DMB Community

[Sevenawinnr]

I was sitting on the back half of the lawn in Chicago Saturday night with some friends. With me were friends I made in college who got into DMB because I played Stand Up repeatedly when it came out at my house before we would go out for the night. Also my sister who used to hear Ants Marching over and over through the wall we shared growing up. There’s always a moment in each concert when I think about all the people I have shared these nights with.

If you’re reading this and wonder why someone would write this much about a band, like people would care about my thoughts on it, then you don’t get it. That’s ok, because everyone has their own tastes. But for those of you who know what “it” means about the Dave Matthews Band, this is to remind you about the thousands of us out there.

“It” might mean something different to all of us. Maybe you call it “speaking to your soul”. Maybe you call it “it’s made me look at things differently”. Maybe it changed you. Maybe to you, “it” is knowing that this is the 5th time Stolen Away has been played at a venue but only once at the encore. However you recognize it, you get it. People who don’t still might go to concerts with you and have a blast. But you collect memories with each song. So Much To Say reminds me of high school driving out to a country town to play paintball with my friends. Old dirt hill reminds me of the summer of 2005 and playing it every day on my drive to work as a bartender (good song). Drunken Soldier reminds me of my wife and I trading songs that we love and sitting around feeling the music together in our apartment in Chicago. But also, So Much To Say reminds me of my first concert, Old Dirt Hill reminds me of seeing Dave and Tim play this live and blow me away how they can make such a different version of something sound so cool. Drunken Soldier reminds me of looking up at the stars while they crush (good song) that song and I stand around with my best friends on the lawn in Noblesville, IN. I could tell you a memory tied to nearly each and every song of theirs.

These songs collect memories. While they are all going to be different memories based on our own experiences, the feeling is the same. But one of the most fun experiences is when you have someone who says they just got into the band in the last couple years. You remember that feeling of discovery. Trying red rocks. Trying out Before These Crowded Streets. Finding more live music than you know what to do with. Finding your favorite versions, hoping to hear that song at your next concert. You want to hug that new fan because they keep it going! It doesn’t matter when you start to see that in the band, but it’s a treat when you do.

This isn’t just a “band I like”. This is a band who makes, repeatedly, music that has found its way into the fabric of our existence. It brings us so much joy that we can’t help but want to share that joy with others. Not In pushing the music, necessarily. But by pushing the experience of what that music means. The smiles, the fun, the memories, driving out to the country town, or sitting in your home sharing music, or going to certain concerts where, you swear it, they played the best version of a particular song they’ve ever played. You were there! See, we’ve all been at that show, or had that moment that “this right here” this is why we’re a fan. Because each of us has our own universe of feelings, memories, and experiences with each song. It is truly wonderful to share that with our friends and family, and especially wonderful when you share it with those who get it. And if you read this whole post you get it. We’re family.

I’d love to hear some of your memories.

[justincreekrn]

Truth. I think you nailed it, bud.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JboDaveGuyYNK]

I respect this write up. So many good memories from Hartford and Mansfield in my late teens to crazy Gorge road trips in my 20s. You absolutely nailed it. Also, Dave and Tim ODH absolutely slaps. Hope you get to catch some great upcoming shows

[HonestDenver1]

Originally Posted by Sevenawinnr

I was sitting on the back half of the lawn in Chicago Saturday night with some friends. With me were friends I made in college who got into DMB because I played Stand Up repeatedly when it came out at my house before we would go out for the night. Also my sister who used to hear Ants Marching over and over through the wall we shared growing up. There’s always a moment in each concert when I think about all the people I have shared these nights with.

If you’re reading this and wonder why someone would write this much about a band, like people would care about my thoughts on it, then you don’t get it. That’s ok, because everyone has their own tastes. But for those of you who know what “it” means about the Dave Matthews Band, this is to remind you about the thousands of us out there.

