Dave Matthews and long-time collaborator and guitar maestro Tim Reynolds graced the Wang Theater with their presence this past Friday night. The theater itself was both aesthetically and acoustically delightful, a rare treat for the crowd as Dave Matthews Band has long performed shows in the confines of highly impersonal sheds and arenas. For this event, the recommended theater dress code of "business casual" was replaced by the Dave Matthews Band tour T-shirt and the occasional backwards hat. The show was the duo's first of a three-night stand of dates in the Northeast, a reprieve from normal duties with the Dave Matthews Band and a chance for Mr. Matthews to display a lesser-known talent: his storytelling. The three-hour show featured plenty of music, including stripped-down versions of many old DMB standards. Matthews' awkwardly funny anecdotes and Reynolds' guitar exploits brought a welcomed freshness to many tunes that have lost their luster after years of touring and a lack of exploration.
After the curtain receded to reveal two stools, Matthews and Reynolds, appearing as silhouettes under the subtle blue lights, eased their way into a stunning version of "Bartender." Dave introduced, Everyday's "When the World Ends" as a song that was chosen as a single shortly before Sept. 11, however, in fear that the message of the song would be misconstrued, the band decided it would be best to put it on the shelf. The crowd erupted into laughter when Dave admitted that it is "only a song about sex."
The show featured many cuts from Matthews' solo album, Some Devil (2003). "Gravedigger," a realistically haunting tale of death, proved to be the most compelling and displayed Matthews' ability to add heavy emotions to his often-playful approach. It was only fitting that an entertaining story, including visuals, about a remedy for removing a "liquid filled cyst" with help from the Bible would precede this song: a terrible yet captivating segue.
Naturally, the DMB classics received the largest applause. Heavy hitters such as "Crash Into Me," "Satellite," "Crush," "Lie in Our Graves," "#41," and "Jimi Thing" were all given the nod. Tim's out-of-this-world technique may be striking, and sometimes over-the-top, yet his ability to serve the song, using even the most indirect methods, is his true talent. Reynolds approaches his instrument as more than just a six-stringed means to produce fills for his counterpart. The songs may lack the thick sound that defines Dave Matthews Band, but Reynolds possesses a band at his fingertips. His rhythms add a percussive heartbeat to Matthews' already unique guitar style, which is sometimes lost when playing with the full lineup.
Spring Break
