DMB Days Away

Yea Yea Yea, not quite a month away but what’s a few days…

We’re one month from DMB at Busch Stadium!

We can hardly contain our excitement.

First, this will be our first big show since becoming big Dave fans.  We saw the band in 2006 and in ’04 or ’05 (can’t recall which other year).  The first show was at Nissan Pavilion outside of DC.  The Nissan show was good but somewhat mellow.  Tracey and I left early.  The drive home was more memorable but not for reasons you may feel I am implying.

We did a little tailgate with Panovec for that one and also at the second show we saw in 2006.  The show in Charlottesville was much better.  Our fan curve was starting to climb at that point and we knew more songs, more of the inside.

We absolutely loved Robert Randolph coming on stage for a couple of tunes with the band.  Also local jazz legend John D’earth played with the band the entire night.  I wrote several comments about the show that looking back on it were a little unfair but not entirely off the mark.

Now we know all the music which brings us to the second reason we can’t wait: We are desperately playing catch-up.  I recall as a DJ in Columbia I loathed seeing DMB in the playlist.  Those were the early years in the band’s national history and as a night time DJ I didn’t feel as though DMB fit into the harder alternative playlist of the time.  I don’t think I got it.

Now we do, thanks in large part to Panovec gifting some live CDs.  That spawned our hunger for the live performances and we starting buying the Live Trax series.  For those who are not aware, each DMB show is unique.  The set lists are never the same as the previous show.  In addition, the band frequently has guests sit in.  In the Live Trax series you’ll hear artists such as Carlos Santana, Bela Fleck, Warren Haynes, and others.

That brings us to the third reason we’re excited: The Black Crowes.  We have never seen the Black Crowes live.  We missed them last year.  We understand that their live performances are fairly unique as well.  These guys like to play their deep cuts and those are the ones we appreciate from their albums.  We’ve started listening to their live performances (available online for download) in anticipation and wonder what the two bands will play together.  We hope it has southern roots.

And that brings me to the next reason: Dixie.  We’re starved for anything from Dixie.  Let me tell ya, the Mid-West has nothing on Dixie.  As a matter of fact, St. Louisians can learn allot from good warm natured southern folk.  We appreciate the good Dixie references and influences in DMB’s music.  Although the Black Crowes don’t claim to be southern rock, we certainly hear the attitudes of deep Georgia and can’t wait to hear more in June.

And speaking of Dixie, that brings us to the final reason we can’t contain our excitement: Seeing our good friend from Charlotte and the person responsible for bringing the DMB love to Lazy Acres North.  Travel safely our friend.  The fridge and liquor cabinet are already stocked.  We’ll have some prime cuts of meat ready to eat.  And transportation to and from Busch stadium awaits on June 7.

Good times!