Inside a nearly sold-out Dave Matthews Band show in KC — and my first
The frontman on stage inside a nearly sold-out Morton Amphitheater on Wednesday, June 24, goes by the name of Dave Matthews. To his loyal fanbase, he’s simply Dave.
The origins of why he’s referred to only by his first name are unclear, but it’s very clear that after 33 years since the release of Dave Matthews Band’s first album, “Remember Two Things,” he’s still as beloved as ever.
DMB, as they’re also known, brought their live show to the Kansas City area for the first time in 10 years. Dave, alongside current band members Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Tim Reynolds, Rashawn Ross, Jeff Coffin and Buddy Strong, jammed for 2 1/2 hours, creating a performance that’s unique to and for the fans in attendance.
You never know what you’re going to hear at a DMB show, which is one of the biggest draws of seeing the band live. Left off Wednesday’s setlist was the iconic “Ants Marching” and its instantly recognizable snare drum and violin opening, as was fan favorite “Crash Into Me.”
The mystery of what Dave and his band will play is part of the draw of going to the show. While this marked my first DMB show, St. Louis resident Rob Clariday was at his third.
The 56-year-old discovered Dave when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist debuted in the ‘90s, and has been hooked ever since. He now finds himself listening to the band’s SiriusXM radio station on Fridays, where they’ll sometimes broadcast a live show if the band is playing on the same day.
The extended jam sessions — of which there were plenty — are Clariday’s favorite parts of seeing the band live.
“He’s so unique,” Clariday said. “He’s a rock band, he’s a jazz band, he’s a funk band. He’s everything rolled into one.”
Clariday wanted to hear “Warehouse,” and he got his wish, as the band broke it out just past the halfway point of the show. In typical Dave fashion, they added their own twists and turns with a special guest appearance from violinist Jake Simpson, which drew a huge ovation from the crowd when he appeared for “#41” just before.
Clariday has yet to convert his wife of 32 years into a DMB fan, but he was joined by his two daughters and was sporting a custom St. Louis Cardinals jersey. The last name on the back of the jersey? Matthews with the No. 41.
The custom jersey tradition began not too long after Beauford, the band’s drummer, said he likes to wear jerseys when he’s performing since it keeps him cool. Others in the crowd were seen sporting jerseys with Beauford on the back. Some were custom while others were purchased at merchandise stands at past and current DMB shows
The jerseys are a stark contrast to Dave’s simple attire, who strolled onto stage wearing a black shirt, black jeans and sneakers and immediately jumped into action.
There was a mix of cooldown and breakout sessions during each song, keeping the fans on their toes at all time. The energy on stage carried throughout the outdoor amphitheater for the duration of the show.
Each band member received plenty of moments in the spotlight, taking turns crafting heart-pounding solos on the drums, guitar, bass, saxophone, trumpet, violin and flute while the stage lights matched the tempo
Even the solo acoustic version of unreleased song “Take All Day,” kept everyone’s attention with its lyrics about the difficulties of expressing the love you have for someone, which was a lot different from the upbeat rendition of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” they broke out for the crowd.
You’ve seen Dave how many times?
This marked show No. 1 for me. I have a long way to go to catch Kansas City native Clay Hendrix.
Hendrix, wearing a Royals-themed Beauford jersey, said this is his 18th time seeing Dave live, having gone to his first show in 2012. The high energy the band brings is what keeps him going, and it’s what’s taken him and his friends out of state multiple since to see it with their own eyes.
The farthest he’s gone is to The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington, where Dave hosts an annual three-night stand. Hendrix has his brother to thank for his fandom, since he was a big fan in high school and it carried over.
“(Dave’s) been around for over 30 years now, and you don’t know when it will be his last time coming around,” Hendrix said.
But Hendrix has a long way to go to catch Williamsville, New York, native Ron Viders. Spotted with a Buffalo Bills-themed Beauford jersey, Viders said the KC show was his 109th time seeing Dave since his first show in 1998.
Viders said his numbers are “baby” numbers, meaning there are people out there who’ve been to more DMB shows than he has. Part of the fun for him is going to these shows and running into the same people, forming a bond.
“It’s just so special to see these shows, because everyone’s unique,” Viders said. “He might go off book and have something that’s different, so it’s like you’re you’re in a special place.”
Another draw for him is the chance of hearing a song Dave hasn’t played in a long time, otherwise known as “liberations” in the fandom. With 10 studio albums and over 400 songs credited to his name, some songs just end up being forgotten.
None were liberated in Kansas City, as the band kept it similar to past shows on their current tour. There’s always next time.
What songs did Dave Matthews Band play
Dave Matthews Band played 19 songs at Morton Amphitheater. Take a look at the setlist below:
- “Dancing Nancies”
- “Best of What’s Around”
- “Stay Or Leave”
- “Spaceman”
- “Walk Around The Moon”
- “I Did It”
- “Grace Is Gone”
- “Fool To Think”
- “When The World Ends”
- “Virginia In The Rain”
- “Sledgehammer” (Peter Gabriel cover)
- “Pay For What You Get”
- “#41”
- “Warehouse”
- “Big Eyed Fish”
- “Bartender”
- “Tripping Billies”
- “Take All Day”
- “Lie In Our Graves”
