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Capshaw-ville II: DMB boss buys SNL building

April 1st, 2004

BY HAWES SPENCER COPY@READTHEHOOK.COM

Less than a year after SNL Financial left its towering headquarters on the Downtown Mall, rock promoter Coran Capshaw has placed the structure under contract.

"We found it an attractive building," says Capshaw. "It has the potential to have a nice office and retail mix."
Capshaw says he hopes to create more room for shops on the building's Mall front and on its side at Fourth Street NW, which faces a vibrant row of small shops and galleries.

"It's cool-- I'm excited," says Andreas Gaynor, the owner of the lone business in the 42,000 square-foot structure, a coffee shop called City Centro. "We've had so many people come in and ask," says Gaynor, "I almost feel like I have a real estate license."

The broker for the deal was Bob Kahn, who listed the building late last fall for $3.75 million. The sales price is $2.9 million, according to Reid Nagle, SNL's chairman and founder.

2004, articlesdbtpApril 1, 2004

Dave Matthews Playboy Interview

February 1st, 2004

An Inteview with Dave Matthews.

The jam-band superstar on solos, file sharing and his bathtub built for a crowd

2004, articles, interviewsdbtpFebruary 1, 2004

Dave Matthews Talks About "Because of Winn-Dixie"

January 1st, 2004

From Rebecca Murray

Singer/composer Dave Matthews stars as an introverted loner who charms animals with his music and becomes close friends with a lonely girl and her dog in "Because of Winn-Dixie," a family-friendly film directed by Wayne Wang ("Anywhere But Here").

Matthews did some acting in Virginia before turning to music to fulfill his creative urges. But Matthews gets sent a lot of scripts and likes to keep his foot in the door when it comes to movies. Asked why he chose this particular role Matthews explained, "I was drawn to this project because I’m a big fan of Wayne Wang’s work. And I didn’t want to play a musician. I sing just a little bit in the picture, but I liked the chance to play an interesting role in a rich ensemble of characters."

INTERVIEW WITH DAVE MATTHEWS ('Otis'):

2004, articles, interviewsdbtpJanuary 1, 2004

World's woes bedevil Matthews

October 5th, 2003

EDNA GUNDERSEN, Gannett News Service

Dave Matthews goes solo.

Seated in a dim corner of a hotel bar, Dave Matthews orders 18-year-old Glenfiddich -- on the rocks.

"I like to ruin it," he tells the bartender.

Matthews, whose new solo debut attests to personal and professional growth, cut back on drinking before it could ruin him, he says.

"I still drink, as you can see, but moderately," he says. "I don't want to drink like I did for a while. It wasn't necessarily to escape or hide; it was just a sad habit with the consequence of making me foolish. As you get to the bottom of a bottle of whisky, the likelihood of screwing up is greatly increased."

Matthews, 36, nurses his Scotch for the next hour as he relays the musical ideas, family bonds and political views that shaped the 14 deeply romantic yet dread-tinged tunes on "Some Devil."

The album "is a little dark, maybe because the world without question is a darker place," Matthews says. "That weighed heavily on me. If I made an album today, it would be really bleak. Maybe I'm getting older. Earlier, I was singing whoopee-we're-all-gonna-die songs, and happily they were mistaken as extremely joyful whether I was being cynical or not. Now the darkness is upfront and less tongue-in-cheek."

Matthews isn't overt or literal in conveying opinions on current affairs, often disguised in relationship scenarios.

"I try to tell a story without fabricating emotion," he says. "Death and love are the only things I can sing about without feeling like a preacher. The death of a family member or even the death of innocence is in some ways better described as the death of a lover.

2003, articlesdbtpOctober 5, 2003

Dave Matthews: Dear Superstar

October 1st, 2003

By David Keeps - Blender, October 2003

Is he a good hugger? Can he recommend a decent bottle of red, and how often does he “shoe the mule” — or masturbate, for that matter? The 36-year-old South Africa native was good enough to answer all your questions — even the ones about spanking!

