Dave Matthews Band is all about the music at the ACC

Friday night was the fifth time I had seen Dave Matthews Band live. This makes me little more than a novice next to many DMB diehards, but it did allow me to look past the 15-minute songs, a dynamic lights display and Dave’s mumbling in order to examine some of the smaller details that have made the band so successful in its 20-plus years of touring.

The first thing that struck me was the variety of the performance. After Leonard Cohen produced a pair of near-identical concerts at the Air Canada Centre, these Virginia-based alt-rockers put forth a completely different show from their most recent effort at Chicago’s United Center last Wednesday (which had also been entirely different from their Louisville show the day before).

The band’s 20-track effort at the Air Canada Centre on Friday carried over just nine of the same songs. The constants were primarily tracks off of DMB’s latest album, Away from the World, including forgettable offerings like “Belly Belly Nice” and “The Riff” but also the acoustically superb “Belly Full” (no truth to the rumours that the band may have been hungry when they produced the album).

DMB fans have long learned not to harp on what was missed (“Crash Into Me,” “#41” and “Ants Marching,” among other omissions) from an impressive musical anthology during a live show, but to celebrate what was heard – and often with energetic panache.

Not knowing what tracks to expect during a predictably unpredictable set, the crowd of 12,000 strongly (and loudly) responded to old favourites like “Jimi Thing,” “Gravedigger” and a lengthy, show-closing rendition of “Two Step.”

Adding to the varied feel of the two-and-a-half hour performance were several riveting solos that highlighted the musical talents of each band member. While Stefan Lessard’s bass solo and Jeff Coffin’s saxophone solo were well-received, the biggest ovations were saved for the heart of the band: violinist Boyd Tinsley and drummer Carter Beauford. Tinsley’s violin solo during “Jimi Thing” might have earned the loudest response of the night.

Then there was the titular lead singer, who spent the night putting a great deal of energy into getting his new Away from the World material across to his loyal audience. I’ve always held an unfulfilled hope that Matthews would provide a glimpse of his excellent sense of humour (as seen in his turn in Just Go With It and in the recent Christmas song contest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) while on stage, but he has remained steadfast that his live shows are about the music and not about him talking.

Judging from the reaction from the adoring crowd on hand at the ACC, I don’t think anyone minded.

Article exclusive to STREETS OF TORONTO