**Dave & Tim Mexico 2023**

[sheman10]

Originally Posted by BustedAdam

1. The absolute badgering at check in and check out for time share sign ups. Its gotten worse each year and it really cheapens the experience. Several in our group were borderline harassed. It's tacky.

Easily my biggest gripe in previous years was their never-ending quest to remove more money from you around every turn, especially when they try to corner you at check in.

We have since learned that once you're done checking in, do not exit the room along the sides. Exit right up the middle where you came in. There's nobody there to bother you and you're on your way

[Soljouner]

Originally Posted by sheman10

Easily my biggest gripe in previous years was their never-ending quest to remove more money from you around every turn, especially when they try to corner you at check in.

We have since learned that once you're done checking in, do not exit the room along the sides. Exit right up the middle where you came in. There's nobody there to bother you and you're on your way

I simply told them no thank you and walked on. I never had a problem. I had actually expected to be be more of a hard sell, but it wasn't.

[sheman10]

Originally Posted by jimythng

Thinking of going for the firs time next year. Does which resort you stay at make any difference at all?

Also, any other tips would be appreciated. I'm sure there is something about this on here somewhere, but I didn't feel like digging.

This was the first year since Barcelo that they had an outside hotel option (Hard Rock). 98% of people stay on-site at Moon Palace.

Lots and lots and lots of tips and advice are to be had throughout this thread. Get comfy and power through it.

Hopefully for your sake, there is a next year. I'm skeptical

[sheman10]

It's funny that most people's biggest complaints are the other guests. I can't disagree.

I know it's a force of nature and all, but solving the sargassum issue would be nice too...

[aircavmike]

Originally Posted by sheman10

This was the first year since Barcelo that they had an outside hotel option (Hard Rock). 98% of people stay on-site at Moon Palace.

Lots and lots and lots of tips and advice are to be had throughout this thread. Get comfy and power through it.

Hopefully for your sake, there is a next year. I'm skeptical

Skeptical? Why?
There’s no doubt they play somewhere next year whether it’s Moon Palace or not. That’s irrelevant. They make way too much $$$ to not keep doing this wknd.

[sheman10]

Originally Posted by aircavmike

Skeptical? Why?
There’s no doubt they play somewhere next year whether it’s Moon Palace or not. That’s irrelevant. They make way too much $$$ to not keep doing this wknd.

In previous years, people spoke to CID reps who said that 2023 was the last year of the contract with Moon Palace. There has since been zero talk of re-upping for another year. Not among Ants anyway.

Also, one of Dave's last stories this year was saying the resort smells like literal shit. Possibly irrelevant, but doesn't help.

I certainly do hope they keep doing it every year and I would very much look forward to a new venue, but this also can't go on forever.

[aircavmike]

Originally Posted by sheman10

In previous years, people spoke to CID reps who said that 2023 was the last year of the contract with Moon Palace. There has since been zero talk of re-upping for another year. Not among Ants anyway.

Also, one of Dave's last stories this year was saying the resort smells like literal shit. Possibly irrelevant, but doesn't help.

I certainly do hope they keep doing it every year and I would very much look forward to a new venue, but this also can't go on forever.

Right I get all that. But the resort is really irrelevant. Any other resort can put a stage on their beach. Other bands play different resorts now. And I disagree with your last statement to a degree. It is easy for them since it’s D/T. Less crew and setup w just the two of them. I firmly believe they will milk this excursion for every last penny. And there’s plenty to milk with what they are pulling in on these 3 days…

[sheman10]

Originally Posted by aircavmike

Right I get all that. But the resort is really irrelevant. Any other resort can put a stage on their beach. Other bands play different resorts now. And I disagree with your last statement to a degree. It is easy for them since it’s D/T. Less crew and setup w just the two of them. I firmly believe they will milk this excursion for every last penny. And there’s plenty to milk with what they are pulling in on these 3 days…

I hope you're right

[MidwestGirl]

Originally Posted by jimythng

Thinking of going for the firs time next year. Does which resort you stay at make any difference at all?



