***Official Chicago 2022 Thread***

[kmbean]

Originally Posted by lockman21

Bottom 5 setlist, personally. Dumpstafunk stole the show. Decent way to spend a Tuesday.

Side note: DMBFamily people are fucking weird.

What are dMbFamily people like in the wild?

[ajeckburg]

Fool In The Rain - best energy of the night. Hopefully he puts it away after this tour. Save it for a cloudy day - would hate to see it Sledgehammered.

[jjlak15]

Originally Posted by Cobo

What could it have been? This looks about in line with every other stop on this tour featuring weak set lists (with the exception of Minneapolis).

TGIY, you and me, can’t stop, rooftop, the riff, samurai cop, sledgehammer, rye whiskey, LITHOG. It could have been so worse, I was pleasantly surprised.

[zaj128]

Originally Posted by jjlak15

As a doubter on most parts, People bitching about this set will never be happy. For what could have been, this set was unbelievable.

I like songs like Madmans Eyes, YMDT, Jimi, and DDTW and that was still a brutal set. It made me legit sad because I was with guys who missed them at Alpine and were super pumped and they got that. I’m usually not hyper critical of sets but what the fuck was that?

Maybe if I wasn’t there in 2012 or even at Alpine this year I wouldn’t have noticed but man that was rough.

[jjlak15]

Originally Posted by zaj128

I like songs like Madmans Eyes, YMDT, Jimi, and DDTW and that was still a brutal set. It made me legit sad because I was with guys who missed them at Alpine and were super pumped and they got that. I’m usually not hyper critical of sets but what the fuck was that?

Maybe if I wasn’t there in 2012 or even at Alpine this year I wouldn’t have noticed but man that was rough.

Grace, Bowa, Jane, funny, sdl and Virginia. It’s better than any show so far. You could have had can’t stop, gravedigger, stay or leave, sledgehammer, you and me, lithog and rooftop.

[zaj128]

Originally Posted by jjlak15

Grace, Bowa, Jane, funny, sdl and Virginia. It’s better than any show so far. You could have had can’t stop, gravedigger, stay or leave, sledgehammer, you and me, lithog and rooftop.

I don’t ever want to hear Funny again. I don’t ever want to hear If Only again. SDL isn’t a highlight. I don’t mind it but its been beaten into the ground since ‘08.

I don’t know who that set was “for.” Die hards would enjoy BOWA and STJL n the rest uve seen a billion times. Casual fans have no idea what MME, O&TBF, VITR, CT, or If Only are. 7/20 songs were from the first 3 albums + Jane. And 2 of those were PM > Satellite, objectively slow songs.

Again I’m not overly critical of setlists and loved Alpine this year but come on. How the fuck Dave writes a setlist like Sunday and then tonight and thinks they’re similar is beyond me.

[JimmyGBuckets]

Some weird and ridiculous opinions in here.

The biggest disappointment for me was how badly I convinced myself that the first song was Last Stop instead of Madman. They need to stop doing such a similar sounding intro for Madman as they did for LS.

Funny the way it is is a fun song. Honestly I forgot about it for years and was thrilled to hear it. The melody and countermelody are brilliant.

STJL and PM were solid deep cuts.

Fool in the rain is awesome. Crowd loved it and they play it well. Why does everyone here have an issue with that? And FWIW, sledgehammer would be great there as well.

And the DDTW as a closer was awesome. Are we seriously complaining about that?

Could have been a more unique set but I thought this was a great show. My biggest complaint is the opener needs to go. Don’t force some random DMB knock off band into the set just because. I’ve never seen a band try to get an audience call and response before and have literally 0 audience participation. That was laughably bad. They’re talented, but just didn’t need to hear an hour of that.

[kmbean]

I miss those old Last Stops with the long piano intro.

[layla24mfh]

Anyone have a video of Virginia in the Rain?

[layla24mfh]

Also, I think you guys wondering why it was a somber set need to realize the tragedy that occurred in Charlottesville this week. I'm sure they weren't feeling in the mood for tons of energy and excitement.

[CryFreedom17]

Wish I would have gone to this show. Setlist looked great. Can't wait for the new album. Can they just drop it unexpectedly please?

[handal]

In 24 years, that’s the worst DMB show I’ve attended. Song selection was brutal, pacing was odd and didn’t allow the crowd to really get into it for more than 1 song at a time. It’s the first time I’ve ever considered leaving early. The massive LS tease really set the tone for the night - and it wasn’t a good one.

[mcgarrett41]

Where was the Last Stop tease?

[y2jdmbfan]

My 65th show, and I can't say it was great or terrible or that I didn't have a good time, for a Tuesday night in November, I'll take it.