If you think Dave Matthews’s concerts are generous in length, just try interviewing him. After an hour spent sitting on the balcony of his room in the superswank Peninsula Hotel in Los Angeles, Matthews has made it through only half of his Dear Superstar debut. Currently out on the road bringing home the bacon for his twin daughters and wife, Matthews has to finish the interview from his tour bus between gigs a week later.

“I’m on a cellphone, watching trucks go by,” says the 36-year-old native of Johannesburg, South Africa, who, when not touring, now calls Seattle home.

Not content to make hit albums, play sold-out stadiums and rake in millions of dollars — “I keep trying to get rid of it, but it keeps finding its way back to me” — Matthews is taking the bold step this month of releasing a dark solo effort, Some Devil, his first CD without his fabled band. It’s an apt title for a record by Matthews, a self-effacing, surprisingly sharp-witted guy who refers to himself during our afternoon together as a “sad bastard” and a “painful little prick.”

Matthews does not limit his barbs to himself, either. “What a fucking moronic question,” he cheerfully responds to one reader’s query. Hey, he said it, not us…

2003, articles, interviews, magazinesdbtpOctober 1, 2003

Music Review: 'Some Devil' by Dave Matthews

September 30th, 2003

By: DOUG RUTSCH

It’s so easy to make fun of Dave Matthews. His songs are unavoidably catchy, his voice is weird yet still rhythmic, and of course, every single thing he creates sounds exactly the same. But say what you will about the Dave Matthews Band — even those who profess their dislike of his college-rock stylings have a couple songs they secretly enjoy.

But violinist Boyd Tinsley released his own solo album, and now it’s Dave’s turn for a little me time — proof that even the band members want a little variety from the group’s unchanging sound.

The results, however, are mixed.

2003, album review, articlesdbtpSeptember 30, 2003

Dave Matthews flies solo

September 23rd, 2003

Observer Scene

Dave Matthews' much anticipated solo release Some Devil contains 14 original tracks, with Matthews' vocals and lyrics taking center stage on each. Though he collaborated with many guest artists during the production of the album, including Trey Anastasio of Phish, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and guitarist Tim Reynolds, Matthews' songs definitely possess a softer and more intimate feel than any performed by the Dave Matthews Band. Whereas most popular Dave Matthews Band songs would be characterized as rousing, energetic and jam-centered (think "Tripping Billies," "Lie in Our Graves" or "Two Step"), Some Devil possesses a more subdued and blues-influenced sound. Many of the tracks are soft and meandering, and most would never be categorized in the jam band genre.

Two of the tracks on Some Devil may be familiar to fans of the Dave Matthews Band. "Gravedigger," the first single from the album (a different acoustic version is also included), has been performed by the Dave Matthews Band during their regular touring schedule, but has never been officially released on any of the band's albums. "An' Another Thing," perhaps one of the most unusual tracks on Some Devil, possesses a striking resemblance to the song "Little Thing" from the Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds' release Live at Luther College, but with the addition of strings and percussion. Matthews' haunting vocals on this track seem spontaneously concocted and manage to captivatingly convey his emotion through mere sounds rather than actual words.

2003, articlesdbtpSeptember 23, 2003

Dave Matthews at Central Park

September 1st, 2003

In an entertainment event sponsored by America Online (AOL) to benefit public schools, Dave Matthews played Wednesday before a New York Central Park packed 70,000 strong.

AOL, in conjunction with the Dave Matthews Fan Club and Ticketmaster, distributed the majority of the (free) tickets to students and fan club members. The event, initially intended to be a small gathering of Dave Matthews fans in Central Park, was opened up to the public at the urging of AOL, who, over the past year, have given more than one-million dollars in support of public education.

