Critic's Notebook

Dave Matthews Band

When the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia died in 1995, patchouli-scented fans tapped the Dave Matthews Band to fill his shoes. Since then, DMB's career has waxed and waned. Besides a summer playing stadiums, the South African native and his band haven't lived up to their full potential. One-night stands are...
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When the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia died in 1995, patchouli-scented fans tapped the Dave Matthews Band to fill his shoes. Since then, DMB’s career has waxed and waned. Besides a summer playing stadiums, the South African native and his band haven’t lived up to their full potential. One-night stands are common for them, whereas the Grateful Dead played multiple nights. But college students and Dead fans still flock to his shows to hear fiery violin solos, courtesy of Boyd Tinsley, and swirling jam sessions. At one Detroit gig, fans desperate to get close to the warbling singer burned plastic ties securing main floor chairs to each other. (Lighters were apparently handy at the show.) And expect Matthews to recruit even more new minions — he’s gigging for John Kerry this fall.

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