North of the Border

A recent poll on the nancies.org web site inquired as to the farthest distance fans of the Dave Matthews Band had traveled for a show. I must say that, while I had seen the band perform eight times, I had never ventured more than 150 miles from home. That all changed during the band's recent stop in Toronto, Canada, a truly uplifting show and one that continues to inspire hope in the band's core following. A nine-hour ride north of Washington, DC, Toronto seemed to be light years away, but when the band began to play "What Would You Say," I knew that the music of Dave Matthews knew no national boundaries.

Through the first dozen dates of the Spring 2002 tour, the theme has been pretty consistent. The band has regularly trotted out previous first releases such as "What Would You Say," "Too Much," "Don't Drink the Water," and "I Did It," while giving fans a sample of their next release, "Where Are You Going." These openers are coupled with a healthy sampling of tunes from the Lillywhite Sessions, with a few Everyday numbers - usually "I Did It" and "The Space Between - thrown in for good measure. The band has mixed things up a bit here and there, but the general set content remains the same. Surprisingly, there has been little backlash over this, due to the dearth of Everyday tunes and the return of some classic numbers.

When the Dave Matthews Band visited the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, this pattern was once again on display. "What Would You Say" seemed very standard as an opener, but "Grey Street" sure got the arena jumping. Some fans may quibble with the inclusion of the aforementioned Everyday tunes, but the simple fact remains - the album was a top-seller, and the songs, while overplayed to an extent, are over in a flash, with little jamming to prolong any perceived agony. This allows the band to get on with what it does best, such as the riveting "Don't Drink the Water" mid-set. With special guest Bela Fleck providing assistance on the banjo, the band ripped through this occasional closing tune with gusto, giving this fan goosebumps all over.

The show's highlight, already praised by fans on the internet chat boards, had to be the extended jam leading out of "Lie in Out Graves." Violinist Boyd Tinsley delivered a searing solo, twirling around the stage with a bright grin plastered to his face. Before wrapping things up, however, he engaged the returning Bela Fleck in a friendly duel of one-upmanship, before letting Fleck dance through his own banjo solo. Closing number "Rapunzel" might have seemed a letdown after a performance like that, but frontman Dave Matthews assured that this would not be the case by adding an extra dose of energy to this final number. A fan-friendly "Ants Marching" capped the proceedings, reminding this fan just how good this band can be.

Setlist:

What Would You Say
Grey Street
I Did It
You Never Know
Too Much
What You Are
Don't Drink the Water
Grace Is Gone
Drive In, Drive Out
Pig
The Space Between
So Much to Say
Raven
Lie in Our Graves
Pantala Naga Pampa
Rapunzel

Encore:

Where Are You Going
Ants Marching

See Also: Dave Matthews Band Tribute

Submitted 4/24/02.

If you have any questions or comments about this or any other concert, please feel free to e-mail me.