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Last Wednesday, I went to a Dave Matthews Band at the Ford Amphitheater in Tampa, FL.  From my experience, you either really like the Dave Matthews Band or you don’t.  There are a few in the middle, but those, in my opinion, are a rare find.  I’ve been to four shows myself, and I have to say this was, by far, the most unique and best of them.

This concert was different in many ways.  First, since Butch Taylor, former pianist and back-up vocals, left the band, guitarist Tim Reynolds, has stepped in.  This has changed the bands sound in a lot of respects.  First, the negative, songs where Butch really shined, like Bartender, with strong outros, are no more.  Also, Butch was more of a complementary player to the band than Tim.  Butch on the piano really filled nicely in many songs and rarely, if ever, stole the spotlight.  Tim Reynolds, on the other hand, will and does steal the show in many respects, and on many songs, drowned out Boyd Tinsley, a sound that makes the band unique.  That said, Tim Reynolds allows the band to excel in songs such as Cornbread, So Damn Lucky, and many covers.  Tim gives the band the band a more traditional rock feel, while not as unique, still gives the band a great sound.

Second, since LeRoi Moore got injured in an ATV accident, Jeff Coffin, Sax player of Bela Fleck and Fleckstones (clearly he is a Fleckstone, cause he’s not Bela Fleck).  Jeff Coffin, like LeRoi Moore, is a stellar sax player, and gave many great solos.

The set list was almost a dream come true as well.  While the set list didn’t include personal favorites such as Bartender and Halloween, it included great songs from across the board, even So Damn Lucky, a song from Dave’s solo release, Some Devil, and yet to be released tracks, like Cornbread, Sugar Will, and Eh hee.

1. Don’t Drink the Water
2. Seek Up
3. So Damn Lucky**
4. The Song that Jane Likes
5. Eh Hee** – Also from about a year ago, with The Roots.
6. #27
7. Sugar Will – A song that had not been played since October of 2004.
8. Cornbread**
9. Sledgehammer** – a cover of the Peter Gabriel (former lead singer of Genesis) hit
10. Grey Street**
11. Out of My Hands (for now) – Dave on the piano, rare enough.
12. Smooth Rider
13. Louisiana Bayou
14. #41 – some video from Jeff Coffin’s sax solo.
15. Anyone Seen the Bridge -> Too Much – ASTB, has a nice Sprach Zarathustra intro by the brass.
16. Two Step – Intro, Chorus and Bridge after first Verse, Carter’s drum solo at the end of the song
17. Ants Marching*

* = Encore

** = Video from the show in Rothbury, MI (7/5/08).  The video from this concert was professionally done, and probably more enjoyable than some of the other stuff out there.

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