2007 Road Crew Notes
February 23rd, 2007
It's great to be back in the EU. Hope to see you in the coming weeks.
The DMB Crew
March 13th, 2007
Back home from Europe and gearing up for the Vegas shows. See y'all there.
The DMB Crew
March 24th, 2007
Not having played a show since October, DMB just pulled off a couple amazing evenings in Vegas. Last night, Dave described a time many years ago when he worked in bar where many musicians performed on a small stage in the window. He prepared a tape of songs he'd written and passed it on to Carter and LeRoi, eluding to the forming of the band. The tape included the song I'll Back You Up, which the band proceeded to play for the first time in years. The shows here saw the return of some of the best cover tunes the band has played, including The Maker, Down By The River, Time Of The Season and Sweet Caroline. Dave also sang the lyrics to Lanois' Still Water over the intro to Don't Drink The Water. A very cool moment. We now have about a month off before we head to Australia for a short, four city tour. See y'all down under.
The DMB Crew
August 1st, 2007
The summer tour is ON! We're in Mansfield Massachusetts, outside of Boston, for our first show. Check back often for updates.
The DMB Crew
August 2nd, 2007
That's the way to open a tour. We've had a couple great nights in Mansfield. While on our trip to Australia back in May, we had the privilege of meeting Xavier Rudd. We're honored to have him back out opening the shows stateside. He sat in with the band the past couple nights, playing the didgeridoo. Grace Is Gone shined tonight as DMB slipped in a little Doobie Brothers Black Water. The show was moving strongly as the band learned that they would be forced to cut the written set list by a couple songs due to the strict local curfew. They still pulled off a stellar 2 hour and 40 minute performance. See you in Hartford on Saturday.
The DMB Crew
August 5th, 2007
Hey Hartford, you guys are real nice. We've just finish our 25th show in this building, having played it every year since 1995. We had a perfect weekend. Thanks to all who came and got their groove on. Lookout Philly, here we come.
The DMB Crew
August 10th, 2007
all the fire dancers
trounce like thunder 'cross the clouds
'til we dance away
The DMB Crew
August 11th, 2007
Sweet Virginia, we're back home again. As always, the show here at Nissan was packed with family and old friends. During the show, the band members were commenting to each other on how lucky they are to have so many folks supporting them, making it possible to continue doing what they love. Toots joined the band early on during Warehouse adding vocals and guitar. Later, we were joined by our dear friend Vusi Mahlasela. Well known by DMB fans for his excuisite vocals over recordings of Everyday, he sang and danced his heart out tonight. The new songs are growing fiercely strong. We hope you get to check them out soon if you haven't yet... and remember, you ain't never had my cornbread. See y'all in Saratoga on Tuesday.
The DMB Crew
August 15th, 2007
We're wrapping up a couple great days out here. Trey Anastasio came by the gig last night in Saratoga Springs and sat in on Lie In Our Graves. The audience, band and crew seemed equally excited that he was there. The cool evening in Saratoga sharply contrasted the mugginess we felt tonight in Virginia Beach, though it didn't slow the band down. DMB poured their hearts into the show, as the sweat poured down their backs. Toots joined in again on Warehouse for the past couple nights, belting the Louie Louie refrain along with Dave, Carter and Butch. Tonight was his band's last night with us and we're sorry to see them go. One of our very own crew members, Joe Lawlor, made his return appearance with the band tonight. He tore it up on Rhyme & Reason and #41, making us all proud. We're loading our way out into a day off in Indy. See y'all at the gig on Friday.
The DMB Crew
August 18th, 2007
We're having a blast out here. The Indy crowd left us feeling exhilarated after their warm reception over the past couple nights. The band are enjoying playing the new tunes. Tonight they debuted Eh Hee, a song Dave wrote a couple years ago after a trip to Africa. Look for it to be released soon. See you at Blossom on Monday.
