2008 Tour off to a Blazing Start with Covers Galore

Dave Matthews Band kicked off the 2008 Summer Tour in Burgettstown, PA this past Friday, May 30th. There was plenty of anticipation from fans going into this tour... 

In March it was announced that Tim Reynolds would be joining DMB on the road for the entire length of the tour. Butch Taylor decided to leave the band just days before the start of the tour, which raised questions about the "sound" that DMB would have going into the tour. New songs from the past two tours remain in question, while DMB continues to work on a new album.

Tim Reynolds presence on stage and his ripping solos helped to fill the void of the missing Keyboards that Butch Taylor had provided for nearly a decade.  

Only two shows into the tour and the set lists proved to be a quite a surprise.

Dave Matthews Band pulled out two more Some Devil songs in a full band setting. "Gravedigger" and "So Damn Lucky" were performed both nights. It wasn't until last year that Dave Matthews explored playing songs from his solo album during full band shows. "Some Devil" was the only full band song played prior to this past weekend. 

The more noticeable differences in the set lists were the number of cover songs played, some of which have never been attempted before by DMB, with both shows encores being cover songs.

"Thank You" (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) by Sly and the Family Stone closed the show on Friday. This song never played by DMB, but played a handful of times during the Dave & Friends tour in 2003-04.

Saturday's show (05.31.08) provided some of the longer jams like #41 and Lie In our Graves. Plenty of covers were played (4 to be exact) and again closed the show with a cover song. "The Maker" and Allman Bros Band "Mellisa" was played during the show and for the encore "Money" by Pink Floyd and "Money" (That's what we want) written by Berry Gordy, but famously known by the Beatles.

No new "original" songs were performed, but "#27" and "Cornbread" remain in the lineup. 

Only 2 shows in and already so much to talk about, this will be one tour that we won't forget.