Dave Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on this date in 1967. The 52-year-old musician moved around the world in his youth before winding up in Charlottesville, Virginia. In 1991, he formed the Dave Matthews Band and the group went on to become one of the highest-grossing touring acts and have since issued nine studio albums. In celebration of Dave’s birthday, here’s a look at a big night in Dave Matthews Band history.
On September 24, 2003 DMB played Central Park in New York City as part of The AOL Concert For Schools. NYC’s mayor at the time, Mike Bloomberg introduced the group after a performance of the National Anthem by a local high school choir. Dave Matthews Band treated a massive crowd to a show heavy on material from their breakthrough 1994 album Under The Table And Dreaming. The core lineup of Dave, bassist Stefan Lessard, violinist Boyd Tinsley, drummer Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore was joined by their touring keyboardist at the time Butch Taylor.
Dave Matthews Band showed off their improvisational prowess during the main set with lengthy versions of “Crush” and “Two Step.” Old friend Warren Haynes emerged towards the back end of the performance for a cover of Neil Young’s “Cortez The Killer” and DMB original “Jimi Thing.” Next up were beloved favorites “What Would You Say” and “Where Are You Going” before Lessard worked a solo based on “The Star-Spangled Banner” into a full-band rendition of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” to close the set. For the encore, the group went with “Grey Street,” “What You Are” and “Stay (Wasting Time).” A live album and concert film documenting the evening was released a few months later. Recently, DMB shared the concert film on YouTube. Watch a playlist featuring all 20 songs from The Central Park Concert:
Playlist
Don’t Drink The Water, So Much To Say, Too Much, Granny, Crush, When The World Ends, Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Ants Marching, Rhyme & Reason, Two Step, Help Myself, Cortez The Killer, Jimi Thing, What Would You Say, Where Are You Going, All Along The Watchtower, Grey Street, What You Are, Stay (Wasting Time)