[Burryan]

I am going to Dayton tonight and man I have never been this bummed. Terrible setlists, one song encores, bad reports from other shows. They are really mailing in this fall tour.

[handal]

Originally Posted by mcgarrett41

Where was the Last Stop tease?

Whether it was an official tease or not, the extended intro to Madman’s Eyes is distinctly similar to LS. Many in my area thought it was going to be LS, and the air came out of the arena when they went into a new song that few are familiar with.

[mynameismike]

Originally Posted by handal

Whether it was an official tease or not, the extended intro to Madman’s Eyes is distinctly similar to LS. Many in my area thought it was going to be LS, and the air came out of the arena when they went into a new song that few are familiar with.

id be pretty shocked if there are huge swaths of people familiar with LS and not familiar with Madmans Eyes

[handal]

Originally Posted by mynameismike

id be pretty shocked if there are huge swaths of people familiar with LS and not familiar with Madmans Eyes

I guess I simply disagree, it’s a classic song off a classic album. I’m willing to bet that arena would’ve had a much better time if they actually opened with LS. There was an energy building, and then they just sucked it right out of the room.

[GoodyISU1]

Originally Posted by mynameismike

id be pretty shocked if there are huge swaths of people familiar with LS and not familiar with Madmans Eyes

Us old folks had to buy full CDs so a lot of casual DMB who are 40ish + know all the songs on the first few albums since we'd just pop them into our discman. It is definitely more widely known than some random new tune

[lockman21]

A few thoughts:

Last night was show #40 spanning almost 2 decades. Going through my show list, I can easily say this was bottom 5. I'm not sure if others heard the same thing, but that sentiment seemed to be shared by a few others in the crowd. I heard multiple comments "Well, that was pretty lame", etc. As we were walking to our bus, I even heard a "I guess Dave really does like shitting on Chicago." Clever.

DMB's relationship with their fans will always perplex me. It blew my mind how much support this band got on a random Tuesday in November. A completely sold out United Center on a snowy, cold Tuesday evening in Chicago (and looking around, it absolutely was...uppers were full to the brim), but still, it seems Dave + Co. truly couldn't give two shits about writing a great set. I've given up hope of ever re-capturing Alpine 2006, 2008 or 2012. Sometimes, though, it feels like Dave in-particular almost has a disdain for his fanbase with all the "I'll play whatever the hell I want to, take it or leave it" mentality (Soldier Field 2001, anyone?). I follow a lot of bands, and DMB's relationship with their fans and setlists is a really unique one. Yet, they always seem to only play the biggest possible venue they can. I've seen a ton of "big" bands in small venues - Foo Fighters at the Cubby Bear, Kings of Leon at the House of Blues, Mumford and Sons at the Chicago Theatre...DMB doesn't do things like that. They just play these giant venues and simultaneously refuse to throw their fans a bone. It's very odd.

The show itself left a lot to be desired, as mentioned. I only have to take a short 15 min bus ride from my home in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area to the venue - it's a super low effort way to spend a Tuesday night so I can't complain too much. However, if I took time off work, got a hotel, traveled in to the city, etc. for this show? I'd absolutely be a lot more annoyed at that performance.

As mentioned last night, Dumpstaphunk were the highlight of the show. Alex Wasily and Ashlin Parker were both incredible. As for DMB - BOWA and Jane were the obvious highlights. SDL was cool with the whole crowd singing Thank You. Ants was a lot of fun with the Dumpstaphunk guys. Otherwise...man, I am struggling to find highlights. I've seen all those songs SO MANY TIMES. I'm so fucking tired of Jimi, Bayou and YMDT. Proudest Monkey was slower and quieter than most versions and I'm tired of that one live, too. There was no flow. Any up was quickly met with a lull. The bathroom was all laughing at how dumb it was to follow BOWA with The Ocean and the Butterfly. I heard one "WTF is this shit?" during it. Come Tomorrow is a terrible song. Fool In the Rain was fun, I guess. But same old BS with DMB - why is an average cover the highlight of a show? Lame.

Last, the pit fucking sucks. DMB Family people are so bizarre - how do these people function in a normal non-DMB world? I can't imagine them being normal human beings in a real world environment. Needing to navigate your way back to your "spot" after a piss break or beer break is so annoying. So many people around us saying they wished they had a chair - for coats, to sit and rest for a bit, whatever the reason. It's annoying the best way to get a good view of this band is to deal with that BS.

It's really a shame. I had to miss Alpine for a wedding, so I was looking forward to this show. I honestly don't listen to nearly as much DMB these days as I used to, and had been spinning the records leading up to this show. I know many others were in the same boat. What a let down. Typical DMB though.

