Dave Matthews Band Raleigh, NC 12/12/12

Finally, after almost 4 years, the Dave Matthews Band graced Raleigh, NC with a kick-ass show.  Dave acknowledged right from the start that he had to make up for lost time with the Raleigh crowd and he did, in a big way.  Right from the start the place was jumping, Dave's voice was on fire and the band was tight.  Highlight of the night for me was Drive In Drive Out as we have been yet to catch that one live and they smashed it.  They played it as if we were back in 1996.  Dave was dancing from the start of the show and even Tim could be spotted jumping up and down while melting your face as only Tim can.  Proudest Monkey (prob all time favorite) was slowed down to a pre-Tim time which allowed much more room for Rashawn to explore the space and he was as crisp as I have seen him.  Many people have already written that this may have been the best Grey Street ever due to his playing.  The new stuff is phenomenal and slowly growing to epic proportions.  What they do with Mercy now (Dave can jam on a piano now) and Drunken Soldier prove that the bands musicianship has grown to a level that not many bands can keep up with.  Belly Belly Nice is the happiest song the band has and people get down to it!  Huge surprise was Branford Marsalis (the actual saxophone legend) came out to play with the band.  For the first time in my life I witnessed if only for a second or two, Carter Beauford not be able to keep up with another musicican as Mr. Marsalis tore through an insane rendition of What Would You Say followed by a Solo that made me question what I know about saxophone players and horn sections on #41.  Jeff Coffin seemed like he just learned saxophone when standing next to this guy.  What a performance.  Branford has not only played with the likes of Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie or his brother Wynton, he also toured with the Grateful Dead, Sting, and numerous other Jazz groups on top of which he also played with New York Philharmonic.  To see him with the Matthews Band was so damn lucky.  Hopefully this is only a warm up to the final run of 2012!

1. Eh Hee
2. Broken Things
3. Don’t Drink the Water
4. Proudest Monkey
5. Satellite
6. Drive In Drive Out
7. Grey Street
8. The Riff
9. You and Me
10. Belly Belly Nice
11. Mercy
12. If Only
13. Seven
14. What Would You Say *
15. #41 *
16. Why I Am
17. Drunken Soldier
18. Jimi Thing

-------- ENCORE --------

19. Christmas Song +
20. Shake Me Like a Monkey
21. Ants Marching

SHOW NOTES:

* Branford Marsalis
+ Dave, Carter and Tim