Also, any other tips would be appreciated. I'm sure there is something about this on here somewhere, but I didn't feel like digging.

Honestly I would wait until there’s an announcement because no guarantee it will be moon palace again. All signs point to contract is up- hopefully it’s renewed or they pick a new resort!

Originally Posted by BustedAdam

I feel like I'm still recovering but wanted to add to the things I loved, things I wish could change ideas:



Didn't love:

1. The absolute badgering at check in and check out for time share sign ups. Its gotten worse each year and it really cheapens the experience. Several in our group were borderline harassed. It's tacky.

2. The over indulged audience keeps growing. We were directly in front of the "kerfuffle" on Night 1. The wife couldnt even stand up so her husband was holding her up while she just wailed on and on incoherently. He refused to move and was eventually literally carried out. while telling everyone to go fuck themselves. We saw them the next morning still on resort...

3. This might be controversial but...the swag swaps. I LOVE that fans make stuff and trade but to me the point is to meet people and get to know them and trade. The swaps are just feeding frenzies of people trying to acquire knick knacks with no real interaction. Its a good idea that has grown in to a bad execution.



Love:

1. The openers. I thought the variety was amazing and the energy each brought was great, Pool parties and all. Just fantastic.

2. New warehouse early entry, smooth and wasted less time

3. Dave speak this weekend was top tier. N3 felt very personal as he touched on missing his family and missing leroi (his story after Little Thing regarding Leroi made me tear up).



The shows are always worth it and Molly Tuttle was absolute fire but the fans are dangerously close to ruining a good thing.

The swag “swap” is ridiculous and I agree defeats the purpose of gifting people swag.

But it is cool what people come up with!

[illinifan]

Originally Posted by Soljouner

One of the big unknowns for my wife and I was how being a round so many super fans was going to go, and for the most part the fans were great. People were really friendly, and it was very easy to strike up a conversation with someone you didn’t know. Whether it was standing inline for the merch tent or out by the pool the people were great, and despite not really looking for swag we ended up leaving with a big bag of it. But here is my big bitch about the whole experience, and it should come as no surprise to anyone, that it is the people who simply can not keep their mouths shut during the performance. I am sure that it was not a huge percentage of the super fans present, but it was a large enough number to be really annoying and you couldn’t just get away from them, because they were everywhere. I don’t believe that Dave’s Vatican story helped much, because I believe that most of the people doing most of the talking were too stupid to realize what Dave was referring to, or that he was referring to them. It is really unfortunate, because the one thing that I was hoping for was that huge DMB fans would be better and they are not.

I didn’t allow the talking to ruin my experience through it was huge annoyance, and I have to say that my wife and I had a great time, perhaps better than we were expecting. We were both very sad to have to come home which I believe is a sign of a successful vacation. To conclude, I feel like we received more than fair value for the money and we left feeling no regrets. It was fun to see Dave and Tim, and a great place to see them. I felt that the resort and the promoter experiences were al first class.

Very well said. The people yapping has gotten worse every year. The fabric of society is broken but that's an entirely different discussion. The other issue I noticed esp up front close to the rail is security or lack thereof. People would run up to the rail and request help for someone passed out, fighting, etc. Unfortunately, security doesn't speak English and on several occasions they had to actually leave their post to try to find a translator. That isn't safe for concertgoers and if you've ever done security for large venues (I have), it's a pretty big deal. They need English speaking security.

[illinifan]

Oh and I also think that's the reason they didn't get a double encore on N3. Dave was just done with the idiocy at that point.

[Melted]

So, I already gave my two cents/review of the weekend. But, for those that also made the trip to Cancun, I urge you to relisten to Luther College. Everything changes and nothing is ever the same but GOT-DAMN were those dudes on fire in 1996. What a change.

[kmbean]

What is the deal with the ugly bearded guy openly weeping on the beach when Dave played Busted Stuff.

