fan, and can't go a day without listening to his music or lyrics, but once again gotta say, this show was all hyped up, but ended up being a letdown for us real fans. I drove all the way from jacksonville, FL, took special time off from the United states NAVY, spent over $750 for the weekend (not including hotel), and yada yada. DO NOT GET ME WRONG!!!!... the whole atmostphere of the UVA campus was great, everyone was free, having a good time either in town, campus, or at their hotels partying, good times, but the show was a thing to not remember, I had section B, row 11 for this show, and wasn't all that bad. I got to meet Butch Taylor on the floor around 4:15, no one was really around near the stage, but got a few pics with him, and talked about everyday with him for a few sec's, I knew he wasn't playing that night cause he had a wrist band on, and he was just there to watch, but always a pleasure to meet butch....Opener- two stepo, really cool..then SMTS-brige-too much, THAnk you dave for giving me that cool version of too much to make me relize I went through alot of crap to be at UVA and it really was too much..., then WWYS, a good old tune that I can never get bored of, WATCHTOWER-, man, what is everyone talking about, it wasn't good at all, I've heard better live at Listener supoorted, it was just like farm aid, all choped up, messed up, dave broke a string, and then it all was just scratch ended from there, STDH into GIG, ok ok ok, I apprciate it, at least we got 2 LWS songs, it was really mellow, but some non dmb fans feel asleep in my section. TR was fucking good, but I think it's over played now, and then ANGEL, I DID IT,WYA, (i lost my voice on it, Last stop intro tease)......WTWE ending... dave looked pissed off and gave me a funny look on the floor as he ended it), DAVE, I UNDERSTAND THESE ARE YOUR BEST LYRICS YOU EVER WRITTEN, BUT COME ON NOW MAN, THEY SOUND REALLY BAD LIVE, WHERE WAS ALL THE OLD STUFF, BTCS?????... some fans are loosing intrest already and the tour just started!!!!!!!!, ANTS WAS A GOOD 1ST SET CLOSER, BOYD WAS GREAT, LOST HIS SHADES ON HIS SOLO. The encore: If I had it all, no intro to it, but sounded ok, once again, dave and his new toy, the electric guiat, just doesnt blend, I think it would be ok if he played alittle less of the "everyday" stuff with a acoustic or 12 string. Then to close the most hyped up show ever with STAY!????, COME ON NOW DAVE!..... whose idea was this?.... I know it wasn't Stefans. Cause he was quite all night, Leroi was grooving and Boyd was on fire, carter, nice UVA football jersey.... After STAY..... the lights stayed off for a few minutes and everyone thought there would be one more special homecoming encore, maybe a dave solo encore, but nothing, lights came on, it was over,,, I give it a C..... and the drive from Flordia was crazy nuts too, man, what else can I say,,, see ya'll at Giants stadium on the floor.

Matt
Lets talk about what didnt happen, because thats the way I will always look back at this show. No STJL, no Recently, no IBYU, no 40, no granny, nothing at all special for the hometown crowd. I was SO disappointed. Before I just trash this concert let me say, they did the most that the setlist would allow them to do. This is by far the worst setlist I have ever seen. 'Stay' as the closer, are you kidding me. I cant wait to get a copy of this show just so I can count how many times the "Lovely ladies" sang the word 'STAY'. Im going to say it was at least 200. I dont think that the ladies add anything to the music and I really wish that they would go and be lovely somewhere else. The show did have some highpoints (Every Dave show does). I really enjoyed 2step, some of the 'everyday' songs were good. I just wish they would have mixed some old songs in. The watchtower with Neil was pretty cool. Dave broke a string though so it sounded kinda f*#@ed up. The 'two riders were approaching' thing that they did was cool. WEll I drove 7 hours to see this stinker. not what I was expecting. Also not what I was willing to drive 7 hours for. I was a bit disappointed actually. Dave seemed very nervous to me. Very little 'dave speak'. No mention of the infamous 4-22 show. Lillywhites were represented, which made me very happy. Great versions of Grace and JTR. I dont know what I think about the 36>everyday>36>everyday thing yet. Ill wait for the CD's before i decide for sure. As far as 'everyday' goes the best song (in my humble oppinion) is 'what you are' this song actually rocked and to me seems like it would be more at home on the 'LWS'. Well, maybe we all just built this show up a little too much, but I actually sat down TWICE during this show. Ive never been able to do that in 16 shows. It scarred me a little. (during 'sleep to dream her' and then again during the encore!)

Jeff
For everyone who reviewed this show... I'm not going to tell you whether this show was good or bad. Thats for you to decide on your own, but many of you went into this show expecting to hear something that was very unlikely and are let down for a very stupid reason. I don't know where anyone got these high hopes for 30 minute versions of rarities and crazy guests. Thats insane. They're still a band promoting an album. You call this setlist such a disapointment yet they could've easilly substituted any song in this set for Crash or Satellite and it could've made the set much worse, yet you still complain. They have over 60 songs now, they cant possibly play your favorite at every show. You saw DMB play in their hometown for the first time in six years with more energy and a better, more dedicated crowd than any that has ever witnessed a DMB show, you saw them debut a load of songs and you saw them play with one of the greatest legends in rock history. If you expected a 5 hour show of jammed out rarities w/ 6 guests per song, of course you're gonna be disappointed. Take this for what it was... the most energetic show you'll ever see in a very special place with a crowd that was so pure and perfect. I've seen 16 DMB shows over 5 years and while this probably was't the best SHOW, the experience tops them all by leaps and bounds- get over your high hopes, this show was something special.

Jonathan W.
After reading all of these reviews, although I respect everyone's opinion, I think we all expected a little too much from our boys. This concert/trip was a pilgrimage for DMB fans all over the country. I for one came all the way from West Tennessee (11 hours) to see the concert and all of the DMB landmarks. I thought the show was amazing. There truly could have been longer jams, more classics, and a better encore(I thought Stay sucked). BUT, you have to respect DMB for going out and having confidence in their new stuff. I really was impressed and I think as time goes on, those songs will develop jams and will be performed much better. I will see them at Memphis in May and then again in July in Nashville. I think the Nashville show will be completley different from the UVA. So I plea to all DMB fans out there: Give the new songs a chance, let them evolve, and everything will be cool. What if people at Trax in '92 would have said DMB sucked after hearing Ants or OSW for the first time live? Peace.

Robin B.
I'm a huge Dave fan, and it was my first Dave show..so I was psyched. I was so excited i couldn't wait for Neil to get off the stage, even though he did rock. As soon as Dave came on the stage I started crying like a baby. I couldn't believe he was right in front of me..it was crazy. I was so glad he opened with Two-step, which is one of my favorites. It was awesome, played with a lot of energy. I couldn't keep myself from bawling all throughout the show. All Along the Watchtower with Neil Young was AMAZING. It was so awesome, I was in shock. I was pretty disappointed at the number of Everyday songs that were played, I wish they'd played less of that and more oldies. I think Under the Table and Dreaming is the best album and I was disappointed that he didn't play more from it. But all in all it was the best day of my life and I hope to see him again in VA beach this summer.