Wow. This weekend was perfect in every way possible. The weather was amazing minus a 10 minute shower on Saturday afternoon, everyone was in good spirits at the motel 8 parking lot both nights, and I got to see dmb shows with a group of friends I have never seen a show with. What a memorable weekend, life changing honestly. It makes you realize what is really important in life. Just being alive!
Friday night I had pit tickets. The first pit show for dmb at Hartford, I was a little nervous about how it would work out. It was quite the pleasant experience. There was no sitting down or arm crossing in the pit, everyone was energetic and border line going insane for the tour opener. I had three other good friends with me in the pit Friday night. Pete, a writer for OA (it was his first dmb show) and 2 other friends who have only sat lawn before. Seeing their faces as everything unfolded 4 rows away from us was priceless. The set list, arguably the greatest tour opening set list in the history of this band.
Show Stats See those big numbers under last? That's how many shows it has been since those songs have been played.
JTR to open the tour. Are you kidding me?! Wow, I was thinking Bartender because, well Dave plays Bartender to open. Nope! They killllled it with JTR! Blew me away right off the bat. Hello Again was the third song played, the only Stand Up song I like, first time in five years! After a few new tunes, and Rye Whiskey solo, Busted Stuff started. This song was last played in 2002, it marks the 3rd longest return of a song in dmb history... I never thought I would hear this song. Jeff Coffin jazz's the fuck out of the end of this song. Then they went right into Kit Kat Jam!!!! Another song they have not played since 2003! These two songs back to back were the highlight of the weekend. The surprise factor was even more then Halloween last year at SPAC...well maybe not, but on that same level. After that song...right into #41. Arms went straight up in the air and shivers down my spine. There was no other place in the world I would have rather been. They jam the hell out of #41, Jeff and Rashawn play the Sojourn of Arjuna interpolation then Jeff and Carter go back and fourth for aboot five minutes followed by a nasty solo from Tim. The next two songs were the classic Grey St. and their current single You and Me. Dancing Nancies was a lot of fun, the crowd sang 3/4 of the song as Dave just walked around the stage checking the crowd out. This is Boyd's jam, he solo's pretty much the entire song and his last solo near the end was energetic. Boyd and Dave were face to face, Dave was cheering Boyd on just like the rest of us.
Too Much got it's first full time play since I last saw it last year in Charlottesville, it is beastly with Tim on electric and it went right into their anthem, Ants Marching. Boyd again tore up this song center stage, the entire band centered around Carter while he counted down. It's the best moment at any dmb show, the last 30 seconds of Ants Marching, there really is no better moment in music. The encore heard a newish song, Break For It. I really like the harmonizing parts on it, but I don't think the song has any real staying power. You Might Die Trying should never close concerts, but nothing could spoil this show. As of now, I would say this was the third or fourth best dmb show (out of 18).
Saturday night started the same, tailgating in the Motel 8 parking lot with Ants friends. I had a new crew with me, we were sitting lawn that night due to our larger group. It was another one of my friends first dmb shows, and another great night we had. We headed in to catch the last few tunes of Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, they kicked all sorts of ass. DMB band started out with Big Eyed Fish, another song that I have never seen in concert before. It was of course followed by Bartender, one of their best live songs. Starting off the show with a solid 18 minutes of straight music, no stopping. Lying In The Hands of God, my favorite song off Big Whiskey has turned into a jam and a half. The song clocked in at almost 12 minutes, and Jeff Coffin owns this song. Near the end it was like Carter and Jeff were both soloing at the same time, just amazing musicianship.
I saw the black electric and I heard So Right was sound-checked, and there it was, they played So Right for the first time since 2006. This song is my favorite off of Everyday, and again, Jeff blows me away every time he plays sax. Crowd pleaser Everyday followed. Then the highlight of the night for me, Sweet Up and Down. This song (another one I thought I would never see..it has only been played 30 times) was dusted off for the first time since 2007. It is a powerful energetic song that feature a lot of Tim and Boyd.
Jimi Thing rocked the house, everyone soloed and Jeff played 2 saxophones at the same time, just insane. Crash had the entire crowd singing, that is a dmb classic and I would love to hear it at every show I go to, sorry haters. The rest of the show was very up beat, as much as I don't like Cornbread, it is fun to dance to and only a halfy of Stand Up, I'll take that. The Neil Young solo cover of The Needle and the Damage Done sent chills down my spine, he actually sounded like Young. Don't Drink The Water into Shake Me Like a Monkey was sick, and Two Step to close out the show is the best closer they have going right now. Carter absolutely fucking kills this song. His solo at the end was jaw dropping, I will post video when I can...but you should really download these tapes, they are must have for people in attendance and hardcore fans. The encore was pretty standard, Baby Blue was good to hear for the first time closed by the classic All Along the Watchtower.
All in all this weekend I got to see nine songs for the first time live. That just doesn't happen over a two show span. They only repeated one song, Shake Me Like a Monkey, the song I would want to hear twice. The band really loves Hartford, they give the fans a hell of a show here year in and year out. One thing I really like about this year, Fonz is loud! The bass is ridiculously loud and I love it! They won't be back to Hartford until 2012, but they sure did leave Hartford with a bang. Well done boys, I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this weekend at SPAC. See yall there!!
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