Everything's Different Again...

Anyone who knows me well knows that I freaking love Dave Matthews Band. It's a strange obsession I can't really explain. I know that the first time that I heard "Ants Marching" on 104.3 WZYP in 1996, I loved it. I was sitting in my room coloring (yes, I colored as a 15 year old), playing with my brother and cousin Megan. I later that year won the Grammy-winning CD "Crash" in a radio phone-in contest, brought it home, listened to it, and hated it. I thought, "what the heck? this sucks." Brian R. came into my life a year later, started "dating" me, and since he loved DMB, I decided I should give the CD another shot. I thus listened to "Crash" - specifically "#41" or "Two Step" - every single morning in 10th grade while I was getting ready for school. I fell in love with the songs, and took Lucas P. with me to see them at my very first concert my senior year, at the BJCC, when I had 16th row seats. It rained like hell that night, and I thought we were going to die in my 1992 Dodge Dakota truck on the way home, but wow, we had an amazing time. Lucas almost caught the tamborine that opening band Cracker threw out to the crowd. And, did I mention we had 16th row seats? And that Lucas was the perfect person to take with me?

I've seen the Dave Matthews Band every year since 1996, except for 2004, which was possibly the worst year of my life for a number of reasons. I should have seen them that year, as they never disappoint and a good Dave show would've made me feel better about my life. I've often said that if I could pick the day/time I was going to die, it would be on the way home after a DMB show. I leave DMB shows in an amazingly good mood, that only a 2-hour live DMB show can produce. And let me state for the record: I don't/haven't ever smoked anything at all - much less anything illegal- at a show, nor do I drink much alcohol (except for 2005, which is unfortunate because it was one of their best shows - my apologies to Josh A. who happened to be with me for that one) at the concerts. Thus, the happiness invoked by DMB is not drug- or drink-induced. It's genuinely happy, sober, fun times. I sing along to every song. I dance like an idiot (ask my Dave, or Josh...). I make friends with the people in seats next to me. In fact, I have to not think about the fact that I'm seeing them on their summer tour pretty soon, lest I get totally distracted and can't focus on my work. Obsessed much? Yes. Why? Not really sure. Maybe it's because Dave Matthews, as a man, is in touch with his own mortality, and I am not. Maybe it's because DMB promotes a super happy, fun- and other-loving lifestyle, that I really appreciate. Maybe because Boyd is hot. Maybe because Dave Matthews does this cute thing with his eyebrows when he sings. Maybe because the songs have a lot of sentimental value. I think of different people and places when I hear different songs. Whatever the reason, I get extremely geeked up about DMB tour season.

I'm listening right now to Live Trax 14. It's the last show that the amazing saxophonist, LeRoi Moore, played before he passed away. Hence the blog post.

That's really all. I just wanted to express my love of DMB. Have you heard their cover of Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer?" Brilliant. Ooh, I can't wait for summer tour. That, and to tell all of you that I have been a complete culinary slacker. No creativity in the kitchens of A50 lately. I'm busy, ok? I'm writing a dissertation. Give me a break. More posts after I'm a full-time housewife.