Matthews, due to release a solo album entitled "Some Devil" on Tuesday, steered clear of these debut songs during his two-hour-plus performance. Dave's band, who've been behind him and his sometimes lengthy instrumental encores, was not hired to back Matthews' production of the album. Nonetheless, the sheer enthusiasm and intensity of Wednesday's performance conveyed no ill-will between the Band and Dave.

2003, articles, concert reviewsdbtpSeptember 1, 2003

Wet Fern: Dry eyes rare at Matthews debut

May 8th, 2003

BY HAWES SPENCER EDITOR@READTHEHOOK.COM

Last Saturday, just a block from New York's Ground Zero, the world's most eagerly awaited phoenix, a troubled film enjoyed a rebirth of its own. Where the Red Fern Grows, the motion picture debut of Dave Matthews, drew a solid ovation and moistened several hundred eyes at its May 3 premiere.

"I cried the whole way through," said Megan Lewis of Westchester County, following the screening at the Tribeca Film Festival. Although acquainted with one of the film's producers, the 40-something audience member says she didn't realize how well the 36-year-old rock star could act.

"I was a little bit skeptical, but he pulled it off," said Lewis. "Dave Matthews did a great job-- so subtle, so understated."

2003, articles, moviesdbtpMay 8, 2003

Dave Matthews Infiltration Uncovered

May 1st, 2003

^{by Gianni RandomSchtuff}

^{Tragic facts about rock star Dave Matthews:}

^{1. Named "Male Acoustic Guitarist of the Year" for two years in a row.}

^{2. More people saw DMB last year than any other band.}

* * * * *

Opinion: I'm not surprised that a talentless artist such as Dave Matthews sells millions of records because, in fact, most of the people that sell millions of records pretty much suck. My problem is this: Dave Matthews fans are spreading.

It seems as if shallow girls and frat boys with shiny jeeps and baseball caps are no longer the only DMB fans. This fucker has now somehow infiltrated and convinced good people that like good music, of this: That he is good.

Case in Point #1: You're hangin' out, talking to this cute girl, and the conversation is flowin'.

2003, articlesdbtpMay 1, 2003

Dave Matthews Rocks the College

March 28th, 2003

Bill Giduz

Dave Matthews rocked the arena at Davidson College this week, for a sold-out crowd that filled the Baker Sports Complex Tuesday night. It was a mild evening as cars and vans funneled in from the interstate, filling the parking lots and overflowing into the neighborhoods that surround campus.

“Rent in January, John Mayer last fall, Dave Matthews this spring—who knew a year ago that I could be doing this stuff on my college campus?” said Cat Youell, a freshman from Altamonte Springs, Florida.

Dave and guitarist Tim Reynolds played for three-and-a-half hours during the acoustic concert, for an audience of Davidson students, faculty, staff, townspeople, and Dave fans from up and down the Eastern seaboard. “Let’s fill this arena with a little peace,” Dave said, and rested his voice between numbers with a funny, rambling tale about being thrown from a horse.

2003, articles, concert reviewsdbtpMarch 28, 2003

Dave Matthews Band Takes Action Against Climate Change

January 7th, 2003

^{Charlottesville, VA}

_{Rock Band is First to Create Climate Cool™ Tour as part of One Sweet Whirled Campaign}

In an unprecedented move in the entertainment industry, the Dave Matthews Band (DMB) is announcing today that as part of the One Sweet Whirled campaign, the band has certified its 2002 national tour “Climate Cool™.” The band is offsetting the carbon dioxide emissions produced during last year’s tour in an effort to minimize the tour’s impact on climate change.