“It” might mean something different to all of us. Maybe you call it “speaking to your soul”. Maybe you call it “it’s made me look at things differently”. Maybe it changed you. Maybe to you, “it” is knowing that this is the 5th time Stolen Away has been played at a venue but only once at the encore. However you recognize it, you get it. People who don’t still might go to concerts with you and have a blast. But you collect memories with each song. So Much To Say reminds me of high school driving out to a country town to play paintball with my friends. Old dirt hill reminds me of the summer of 2005 and playing it every day on my drive to work as a bartender (good song). Drunken Soldier reminds me of my wife and I trading songs that we love and sitting around feeling the music together in our apartment in Chicago. But also, So Much To Say reminds me of my first concert, Old Dirt Hill reminds me of seeing Dave and Tim play this live and blow me away how they can make such a different version of something sound so cool. Drunken Soldier reminds me of looking up at the stars while they crush (good song) that song and I stand around with my best friends on the lawn in Noblesville, IN. I could tell you a memory tied to nearly each and every song of theirs.

These songs collect memories. While they are all going to be different memories based on our own experiences, the feeling is the same. But one of the most fun experiences is when you have someone who says they just got into the band in the last couple years. You remember that feeling of discovery. Trying red rocks. Trying out Before These Crowded Streets. Finding more live music than you know what to do with. Finding your favorite versions, hoping to hear that song at your next concert. You want to hug that new fan because they keep it going! It doesn’t matter when you start to see that in the band, but it’s a treat when you do.

This isn’t just a “band I like”. This is a band who makes, repeatedly, music that has found its way into the fabric of our existence. It brings us so much joy that we can’t help but want to share that joy with others. Not In pushing the music, necessarily. But by pushing the experience of what that music means. The smiles, the fun, the memories, driving out to the country town, or sitting in your home sharing music, or going to certain concerts where, you swear it, they played the best version of a particular song they’ve ever played. You were there! See, we’ve all been at that show, or had that moment that “this right here” this is why we’re a fan. Because each of us has our own universe of feelings, memories, and experiences with each song. It is truly wonderful to share that with our friends and family, and especially wonderful when you share it with those who get it. And if you read this whole post you get it. We’re family.

I’d love to hear some of your memories.

Excellent! These are the kinds of posts that keep me coming back..

Well for me it’s starts in high school in the 90’s.. I was a budding musician/songwriter guitar player and looking to artists to help me get better.. I immediately was drawn to Dave.. his style of guitar playing was like listening/ watching magic compared to the grunge rockers playing a lot of power chords or classic rock that I could never dream to touch …

I bought a couple tab books.. and an acoustic guitar mag with Dave on the cover because this was pre fast internet.. and you needed real physical paper to learn on… we took a road trip to visit my grandparents and got snowed in for days.. I had my guitar and the tabs and a CD player with live at red rocks.. I sat in my room there on the bed and learned ants marching, satellite, tripping billies, lie in our graves, and crash.. etc… I would play along to the CD for the songs on red rocks and just rehearsed it diligently for hours and hours a day…popping my head out for dinner or snacks occasionally…

This is way before I ever saw the band.. but once listener supporter was released in 1999 with a pro shot video on vhs.. what a treat.. I watched it 100680 times and learned how to play every note.. watching Dave on demand pre YouTube was a dream come true… I seriously studied every single chord shape, riff, jam how he stood.. how he sang.. his facial expressions.. how he led the band etc…

It made me an excellent acoustic guitar plate by the age of 16… I saw the band the next year 2000 and have seen close to 40 shows since then.. my greatest memories come from 7 trip to the gorge with a great crew.. we’ve unfortunately stopped that tradition due to kids, jobs, adulting etc.. but what awesome times they were…

Another favorite memory was being at Folsom Field.. my 2nd show.. and seeing it was going to be recorded for video! The whole place was a buzz about it.. and they show is still one of the most energetic shows I’ve ever attended… the big eyed fish into bartender brought tears to my eyes…

I also remember being a very lonely shy teenager listening to music a lot for comfort/connection.. depressed at times and hearing a song like Grey Street, or Rhyme and reason .. that helped validate/soothe my turmoil.. and also the sweetness of songs in the midst of that like best of what’s around or nancies..

Even at that young age I appreciated the range of emotions Dave was able to express.. grunge was very monotoned in that regard.. I needed some light mixed in with the darkness..

I’ll always appreciate the love that grew for Sax and the violin too… I never would have explored countless other styles and artists had it not been for DMB.

[ExistenceNow]

I love your write-up and we're all here because at some point, we felt what you're describing.

I'm going to change the thread title though, just because I don't want it to bat signal board war type stuff.


Please continue with the stories.

[YankeesDMB41]

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

I love your write-up and we're all here because at some point, we felt what you're describing.

I'm going to change the thread title though, just because I don't want it to bat signal board war type stuff.


