Brett wrote:I don't really follow DMB, so maybe this has been answered before, but why didn't they replace Boyd with an actual violin player rather than try to replicate the parts with other instruments? I can't imagine it's that difficult to find somebody who could play the parts even if they couldn't match the spirit that he brought to the band.
DMB is pretty clandestine in regard to everything in their camp. Other than a statement separating themselves from Boyd's allegations and officially stating that he is no longer a member of the band I don't believe the situation has really been mentioned.
Boyd was also far from a stellar violin player in the live setting, perhaps the welcome respite just stuck.
i like buddy strong, but i'm not sure why they didn't get a replacement for the instrument. i also disagree with boyd's live performances. maybe he could have an off night, but there's been shows where his solo's have blown me away. songs like 'lie in our graves' and 'dancing nancies' need violin solos. he should be hacking away during the intro to warehouse. he also has that weird finger picking part during chorus. there's another weird finger picking thing he did on 'big eyed fish' that doesnt sound the same on guitar or horn. there's no strumming violin on 'two step' . i guess you can call it nitpicking, but taking away an instrument that was so vital to the sound of the band really changed the sound.
with that said, i'm probably going to drive over 2 hours to see dmb live in the next couple of months. i'm sure its a cliche middle aged thing at this point, but they still bring it live every time. i cant fucking wait.
Definitely not cliché, if you enjoy something you'd better do it while you can.
Boyd could definitely hammer out some great solos and elevate many songs and indeed the violin was crucial to many songs structure but with that said, I've listened to many tours around seeing a fair number of live shows and he was simply not proficient to the level of those sharing the stage. The Dave Matthews Band could have had literally the best fill that gap and knowingly chose not too, that speaks volumes to me.
Also, they would not only be filling the void of the instrument but his stage presence that was perhaps sparing in the grand scheme of stage time yet a singular highlight to many in attendance.
boyd's playing the last several years of his tenure left a lot to be desired. yes, he still could bust out some great stuff on liog, nancies, and whatnot when he was inspired. but i think that was it- he wasn't inspired, and it showed. no idea if it was drugs, booze, physical ailments, antipathy, or some combo of the above, but boyd seemed to have mostly checked out a long while before the band chucked him out.
its weird to complain about solos in a band where tim reynold is the lead guitar player lol. not replacing boyd might have had more to do with tim reynolds than anything else. adding keys and another backing vocal maybe makes more sense than a violinist. tim reynolds is just a beast, i'm sure they figured he can handle boyds parts. i also really love jeff coffin. the beginning of Ants Marching from the Atlantic City show i tried to post has a crazy sax solo that made me fall in love with the guy.
warehouse wrote:its weird to complain about solos in a band where tim reynold is the lead guitar player lol. not replacing boyd might have had more to do with tim reynolds than anything else. adding keys and another backing vocal maybe makes more sense than a violinist. tim reynolds is just a beast, i'm sure they figured he can handle boyds parts. i also really love jeff coffin. the beginning of Ants Marching from the Atlantic City show i tried to post has a crazy sax solo that made me fall in love with the guy.
Jeff Coffin is amazing. There’s got to be a clip of it somewhere - as a member of The Flecktones, he played two saxophones at once. I mean, he’s amazing on his own without the tricks, but it’s pretty damn entertaining.
warehouse wrote:its weird to complain about solos in a band where tim reynold is the lead guitar player lol. not replacing boyd might have had more to do with tim reynolds than anything else. adding keys and another backing vocal maybe makes more sense than a violinist. tim reynolds is just a beast, i'm sure they figured he can handle boyds parts. i also really love jeff coffin. the beginning of Ants Marching from the Atlantic City show i tried to post has a crazy sax solo that made me fall in love with the guy.
Jeff Coffin is amazing. There’s got to be a clip of it somewhere - as a member of The Flecktones, he played two saxophones at once. I mean, he’s amazing on his own without the tricks, but it’s pretty damn entertaining.
Coffin is absolutely talented and at times a bit of a show-boater but Flecktones shows were so very different from DMB gigs. Jeff can do a lot but so often when he drops out of a groove with Carter he starts peacocking and that sets Rashawn off to a race that only he's entered and we all lose.
edit: Also, 2008 DMB with Tim Reynolds (with Roi or Jeff) was simply a different entity than 2009 Big Whiskey DMB. Songs were from then on structured around Tim's involvement and the band's overall sound changed forever. Moving on from Boyd with this already having occurred made it all the more easy.
Dave Matthews Band PR wrote:September 3, 2021 Gorge Update
Despite thorough safety protocols, a potential exposure to the Covid-19 virus within the organization has taken place. In the best interest of everyone’s health and safety, Dave Matthews Band will perform this weekend’s shows in an alternate format. We love playing the Gorge and are grateful to all of you who are joining us this weekend.
I'm going to MSG on Friday night. I couldn't wait any longer. I've been reading the setlists and watching clips from this year. i can't wait until the summer or even the spring. this is the longest i've gone without seeing dmb live in over 20 years. i can't fucking wait.
side note: the newest song, "madman's eyes" i think its called, is a banger. its got that weird middle eastern feel but also kinda funky. its the best new song in a long time.
On Sunday, I was walking in downtown Boston and I overheard the guy behind me on the phone telling a friend that he had just met Dave Matthews on the street. That's it. That's my story.
I last saw Dave Matthews Band play live on November 12, 2010 at Madison Square Garden. It was the 9th time I saw them. It was not very good, but I would say at least half the times I saw them the show was excellent. I don’t believe I will likely see them play again, though one never knows.
liebzz wrote:I last saw Dave Matthews Band play live on November 12, 2010 at Madison Square Garden. It was the 9th time I saw them. It was not very good, but I would say at least half the times I saw them the show was excellent. I don’t believe I will likely see them play again, though one never knows.
Dave's voice was absolutely shot for those two days, the 12th was my 60th show. The second night looks great on paper but I recall the performances being a bit rough all around.
The difference a week later in Charlottesville was fairly stark.
warehouse wrote:I'm going to MSG on Friday night. I couldn't wait any longer. I've been reading the setlists and watching clips from this year. i can't wait until the summer or even the spring. this is the longest i've gone without seeing dmb live in over 20 years. i can't fucking wait.
side note: the newest song, "madman's eyes" i think its called, is a banger. its got that weird middle eastern feel but also kinda funky. its the best new song in a long time.
I was at Mohegan on Monday night. Madman’s Eyes was nuts. Doesn’t even sound like them, way too heavy. But it was one of my 2-3 favorite songs of the night. I realized I hadn’t seen them in a long time. The live show and newer music have Tim fully incorporated and it fuckin rules. A cool guitar solo in Warehouse? Yes, please. The show was very jammy but really freakin good.