2003, articlesdbtpJanuary 7, 2003

Everyday Interview

January 1st, 2001

The Dave Matthews Band's first live public performance was at a small concert on Earth Day, 1991, in Charlottesville, Virginia. They played outdoors. The audience couldn't stop dancing. And they had a lot of fun together. Little did they know then that ten years later, those same three elements would become a way of life for them. The big difference now, of course, is that they play in stadiums, such as they did in January at Brazil's massive outdoor "Rock in Rio" concert; their audiences now number in the hundreds of thousands; and not only do they still have a lot of fun, but they make a great living from it, too. While Matthews, drummer Carter Beauford, bassist Stefan Lessard, saxophonist LeRoi Moore and violinist Boyd Tinsley are considered one of the hottest live acts in the world, their record sales and chart success are equally impressive. Their first RCA album, Under the Table and Dreaming, is certified four-times Platinum; their second album, Crash, debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, and their last studio album, Before These Crowded Streets, debuted at #1, ousting the Titanic soundtrack's extended run.

By mixing folk, rock and jazz and playing it to feverish effect, nurturing a loyal grass roots following through their web site www.davematthewsband.com and committing themselves, through their own Bama Works Foundation, to charitable works at home and abroad, DMB have gone from being a quintessential college band to being an international sensation. Upon the release of his band's fourth RCA album, Everyday, Matthews talked to Playback about his new producer, Glen Ballard, his songwriting development and why he decided to create his own independent label, which launched the U.S. success of singer/songwriter David Gray.

2001, articles, interviewsdbtpJanuary 1, 2003

Razing Trax: House of Dave begins its tumble

2002, articlesdbtpDecember 26, 2002

On the road, again Dave Matthews Band heads to the Bay area Tuesday

December 12th, 2002

By: Grace Agostin
News Editor

Since they stepped outside of Charlottesville, Va., to release Under The Table and Dreaming, a winter tour has always been expected from the Dave Matthews Band.

In 2001, however, that changed. There was no winter tour, and one didn't seem likely this year either.

In early September, DMB finished its tour at The Gorge in Washington and it seemed unclear when the band would tour again. Violinist Boyd Tinsley wanted to finish his solo album, scheduled for release in January. Bass player Stefan Lessard's plans were to snowboard in the Winter X Games, and Dave wanted to spend more time with his family while writing more songs.

As for drummer Carter Beauford and Saxophone player LeRoi Moore, they just wanted to take it easy.

But as the Dave Matthews Band starts its winter tour at the St. Pete Times Forum Tuesday, it could be the beginning of the quintet's return to its earlier days in the music industry.

Fall tours for DMB usually mean stepping away from promotion and playing a mixture of songs from throughout their career, including cover songs and unreleased tunes.

2002, articlesdbtpDecember 12, 2002

2002 Dave Matthews Band Concert Reviews

The Tweeter Center, Chicago, IL, August 29, 2002

The Allstate Arena, April 26, 2002

By Anthony Kuzminski

The Dave Matthews Band may be the biggest enigma in the entire music industry. How did a jam band whose sound is forged through non-traditional instruments become the largest touring act in all of America? I still have no idea, but they owe a large part of it to their live shows. People flock to their shows year after year and consistently go see the band again and again. Nobody else could do this. Not the Stones, Springsteen or U2. The Dave Matthews Band is the highest grossing act in North America over the last five years. People like the Stones, Tina Turner, Cher and many others wow us with their gross intake for live performances. Something overlooked is the price of concert tickets. Not only is the Dave Matthews Band the highest grossing over the last five years, but also it is also the most attended. This is utterly beguiling. Every year, they come to town and play amphitheaters, arenas and stadiums and constantly fill them. They fill them whether they have a new album to plug or not. No other band could do this, year after year, not even the Stones.

2002, articles, concert reviewsdbtpAugust 29, 2002

Dave Matthews Band: Busted Stuff

August 14th, 2002

Billy Mabray

I'm pretty sure I've liked every Dave Matthews song I've ever heard, which makes it strange that this is only the second of their CDs that I've bought. Considering that DMB (which is what all the cool people call them) releases about a dozen CDs per year (give or take the difference between a dozen and the actual number), it's even more amazing that I've avoided them this long. I've finally traced the reason for this back to a psychologically scarring event in my childhood. Back then, all of my music purchases were from either Columbia House or BMG. In one of my bulk purchases, I ordered Crush, because I'd always liked the song, "What Would You Say." Yes, of course, you know that song is actually on Under the Table and Dreaming, but, at the time, I didn't. It didn't matter how good the CD was, I was still disappointed. And I had held that against DMB all these years.

