More than twenty years after the release of Under The Table and Dreaming — Dave Matthews Band's first studio album — the guys can still rock.
The band played to an intimate crowd of loyal fans last night during their debut performance in the UAE. And though they might not have filled Abu Dhabi’s du Arena to the extent of their predecessors — I was told by one staff member that the field was filled to the very back for Bon Jovi — you’d have barely noticed.
Starting the evening off with One Sweet World, the crowd was surging with excitement from the first note. Even the enthusiasm and positive vibes that seemed to flow from the stage were contagious. It was clear, even after all these years, the group still has fun playing together.
The group moved effortlessly through Satellite and eventually onto Don't Drink The Water, two demanding tracks. Matthews, however, proved that though he's inching closer to 50, he's still got it. Still able to hit those high vocal notes, Matthews never wavered on the more difficult guitar riffs.
Boyd Tinsley, the group’s violinist, spent much of the evening roving around the stage with a certain exhilaration, while adding to the band’s distinctive sound. If he wasn’t having a blast last night, he was doing a stellar job of disguising it.
As the band moved from popular tracks like Crush, The Space Between, What Would You Say, and Why I Am, Matthews took his time to thank the audience for coming out to see them. "I'm already sweating up here" he joked, early in the set. It's true that the weather turned unfortunately humid and warm, but nobody seemed to mind.
Eventually, there was a single hit of the drum from Carter Beauford, bringing the crowd to a cheer. Ants Marching — the track most of us has been waiting for all evening — closed the main set.
The crowd remained. The chant "We want more!" began to rise and the band obliged, ending the evening with the group's well-known rendition of All Along The Watch Tower.
Though some long-time fans might have been disappointed by the absence of Say Goodbye, Two Step, and Crash Into Me, the evening's performance was a true embodiment of Dave Matthews Band. Laid back and effortlessly cool, us long time fans got exactly what we came for. With no sign of slowing down, it leaves one wondering what the guys will have in store for us over the next twenty years.
alane@thenational.ae