[lockman21]

As for the Last Stop "tease", I was convinced it was Minarets considering it was Dave's standard 6 string. I honestly have only heard it like 3-4 times before last night, it almost had What You Are opening vibes but Dave didn't have the Jerry Jones Baritone so I knew it wasn't. I get the reason for opening with Madman's Eyes considering UVA, but starting with a completely unknown song to 95% of the crowd really is an interesting choice.

[MtSkier]

Originally Posted by handal

Whether it was an official tease or not, the extended intro to Madman’s Eyes is distinctly similar to LS. Many in my area thought it was going to be LS, and the air came out of the arena when they went into a new song that few are familiar with.

Wasn’t the 12 string was never gonna be Last Stop.

Show number 36 for me, first show since Alpine 2019. Had fun back at a show, and finally experience pit was cool, and much less claustrophobic than I was expecting/worried about. I enjoyed Madman’s Eyes, having only heard it like once before. The other new one is meh. Dumpstaphunk guest spots were real dope with the 4 way battling. Even made me enjoy Jimi which I generally loathe at this point. Set list was meh, and a good reminder of why I don’t feel the need to go to more than one show or 2 stopper a tour anymore, which is fine. I’ve come to terms with the fact that 36 shows in I’m going to look at set lists differently, and that by now it’s clear what you’re gonna get from shows, especially a winter midweek stadium show. Overall had a fun evening.

[handal]

Originally Posted by lockman21

A few thoughts:

Last night was show #40 spanning almost 2 decades. Going through my show list, I can easily say this was bottom 5. I'm not sure if others heard the same thing, but that sentiment seemed to be shared by a few others in the crowd. I heard multiple comments "Well, that was pretty lame", etc. As we were walking to our bus, I even heard a "I guess Dave really does like shitting on Chicago." Clever.

DMB's relationship with their fans will always perplex me. It blew my mind how much support this band got on a random Tuesday in November. A completely sold out United Center on a snowy, cold Tuesday evening in Chicago (and looking around, it absolutely was...uppers were full to the brim), but still, it seems Dave + Co. truly couldn't give two shits about writing a great set. I've given up hope of ever re-capturing Alpine 2006, 2008 or 2012. Sometimes, though, it feels like Dave in-particular almost has a disdain for his fanbase with all the "I'll play whatever the hell I want to, take it or leave it" mentality (Soldier Field 2001, anyone?). I follow a lot of bands, and DMB's relationship with their fans and setlists is a really unique one. Yet, they always seem to only play the biggest possible venue they can. I've seen a ton of "big" bands in small venues - Foo Fighters at the Cubby Bear, Kings of Leon at the House of Blues, Mumford and Sons at the Chicago Theatre...DMB doesn't do things like that. They just play these giant venues and simultaneously refuse to throw their fans a bone. It's very odd.

The show itself left a lot to be desired, as mentioned. I only have to take a short 15 min bus ride from my home in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area to the venue - it's a super low effort way to spend a Tuesday night so I can't complain too much. However, if I took time off work, got a hotel, traveled in to the city, etc. for this show? I'd absolutely be a lot more annoyed at that performance.

As mentioned last night, Dumpstaphunk were the highlight of the show. Alex Wasily and Ashlin Parker were both incredible. As for DMB - BOWA and Jane were the obvious highlights. SDL was cool with the whole crowd singing Thank You. Ants was a lot of fun with the Dumpstaphunk guys. Otherwise...man, I am struggling to find highlights. I've seen all those songs SO MANY TIMES. I'm so fucking tired of Jimi, Bayou and YMDT. Proudest Monkey was slower and quieter than most versions and I'm tired of that one live, too. There was no flow. Any up was quickly met with a lull. The bathroom was all laughing at how dumb it was to follow BOWA with The Ocean and the Butterfly. I heard one "WTF is this shit?" during it. Come Tomorrow is a terrible song. Fool In the Rain was fun, I guess. But same old BS with DMB - why is an average cover the highlight of a show? Lame.

Last, the pit fucking sucks. DMB Family people are so bizarre - how do these people function in a normal non-DMB world? I can't imagine them being normal human beings in a real world environment. Needing to navigate your way back to your "spot" after a piss break or beer break is so annoying. So many people around us saying they wished they had a chair - for coats, to sit and rest for a bit, whatever the reason. It's annoying the best way to get a good view of this band is to deal with that BS.

It's really a shame. I had to miss Alpine for a wedding, so I was looking forward to this show. I honestly don't listen to nearly as much DMB these days as I used to, and had been spinning the records leading up to this show. I know many others were in the same boat. What a let down. Typical DMB though.

