DMB Show Number 1 million….I think.

There is some much to pick from to write about, from the New York Knicks (oh dear…….poor Knicks), to still buzzing about Liverpool winning the Premier League, to Paris St. Germain dominating Inter Milan in the Champions League Final. But, I wanted to give a view of the Dave Matthews Band concert that Sarah and I attended last week at the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater (affectionately called, the Amp).

I really don’t remember how many times I’ve seen the Dave Matthews Band. From the moment I was introduced to their music back in the early 90’s, I was in love. My favorite shows are from my days living in Albany and going to see them at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). There were and continue to be some epic shows there. Every show is unique because the set list changes every show which keeps fans on their toes. The show at the Amp was no exception and just a fun overall and unique show and setlist.

The show started off with a 10 1/2 minute version of Warehouse, followed by Pantala Naga Pampa, which is usually followed by Rapunzel. But the band through everyone into a stir when the instead merged seamlessly into Lie in Our Graves. Ironically, Rapunzel followed Lie in Our Graves. The highlight for me was when the broke out Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, which always rocks and gets the crown into a stir. Dancing Nancies which is one of my favorites was the second to last song of the opening set before the band closed out with Granny which is a rare song to close with for the band but great to jam out on and close a set. The encore opened with a new song that Dave Matthews did solo called Peace on Earth. The song speaks for itself. The show ended with Old Dirt Hill (Bring that Beat Back) and Shake Me Like a Monkey.

While I didn’t get to hear the likes of You Never Know, Grey Street (which was scratched from the show based on a setlist that was posted social media), or The Stone, I was happy to share the experience with Sarah. Especially since it was her first DMB show!

Besides the highlight of Sledgehammer as noted earlier, I was able to snap an awesome photo on the right during the show. The Amp is situated on Lake Ontario across from the New York State Fairgrounds and it’s a pretty backdrop.

If you do plan on checking out a show at the AMP, I would recommend getting there early of course. And be prepared to spend a lot and I mean A LOT of money on food and beverages. Average beer cost is about $14.00. Food, depending on what you get is easily in the $18.00 to $20.00 range.

In closing, the Dave Matthews Band did not disappoint and the venue does not disappoint either. Sarah enjoyed her first DMB show and we will no doubt go again if the band comes back through Syracuse.