[Soljouner]

Originally Posted by illinifan

Oh and I also think that's the reason they didn't get a double encore on N3. Dave was just done with the idiocy at that point.

I have to imagine that it is annoying to the performer to have so many people talking during your performance.

[MidasMulligan]

I will be the contrarian and say I think Dave almost talked too much this year during the shows. I know most everybody loves Davespeak. I'm a rare bird I guess. I'm in it for the songs. I would rather less Davespeak and more music. I don't recall him talking this much in prior years. These Mexico shows have never been typical D&T indoor shows and I personally don't want them to turn into typical D&T indoor shows where people have to quietly sit and hang on every Dave word and song. We're on the beach in Mexico. We've paid tremendous money to be there. We should be able to sing along and frankly talk between songs without being shushed. To me the fact that people weren't getting shushed is part of what makes these shows so great and unique. You can't get D&T like that anywhere else.

[MidasMulligan]

Originally Posted by sheman10

In previous years, people spoke to CID reps who said that 2023 was the last year of the contract with Moon Palace. There has since been zero talk of re-upping for another year. Not among Ants anyway.

Also, one of Dave's last stories this year was saying the resort smells like literal shit. Possibly irrelevant, but doesn't help.

I certainly do hope they keep doing it every year and I would very much look forward to a new venue, but this also can't go on forever.

I had several Playa Luna reps say that they will definitely be doing *something* next year. Where they'll be doing it and whether Dave will be part of it wasn't something any of them were willing to admit to me. But it gives me hope. When you rough out the math, you do realize the money involved is staggering. Even if Dave doesn't need the money, he could do a lot of good with it charitably.

[aircavmike]

Originally Posted by Melted

So, I already gave my two cents/review of the weekend. But, for those that also made the trip to Cancun, I urge you to relisten to Luther College. Everything changes and nothing is ever the same but GOT-DAMN were those dudes on fire in 1996. What a change.

I’m a fan of these shows now but it’s pretty undeniable that they need a few warmup shows prior to these. The past few years you can definitely tell they’re coming off a stretch of not playing together.

[MidasMulligan]

Originally Posted by jimythng

Thinking of going for the firs time next year. Does which resort you stay at make any difference at all?

Also, any other tips would be appreciated. I'm sure there is something about this on here somewhere, but I didn't feel like digging.

I've stayed at all 3 and they all offer something different. One thing that is consistent is that the rooms are very nice at all 3 resorts. Since we don't even know if we'll be back, this may be a bit of a wasted exercise but here's my quick thoughts:

--Sunrise is closest to the venue. The pool plays DMB music all day and it is a bit more of a chill vibe. The food and alcohol are a little better here than Nizuc (not by much though). The hotel in general is bigger than Nizuc and my guess it was built more recently. The pools here are bigger and nicer too. The merch tent is located in the Sunrise (though really it's mid-point between the Sunrise pool and the Nizuc pool) It's much easier to get back to your room at night after the shows if you stay here.

--Nizuc is where the daytime and post-concert action is. This is where the afternoon pool parties are held, where the opening acts (and sometimes others) play daytime sets. The pools here are accordingly more hopping. The welcome party was held here this year (though last year it was at Sunrise I'm pretty sure). The silent disco was here too. As was the post-concert karaoke night. The hotel lobby is much smaller than Nizuc and from the outside, the Nizuc looks most dated. The rooms are still really nice though. Because it's smaller generally, the food and booze options are slightly more limited (not by much though) compared to the Sunrise.

--The Grand is the nicest, most high-end of the 3 resorts. It is also the furthest from the venue. The food and booze are much nicer there. The pools are much nicer too. Everything is nicer. But again, it's far from the action. If you want the nicest accommodations, and can handle the long trek to and from the concert venue, this is the way to go. The Grand is closer to Nizuc (daytime action) than most of Surnise is in my limited experience.