The DMB Crew
August 20th, 2007
Here near the rushing rapids of Cuyahoga Falls, the crowd toughed it out through the rains. DMB didn't falter, playing a strong set worthy of the audience's stamina. Early in the evening, Dave instructed the audience to cuddle up in order to combat the cold, but they failed to abide. We could see the ripples of heads bobbing and arms waving to the top of the soaked hill. Every night the sets are evolving...both in song arrangements and in the variations between old and new. We heard Stand Up for the first time in a while, LeRoi and Carter's popping solos putting smiles on our faces. The return of Dylan's All Along The Watchtower as a show closer has proven immensely powerful and reminiscent of the band's early days. We're working our way into another day off. It's now our turn to get wet, pushing cases and loading trucks in the rain. We'll see y'all at Riverbend on Wednesday.
The DMB Crew
August 22nd, 2007
Hot...Hot...Hot...Hot...Sweaty and Hot. Freakin' great show though. See y'all tomorrow.
The DMB Crew
August 23rd, 2007
What a night. We can't ever remember experiencing a rain delay before a show, but it happened tonight. Dave came on stage at about 8:15 to announce to the audience that the storm we had been watching on radar was minutes away and not to be ignored. The system that hit the midwest today was known to produce tornados and serious lightning. Dave urged those on the lawn to take shelter either under the pavilion or in their cars until it blew over. He explained that the band didn't want anyone to miss a second of the show and that "we don't want to rip anyone off." The band delayed taking the stage until the worst of it had passed, about a half hour later. And they made up for it by playing through the local curfew. Our crew hero, Joe Lawlor, took the stage again with DMB during Stand Up, taking the tune to a whole new place. We're all geared up for Alpine, see y'all there on Saturday.
The DMB Crew
August 26th, 2007
In the words of Carter Beauford, "This weekend was OFF THE HOOK!" We say it every time, Alpine Valley is one of our favorite places to play. There's an unparalleled vibe fed to us by the audience at this place. We were all extremely excited to have The Roots opening up the shows here. The Roots' guitarist, Kirk Douglas, played an awesome solo on Jimi Thing tonight. Kirk and the entire Roots' horn section joined us for Eh Hee, with MC Black Thought laying down some brilliant freestyle rap. The horn section continued to play on and off throughout the main set, laying it all out for Too Much. We're on our way to Kansas for a show on Tuesday. See y'all there.
The DMB Crew
August 28th, 2007
We've written about the weather before, but daaaaaaamn it was hot today. At one point we clocked the temperature on stage at 114 degrees. Definitely too hot to unload all the sensitive instruments, definitely too hot to linger around our workstations. The scorching afternoon turned into a beautifully cool evening though, and together band and audience jammed out as the full moon crossed the sky. Tonight was the first time we can remember having a question mark printed on the set list. Dave filled that spot with an impromptu, intimate rendition of Butterfly. Can't wait for our weekend at The Gorge. See you there on Friday.
The DMB Crew
September 1st, 2007
We work for the best band ever. The stars aligned for our second of three shows at the Gorge. It was the perfect evening for an outdoor show. DMB opened the set with their newest tune, A Dream So Real...an eerily beautiful song that they recently recorded. They then kicked the show into high gear with an intense uptempo Two Step, setting the vibe for the rest of the show. The set list was seemingly perfect, mixing new tunes and songs from nearly every studio album they've released. Robert Randolph sat in on a killer version of Smooth Rider and we heard The Stone as well, both songs played for the first time this tour. We're enjoying a night of not having to load out by throwing a post-show party on the truck dock. Gotta go ;-)
The DMB Crew
September 6th, 2007
What a night in Virginia! We played the stadium at Virginia Tech along with John Mayer, Nas and Phil Vassar. An eclectic mix of music for a packed house. DMB were joined on stage by both John Mayer and his guitarist (and our long time friend) David Ryan Harris. Lamont Caldwell and Matt Cappy of The Roots also flew down for this gig to add to the horn section. Dave repeatedly stated that the band felt extremely welcomed and how they could sense the energy of the audience on stage. The band eased into an impromptu rendition of Marley's Three Little Birds towards the end of the set, leaving the audience to chant the song's chorus. We're headed to Atlanta for a day in the park on Saturday. Be safe. We'll see you there.
The DMB Crew
September 11th, 2007
A few of us left immediately after the show in Atlanta to head to New York to help Dave out at Farm Aid. Before he and Tim took the stage for their set, Dave and Warren Haynes sat in with Gregg Allman for a memorable performance of Melissa. It's a worthy and pertinent cause and we were honored to participate.