All of this. I’m a huge fan, my girlfriend a casual fan who’s now seen a handful of shows, last night satisfied neither type of fan. It got to the point where I stopped expecting anything good, or any sequence of songs that would engage the crowd. It was a lame effort, and makes me question how much I see them going forward.

[zaj128]

Agreed with Lockman. My wife has been to a ton of shows with me and this was show #50 and she literally looked at me halfway through and was like “im sorry lol.” And I wasn’t being a downer or not singing but she’s seen their shows when they’re on and everyone in the crowd is smiling and loving what’s unfolding. This couldn’t have been further from the that. I’m definitely done with UC shows. Deer Creek and Alpine will still be worth looks every year but life makes it harder and harder to get to shows now and shows like that just rub me the wrong way.

[Kevtalia]

This was my 39th show since 2003. Like others said, I am shocked how the United Center was completely sold out for a cold Tuesday in November. Not to mention, the whole Ticketmaster fiasco - anyone else experience the ticket scanners not being able to scan paper tickets for the first 20 minutes? At least DMB played past 11 pm.

The sound at the UC is awful. Anytime there is a loud song and they're rocking out, Carter's drums vibe out everything. The slower, quieter songs sounded great. However, I captured a lot of songs with my phone, and they almost sound better than in person.

Highlights for me included: Grace is Gone, BOWA, TSTJL, YMDY, Fool in the Rain, Ants, and Virginia in the Rain solo. Also, Bayou in the 3 spot was actually good. Buddy Strong kills it and it got the crowd pumped.

OATB, FTWII, Jimi, and WIA need to go. I am fine with everything else they played even if they aren't my favorites, but replace those with Granny, #41, Warehouse, and Pig and you got a banger.

Expectations were so low given what happened in 2012 so overall the night was a win for me.

[y2jdmbfan]

Originally Posted by lockman21

As for the Last Stop "tease", I was convinced it was Minarets considering it was Dave's standard 6 string. I honestly have only heard it like 3-4 times before last night, it almost had What You Are opening vibes but Dave didn't have the Jerry Jones Baritone so I knew it wasn't. I get the reason for opening with Madman's Eyes considering UVA, but starting with a completely unknown song to 95% of the crowd really is an interesting choice.

I thought it was What Your Are or Minarets.

[saxman210]

Just a reminder to all of you that hated the set, thought the band wasn’t energetic enough, etc:

The earth is 4.5 billion years old and you got to see Dave Matthews Band play a sold out arena show in 2022 on a snowy Tuesday in November.

Enjoy life a little more. I get that it can be disappointing to not get what you wanted but keep it in perspective too.

[illinifan]

Originally Posted by saxman210

Just a reminder to all of you that hated the set, thought the band wasn’t energetic enough, etc:

The earth is 4.5 billion years old and you got to see Dave Matthews Band play a sold out arena show in 2022 on a snowy Tuesday in November.

Enjoy life a little more. I get that it can be disappointing to not get what you wanted but keep it in perspective too.

Weak take lol. I agree with Lockman and others. Do better Dave.

[handal]

Originally Posted by saxman210

Just a reminder to all of you that hated the set, thought the band wasn’t energetic enough, etc:

The earth is 4.5 billion years old and you got to see Dave Matthews Band play a sold out arena show in 2022 on a snowy Tuesday in November.

Enjoy life a little more. I get that it can be disappointing to not get what you wanted but keep it in perspective too.

I have seen this band upwards of 50 times, the great majority of them stellar times. I love live music, it’s a wonderfully communal experience, except when the band chooses to play songs that leave most of the crowd wondering what they’re playing, and then chatting about it, and not dancing or vibing in any way for any period of time beyond a song here and there. Song choice and placement were overall poor last night.

[yankeesguy86]

Shame, but not unexpected, that last night was subpar.

I've been going for 20 years and from the time this tour was announced decided it wasn't worth it (especially a Tuesday night). I love DMB, but after last year's Grand Rapids debacle will keep my shows to the venues that work (Deer Creek, Alpine/Chicago, the occasional Pine Knob). On the whole, still enjoy the heck out of these shows.

But, there are other bands I follow that bring it EVERY night. My Morning Jacket is an example. Different kind of band, more "rock", and they have a balance of mixing up their set but still delivering the heavy hitters. I've never left a show of theirs thinking "meh". In fact, most every time I am absolutely flying high as I leave the venue.

I know it's not possible to play a 10/10 every night, but DMB is hitting home runs far less than they used to (and frankly far less than they should). For a band of their caliber and charging the prices they are, it's not too much to ask for more than this. I'll keep going, but the stubbornness of Dave is a turnoff.