We are totally undecided where we'd stay next year if they do this again at the Moon Palance. All 3 resorts have their merits and attractions. Honestly, I may have liked the Nizuc the best, but my views may be influenced by the fact that I stayed there most recently. We definitely missed things about both the Grand and the Sunrise this year...

[MidwestGirl]

Mexico shows (assuming n1) will be on Sirius this Friday for the Friday night concert series.

[sheman10]

Originally Posted by MidwestGirl

Mexico shows (assuming n1) will be on Sirius this Friday for the Friday night concert series.

Hooray!

[CDN-DMBfan]

Originally Posted by MidwestGirl

Mexico shows (assuming n1) will be on Sirius this Friday for the Friday night concert series.

YES! I heard the ad this morning and it does sound like the whole weekend will play over the course of a few FNCS. Wasn't sure all 3 would get played based on what Zach said with his tapping issues N1. I was worried they would only do the N1.

[CDN-DMBfan]

Mexico shows (assuming n1) will be on Sirius this Friday for the Friday night concert series.

Dave & Tim wrapped up their annual run of shows in Riviera Maya, Mexico 🏖. Starting tonight, you can listen to these unforgettable performances!

Featuring brand new material from the upcoming Walk Around The Moon album and many more classics, these specials shows will be available for the first time during DMB Radio’s Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Riviera Maya Premiere Series. Don’t miss it starting tonight, Friday, March 10th at 8PM ET exclusively on SiriusXM Dave Matthews Band Radio Channel 30 and the SXM App: http://siriusxm.us/DMB

▶Dave & Tim 2.17.23 Riviera Maya Mexico
Friday 3/10 @ 8pm ET (Premiere)
Saturday 3/11 @ 11am ET & 5pm ET (encore)
Sunday 3/12 @ 9am ET & 3pm ET (encore)
Monday 3/13 @ 1am ET & 12pm ET (encore)
Tuesday 3/14 @ 4pm ET (final encore airing)

▶Dave & Tim 2.18.23 Riviera Maya Mexico
Friday 3/17 @ 8pm ET (Premiere)
Saturday 3/18 @ 11am ET & 5pm ET (encore)
Sunday 3/19 @ 9am ET & 3pm ET (encore)
Monday 3/20 @ 1am ET & 12pm ET (encore)
Tuesday 3/21 @ 4pm ET (final encore airing)

▶Dave & Tim 2.19.23 Riviera Maya Mexico
Friday 3/24 @ 8pm ET (Premiere)
Saturday 3/25 @ 11am ET & 5pm ET (encore)
Sunday 3/26 @ 9am ET & 3pm ET (encore)
Monday 3/27 @ 1am ET & 12pm ET (encore)
Tuesday 3/28 @ 4pm ET (final encore airing)

[MidwestGirl]

Friday night's show is already live. Listening now!

[ToySoldier#34]

I think the Grey St Podcast would be interesting for those of you who were there, Joe Lawlor talks a lot about how much he enjoyed the performances in Mexico, specifically N2

[illinifan]

Sam Cop sounds absolutely beautiful. They did a great job mixing.

[Wends]

Dave & Tim wrapped up their annual run of shows in Riviera Maya, Mexico 🏖. Starting tonight, you can listen to these unforgettable performances!

@Xcacel Do you plan to make those recordings available like last year?
I ask for a friend. 🤭😅
Anyway, I would highly appreciate.

[sheman10]

Originally Posted by Wends

@Xcacel Do you plan to make those recordings available like last year?
I ask for a friend. 🤭😅
Anyway, I would highly appreciate.

They're all in the SiriusXM thread

[Wends]

Originally Posted by sheman10

They're all in the SiriusXM thread

THX! I will have a look.

[doofy10]

Any idea when D+T 2024 will be? Feb 16-18 maybe?

[sheman10]

Originally Posted by doofy10

Any idea when D+T 2024 will be? Feb 16-18 maybe?

It's been President's Weekend every year except 2018