After the holidays, Dave Matthews and crew traveled down to New Orleans to put the finishing touchs on the upcoming (unnamed) studio album set for an April 14th release. They have been working off and on since mid-January at Piety Street Studios. Pre-production for the album had been done at Litho Studios in Seattle, not to mention other various stops in and out of the studio since 2006. DMB are now hard at work recording.
Since the twitter phenomena with both Dave and Stefan have been twitting little tidbits of information that have kept fans on their toes and excited for the new album and the spring tour!
Stefan Twitters on Jan 4th "Oh yeah, I'm going to New Orleans tomorrow. I have a vision, with Leroi in my heart, I want the soul of the band to shine! I am on a mission" and again on Jan 6th "Are you excited? Recording starts today! Oh, by the way, Dead Confederate and Kings of Leon are my top 2 bands at the moment"
Jeff Coffin, Tim Reynolds, and Rashawn Ross are in the studio with DMB contributing to the new album. Tim had worked on DMB's first three studio albums and will again be joining the band on the road this spring as well as Rashawn Ross and Jeff Coffin who had been filling in for LeRoi while he was injured and has been since his passing.
The other day, a disturbing incident occurred. I was in a local store trying to market my book, and the girl behind the counter noticed my pendant. This sparked a conversation about the Dave Matthews Band, a topic that I'm always up for discussing. That's why it was so shocking when she told me her opinion, which was basically, that all Dave shows are alike. Dumbfounded, I couldn't even find the words to counter her argument, except to say, “No, No... I mean, No!” How do you explain the unsayable? Isn't it just obvious that this is the best band on Earth? Seriously, there's even a Facebook group called Dave Matthews Band - The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread, or something to that effect. But, as I tend do to after awkward encounters, I started thinking, and that's when I realized that part of why DMB is the most amazing band is because of the power of their lyrics. The words that I couldn't find in that instant are ever present, in every song.
June 28th, 2008, a date that resonates in DMB fans minds...
Unknown to the band and the fans, 06.28.08 became quite a significant day in DMB's history. This date was the last show that LeRoi Moore played with the band prior to his ATV accident and sadly the last time he would ever take stage left.
The first official release of 2009 comes as Live Trax: Volume 14 - 06.28.08 - Bristow, VA. The choice is no doubt in honor of our late friend, LeRoi Moore, and a tribute to his last performance with Dave Matthews Band.
Yet another 2008 release, and while there are many shows to choose from that iluminate the saxaphone and beauty of LeRoi Moore's style, this particular choice holds a greater value.
Previous 2008 releases include: Live Trax 13, Live at Mile High and the Free ITunes release, Live Trax 2008 which includes "So Damn Lucky" from the Live Trax 14 release.
Highlights from the show include: "The Dreaming Tree", First time played Peter Gabriel cover "Sledgehammer", and a acoustic "The Space Between" which had not been played since 2004.
Download "taper versions" of these highlights on our forum.
You can Pre-Order Live Trax 14 via dmband.com and the Warehouse. Live Trax 14 will be released on March 24th, 2009.
"Proceeds from the sales will be donated by Dave Matthews Band in LeRoi’s memory to the Charlottesville Music Resource Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Charlottesville-Albemarle, among other charitable organizations which best reflect LeRoi’s spirit and passions."
Full setlist for 06.28.2008
As I sit here, glued to the TV, watching CNN's broadcast of the historic inauguration of President Obama, I can't help but think about the idea of change. For many of us, welcoming the new president is a change that couldn't come fast enough. But what about those changes in life that we couldn't predict, didn't choose, and simply wouldn't want? The latter describes how countless Dave Matthews Band fans are feeling about the crushing loss of arguably one of the best saxophone players of all time, Mr. Leroi Moore (1961-2008). Words can't express the sorrow that swept the DMB community when news of Leroi's passing was announced. An outpouring of grief and condolences to the band and Leroi's family ensued, and we are by no means done grieving. Instead, we're listening to our favorite versions of #34, Grey Street, and Stolen Away on 55th, marveling at Leroi's unbelievable ability and finesse. And yet, as we speak, the band is in the studio perfecting the new album, and the Spring tour is only 3 months away!
Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac will be releasing a live version of Dave Matthews Band song "Crash Into Me" on both CD and DVD. The performance comes from part of a PBS Soundstage performance which originally aired on television in two parts on July 17th and 24th 2008.
You may recall Dave Matthews Band being featured on PBS Soundstage as well. "Weekend on the Rocks" aired on November 24th, 2005 and featured performances from Red Rocks that spanned from September 9th-12th.
"Hey, this is bigger then we thought”, said Carter Beauford, drummer and founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, describing how he felt opening for the Grateful Dead in the summer of 1995. With the success of Dave Matthews Band’s release "Under the Table and Dreaming" in September 1994, the year to follow was bound to knock them off their feet and shoot them into stardom. The word was beginning to spread beyond the east coast college campuses and into mainstream media. Even with their new found commercial recognition, DMB stayed true to what got them to where they were: playing music. They spent the majority of 1995 touring and performing sold out shows across the county and around the world. This was, without a doubt, an exciting year for DMB and a pivotal moment in their careers. Over all the years and memorable performances, 1995 is a year that stands out in the hearts of DMB fans. Join us for a little trip back in time, highlighting the 1995 touring season and all the reasons why it was so unforgettable.DMB kicked off their winter tour on January 26, 1995. With Big Head Todd and the Monsters and the Ugly Americans in tow as the opening act, DMB traveled along the East Coast playing in small venues. The first stop was Memorial Auditorium in Burlington Virginia. The show opened with “Seek Up” and closed with “Ants Marching”. Fans got a treat when Trey Anastasio of Phish guested with the band for the very first time on “Jimi Thing”.