Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Logo of The Spectrum
Friday, March 29, 2024
The independent student publication of The University at Buffalo, since 1950

More Whiskey Please

The floors of HSBC Arena were covered in Natty Ice cans, Birkenstocks and Kan Jam discs on Tuesday night as fans waited in anticipation for the "bro-gods," the Dave Matthews Band.

The Dave Matthews Band has a large base of both diehard fans as well as casual ones. Naturally, its latest tour was highly anticipated and its first stop was in downtown Buffalo.

As one would expect, the arena was filled to the rafters with fans anxious to see the band perform. Even the 300 sections were occupied by those restlessly awaiting the band's show.

Amos Lee opened for the infamous DMB. concertgoers flooded the food and bathroom lines in the corridor of HSBC Arena and did not care about the show until Dave took the stage.

Lee, a Philadelphia based songwriter, did his best to warm up the crowd with his jazz fusion sound, but the hardcore DMB fans had none of it.

After Lee left the stage, the energy in the Arena was electric as the whole crowd anticipated the headliner.

Matthews played several songs from the band's most recent album, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, in which the members of the band paid tribute to saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who died from complications suffered in an ATV accident on his Virginia farm.

Among the tracks from Big Whiskey played on Tuesday night were: "Shake Me Like a Monkey," "Lying in the Hands of God," " Why Am I," "Seven," "Time Bomb," and "You and Me."

While Matthews might have played a lot of new songs, he still had plenty of time to perform classics. Many people left satisfied with the band's mix of old and new favorites.

"It was such a good concert. I am so happy I went; he picked such great song choices," said Nicole Scherer, a senior legal studies major.

As DMB tore through its 20-song set list, fan favorites such as "Crush," "Time Bomb," and "Blackjack" radiated through the speakers as the crowd danced and had a good time.

The crowd was thoroughly entertained by the performance and had nothing but good things to say about Matthews.

"Every year we return with a bigger group and the newcomers become diehard fans. I always leave wanting more. You can see that everyone in the band loves what they do and the music becomes so alive you can feel it," said Julie Glantz, a junior speech and hearing science major. "The crowd is always laid back and friendly; it's like going with hundreds of friends all around you."

Jeff Coffin, an American jazz and alternative rock musician, filled Moore's shoes on saxophone. He was featured on all songs except "Out of My Hands," when Dave was on the piano, and "Some Devil," when Dave performed solo.

Matthews' passionate vocals are a trademark of the band's sound. He captivated the audience on Tuesday as he serenaded his fans until he could no longer sing.

After Matthews left the stage, he returned for his encore and performed his moody and brooding solo "Some Devil," which was followed by the notorious "Crash." DMB finished up with the song "Halloween."

Fans exited the arena with smiles on their faces once Matthews and his collection of musicians said goodbye. DMB's live performances live up to the quality of the band's albums, and the band proves its worth each and every time it tours.

E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com


Comments


Popular









Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Spectrum