Well, for shame on me. Busted Stuff is a good album. And it has a story, which makes any CD better. It seems that DMB made an album several years ago that was never released. That, of course, didn't keep it from making the rounds on the Internet. Busted Stuff contains new versions of many of those songs. I've never heard the old versions -- supposedly, they're darker and, according to some, better than the new versions. I wouldn't worry too much about that if I were you. The new versions are very, very good. I don't believe your life will be any worse for having never heard the old ones.

2002, album review, articlesdbtpAugust 14, 2002

Nothing predictable from the Dave Matthews Band

May 31, 2002

It's a typical situation: A rock band takes the stage and simply runs through a predictable list of its biggest singles. Such concerts can turn a $50 ticket into a virtual greatest-hits album populated by live musicians.

Too bad Tuesday night's show at Madison Square Garden wasn't billed as "The Very Best of Dave Matthews." While I own five recordings by the South African-born, Virginia-based guitar-strumming vocalist, I found myself struggling to identify most of what I heard. The brightly rendered "Jimi Thing" and "Two Step" were familiar, but the preponderance of new songs left me scratching my head.

As I review concerts, I usually scrawl song titles in the dark (made easier this night by Fenton Williams's lovely lighting design, accented with notes of tangerine, cobalt and snow), then scribble observations about intriguing things on stage and off. Throughout my notes for this show, the words "mystery tune" appear over and over again.

Of the 19 songs Matthews and his five sidemen played during their two-hour, 35-minute set, five were from his latest album "Everyday," while four appear on the cleverly titled recording, "Busted Stuff." It doesn't hit stores until July 16.

The youthful, well-groomed, and snappily-dressed crowd drifted a bit as the unknown compositions poured through the crisply mixed sound system. (The most casual patrons wore T-shirts labeled "Abercrombie & Fitch," as if those inside them needed to be so identified.) Several guests near me, when they were not yapping on their cell phones, had trouble telling me the titles we heard.

2002, articles, concert reviewsdbtpMay 31, 2002

Dave Matthews Band Hater and Apologist go Head to Head

May 16th, 2002

_Metroactive

_{By Todd Inoue and Jim Harrington}

LOCAL MUSIC scribe Jim Harrington has seen more than 20 Dave Matthews Band shows in different states, clubs and amphitheaters. Metro music editor Todd Inoue would rather listen to DMX than DMB and has no clue as to why the band commands so much attention. Regardless, the Dave Matthews Band plays two nights (May 18-19) at Shoreline in support of its 2001 album, Everyday, and a forthcoming odds-and-sods collection Busted Stuff.

2002, articlesdbtpMay 16, 2002

Dave Matthews' Doubly a Daddy

August 22nd, 2001

by Marcus Errico

The space between the walls of Dave Matthews' house has gotten a bit more crowded. The alternarocker and his wife, Ashley, are celebrating the birth of twin daughters, according to his band's official Website, DaveMatthews.com.

The missus gave birth to the fraternal twins, Stella Busina and Grace Anne, last Wednesday in Seattle with Matthews at her side, his publicist says. The two girls are the first for Matthews, 34, and his 27-year-old wife, who tied the knot in August 2000 after eight years of couplehood.

No further details about the birth--such as the bambinos' dimensions--were disclosed except that they were "in excellent health," but they did arrive a little early. They weren't officially due until next month--Matthews even built a month-long hiatus into his band's current five-month, 53-city tour that was supposed to kick in next Wednesday and last through the end of September.

2001, articlesdbtpAugust 22, 2001