We just got done with our show in Gainesville, the only indoor gig of the tour. There's a huge difference for us between arenas and sheds in terms of energy and volume...in a good way. The show tonight was a reminder of that fact. Having the audience so close and surrounding us compounds the emotions of everyone present. DMB rode that wave and performed an excellent set. We load-in early tomorrow for our show in Tampa, so it's time to climb in our bunks and grab some sleep before we do it all again. See y'all there.
The DMB Crew
September 12th, 2007
An amazing show in Tampa tonight....and that was before DMB even took the stage. The thunderstorm that began during the opening set was awesome, to say the least. We were forced to quickly cover the equipment in plastic, creating our own version of a backstage slip-n-slide. The combination of lightning, rain and electronics tends to put us a bit on edge, but all fared well. Weather related drama aside, DMB played a solid set to a soaked audience in surprisingly good spirits. For weeks now, we've been looking forward to a little beach time, and it's finally here. We'll see you in West Palm this weekend after we get our swim on.
The DMB Crew
September 18th, 2007
Finally some cool weather! What a difference it makes to not walk off the stage dripping with sweat. The band played a great set list tonight. We heard You Never Know for the first time in a few years and So Right* for the first time this tour. DMB got creative with Typical Situation, unexpectedly starting with the mid-through jam and working their way back to a more familiar ending. Even after all these years they're still reimagining their old tunes. We have a short drive tonight to Charlotte before our LONG drive to Texas. See y'all tomorrow.
The DMB Crew
*denotes error (So Right was not played during the 2007 tour)
September 21st, 2007
So...right here in the heart of Texas, DMB played a strong set. Danny Barnes, banjo player extraordinaire from Robert Earl Keen's band, sat in on Bartender. The band broke down the song making way for his virtuosic picking. So right then, LeRoi began playing over the banjo solo leading towards some musical banter between he and the guest artist. The weather was beautiful and the vibe was so right on. The band pulled out Fool To Think for the first time in over 3 years. It's a fast load-out tonight, so, right on to Dallas we go. See y'all there tomorrow night.
;-)
The DMB Crew
September 22nd, 2007
The band was lively tonight in Dallas. Starting off with A Dream So Real, the set progressively built to an intense climax of an encore. Danny Barnes sat in again, blowing us all away on Corn Bread and Lie In. The band gave him plenty of space and he rode that wave beautifully. Danny's bandmate, Rich Brotherton, skillfully played guitar on Jimi Thing and left all impressed as well. We're sad to part ways with Robert Earl Keen and his band, their music is a joy to experience. It's hard to believe that this tour is winding to an end, just six shows to go. It really does seem like we just got started. We're in store for a 1000+ mile drive to Phoenix for a show on Tuesday. See y'all then.
The DMB Crew
September 25th, 2007
Awesome night in Phoenix. The weather was perfect and the band was on. As Dave busted into Warehouse, we could see Carter signaling to Fonz and LeRoi. They quickly decided to play the opening of the song as they used to during the band's early days. It was a surprise to all of us and there were smiles all around. We're on our way to Irvine for a show tomorrow. See y'all there.
The DMB Crew
September 29th, 2007
We love Shoreline! From the cheerful, familiar faces on the local crew to the energetic audience, we always leave here with a smile. Just 2 more shows before the summer tour comes to an end. We'll see y'all at the bowl on Monday.
The DMB Crew
October 2nd, 2007
A phenomenal ending to a phenomenal tour! We're just coming off the final two shows here at the beautiful and legendary Hollywood Bowl. The band were joined by some incredible talents sitting in during our stay. Danny Barnes graced the stage with his banjo, playing for five songs each night. Our boy, Joe Lawlor, crushed it on Stand Up. John Mayer surprised us when he stopped by with his axe, playing beautifully on #41. Brothers Stephen and Ziggy Marley brought down the house, trading lead vocals on their father's historic song, Exodus. A first for us, the band invited the entire crew to join them on stage to take a bow during the last encore break...what a thrill for us all! With lumps in our throats, we all part ways tonight as we head for home, but we'll see each other before long as we get ready to play the pep-rally gig in November. See y'all then.
The DMB Crew