30 Days of Dave - Day 6

Dave Matthews Band Centennial Park
Atlanta, GA : April 7, 2013
(excerpt from concerttour.org)

The Final Four was officially in the books, but the music had just begun to play Sunday afternoon at the Big Dance Concert Series in Atlanta’s Centennial Park. The Capital One JamFest was a free concert for anyone who could pack their way into the park featuring heavyweight performances by acts like Dave Matthews Band, Sting and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. It was a beautiful spring day in Atlanta. Temperatures hovered in the 70s as the first dusts of pollen began swirling about. The crowd started to stack up on the muddy lawn to get a prime spot for what promised to be a long day of music.

The park was comfortably packed by the end of Grace Potter, but it was beyond overflowing by the time Sting finished digging into his guitar. Someone really needed to shut off the tap of people as even the walking lanes were hopelessly bogged down with bodies. The announcer said there was 60,000 people filling the park, but that had to be grossly underestimated. At some point, the fire marshal did intervene, shutting down the park. You could see the crowds start stacking up outside the gates, filing up the sidewalks and taking over the streets just to get a taste of the sweet nectar of Dave Matthew’s sound. DMB sold out Piedmont Park by himself a few years back. A free show with Sting in a much smaller expanse was a recipe for disaster.

After much anticipation, Dave Matthews and company took the stage at 8pm. Dave entered the stage flailing about making crazy faces. He owns one of the most expressive faces in music almost like his facial contortions are the only way the notes will get out. The band’s set started with “Don’t Drink the Water.” The seven-man ensemble sounded fluid and tight as they found their way into the groove.

The band seemed to be using the Centennial Park show as a warm-up for the massive 47-date summer trek that kicks off at the end of the month. They are set to tour on their 2012 release Away From the World which got its fair share of love in the setlist. They confirmed their reputation as one of the premiere jam bands by stretching songs to their limits as Dave spent time dueling with violinist Boyd Tinsley and sharing the beat with drummer Carter Beauford.

DMB sampled tracks across their extensive album catalog for the Centennial Park set ensuring their was a little something for everyone. Matthews even started playing “Message in a Bottle” as a tribute to Sting before he broke off and set sail into “Crush.” The crowd was loving every minute of their set framed against the lights of the beautiful Atlanta skyline.

Atlanta, GA Setlist : April 7, 2013
Don’t Drink the Water
Funny the Way It Is
Seven
Rooftop
Crush
Eh Hee
Belly Belly Nice
Jimi Thing
Cornbread
Mercy
Shake Me Like a Monkey
Gaucho
Why I Am
#41
What Would You Say
Pantala Naga Pampa
Rapunzel
Encore
Two Step

Read the full article HERE.