Please continue with the stories.

I came into this thread expecting a rant, and was pleasantly surprised and wrong.

[Slackdoodle]

DMB was the first music I ever called "mine". It was 1994, absolutely nobody around me knew who they were. But I bought UTTAD on CD with one of my first paychecks, and the night I played it in my room was like a mystical experience, love at first listen. WWYS? was on the radio now and then, and then eventually Ants Marching started getting airplay, and it was just pure excitement in my heart. I used a dial-up internet connection to print out fan-transcribed lyrics to songs I'd never even heard yet, some had not even been recorded in the studio yet. I found the DMBML website and finally connected with this community. Every time a bit of DMB news appeared--when Too Much debuted on the radio, when DDTW got its first airplay--I was there, feeling that electricity.

[Sevenawinnr]

Originally Posted by JboDaveGuyYNK

I respect this write up. So many good memories from Hartford and Mansfield in my late teens to crazy Gorge road trips in my 20s. You absolutely nailed it. Also, Dave and Tim ODH absolutely slaps. Hope you get to catch some great upcoming shows

Thank you! I love that, for a lot of us, most of our experiences have been local shows but the Gorge is always a great memory. Ive also made the trek out there too. For this year, I still have Noblesville this weekend and Summerfest in September!

Originally Posted by HonestDenver1

I bought a couple tab books.. and an acoustic guitar mag with Dave on the cover because this was pre fast internet.. and you needed real physical paper to learn on… we took a road trip to visit my grandparents and got snowed in for days.. I had my guitar and the tabs and a CD player with live at red rocks.. I sat in my room there on the bed and learned ants marching, satellite, tripping billies, lie in our graves, and crash.. etc… I would play along to the CD for the songs on red rocks and just rehearsed it diligently for hours and hours a day…popping my head out for dinner or snacks occasionally…

This is fantastic! I had some DMB tab books also! I wasnt nearly as focused. I remember sitting there trying to hear every note of every instrument, every vocal shift Dave did, analyzing the violin and saxophone riffs. It all felt so perfect with how they laid down their studio CDs. Then the live stuff was just a party!

Originally Posted by HonestDenver1

Another favorite memory was being at Folsom Field.. my 2nd show.. and seeing it was going to be recorded for video! The whole place was a buzz about it.. and they show is still one of the most energetic shows I’ve ever attended… the big eyed fish into bartender brought tears to my eyes…

I also remember being a very lonely shy teenager listening to music a lot for comfort/connection.. depressed at times and hearing a song like Grey Street, or Rhyme and reason .. that helped validate/soothe my turmoil.. and also the sweetness of songs in the midst of that like best of what’s around or nancies..

That Folsom summer was my first show (07/25/2001 in Antioch, TN). Im pretty sure Folsom and that show were 2-3 weeks apart. I love watching Folsom and remembering my first concert!

Also, so many of us discovered htis band in high school or before when music was important to how we viewed the world. So many DMB lyrics have shaped how I approach things. I could write another giant post about what the music did for me in saving me from my worse self back then.


Thank you all for sharing. Theyre all our own stories but theyre also all of our stories. I really enjoy reading about these memories!

[Sevenawinnr]

Originally Posted by Slackdoodle

DMB was the first music I ever called "mine". It was 1994, absolutely nobody around me knew who they were. But I bought UTTAD on CD with one of my first paychecks, and the night I played it in my room was like a mystical experience, love at first listen. WWYS? was on the radio now and then, and then eventually Ants Marching started getting airplay, and it was just pure excitement in my heart. I used a dial-up internet connection to print out fan-transcribed lyrics to songs I'd never even heard yet, some had not even been recorded in the studio yet. I found the DMBML website and finally connected with this community. Every time a bit of DMB news appeared--when Too Much debuted on the radio, when DDTW got its first airplay--I was there, feeling that electricity.

Having to use dial up internet was the worst for getting anything! I remember coming across websites and finding so many people out there who needed this connection. I used nancies.org about every singe day. I was so pissed about their April Fools John Mayer prank! Then I discovered antsmarching in 2002 and still come most every day for news but to read the forums. Im not great about posting all the time but Im generally following what is going on!

I got into the band just before Before These Crowded Streets came out but to be able to go as far back as Under the Table and Dreaming, you have got to have so many cool stories along the way.