This time last year, a coworker greeted me with, “This is your weekend, right?” I nodded sheepishly, somewhat embarrassed by "my weekend" — the weekend — when I would be seeing the Dave Matthews Band perform. Yet again.
On the days leading up to the close of summer, the hum of “sweet you rock and sweet you roll” plays in my head on repeat. In the six years I've been going to Dave Matthews Band concerts, I’ve met people attending DMB’s summer tour for the 50th time and those who just ended up there because of a friend of a friend.
Now, I don’t need to explain to those who are attending the concert as an annual summer tradition, like myself, what they are in for next weekend, when the Dave Matthews Band returns to Coral Sky Amphitheatre, once again, for a two-night stint. For the rest of you, well... You might think, “Don’t you typically get bored at seeing the same show every year?” Not at all.
Not only is every show different but every song is played differently. There’s a reason DMB has put out more live albums than studio albums.
As a proud DMB fan, I know there’s no middle ground: People love them or hate them. But I've never seen a band move a crowd like they do or tease fans expecting one song, then quickly move onto another, like the DMB. No matter what your expectations are of the show, you will see old men in wheelchairs, families of seven, and everything in between.
For those of you going to the Coral Sky shows, in particular, here are a few insider tips: You are able to bring food, as much food as you want, so grab some pub subs on your way in. Chairs are always more enjoyable than blankets. You might think it would be nice to lie down with your eyes closed, but not only will you quickly get feet to the face but you’ll want to be up and moving. Best of all, Coral Sky offers lawn chairs for rent for $5. You’re able to leave them where you used them when you’re done, so don’t worry about the long return lines at the end.
As my weekend quickly approaches, I am eager to see what surprises Dave will have in store this year. Shockingly, in my six years, I have yet to hear him play “sweet you rock and sweet you roll” live (song name: “Crash Into Me”). With so many songs to cover and so many tours to choose from, every experience is unique, memorable, and sweet.