It’s hard to believe a band that is so universal is still incredibly down to Earth and DMB’s humble beginnings attest to their genuine nature. A shy bartender based out of Charlottesville, VA, South African born Dave Matthews was encouraged to throw down a few tracks by regular and lawyer Ross Hoffman. Following new found comfort in the studio, Dave Matthews approached drummer Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. According to Dave “The first time we played together…we were awful. Not just kind of bad, I mean heinously bad. We tried a couple of different songs and they were all terrible…Sometimes it amazes me that we ever had a second rehearsal.”

Eventually, the trio realized that in order to have full bodied sound, they would have to have a full bodied band as well. Soon after, 16 year old Stefan Lessard, a junior bassist, joined the ground under temporary pretenses- once the trio liked what they heard Stefan became a bona fide member of Dave Matthews Band. Acting as a four peice, the band rehearsed at a local bar- Peter Griesar was a bartender then and heard their jam. He dug it so much that he pulled out his harmonica and started to play, soon after, Griesar joined the band as their first keyboardist. The last member to join the crew was Boyd Tinsley – a violinist who, according to Matthews-…”completely solidified the band, gave it a lot more power.”

DMB’s first public performance was at the Charlottesville Earth Day Festival in 1991, which turned into weekly shows at local clubs like Trax. The band went nameless for a time, considering the label Dumela- when pushed for a name Moore told venues to market them as Dave Matthews- and the name stuck! With rising popularity Griersar sensed that his presense in DMB was no longer needed, so he left the band in 1993.  Check out this 1992 clip from a gig at Trax below.

“Remember Two Things,” DMB’s first album, was released in 1993 under the Bama Rags label and debuted on college charts as the highest independent entry and would later go platinum in 2002. Their next LP “Under the Table and Dreaming” would produce Dave Matthew’s Band’s first mainstream hits- “Satellite,” “Ants Marching” and “What Would You Say”- but it was “Crash,” DMB’s third released that would send fans scrambling for Dave Matthews Band tickets. Tracks like “Crash Into Me”, “So Much To Say” “Too Much” and “Trippin Billies” gave them a household name.

Their third album, “Before These Crowded Streets” featured keyboardist Butch Taylor, the Kronos Quartet, Bela Fleck, Alanis Morissette and Reynolds of Bela Fleck. Debuting at number 1 on Billboard 200 charts, the 1998 release marked a turning point for DMB, with slightly darker material and more political commentary. It was around this time that the Dave Matthews Band tour became a permanent fixture on everyone’s summer schedule- DMB tickets were a yearly expenditure for fans around the country- and still are.

After a brief bout with depression in 2000, Dave Matthews nixed his longtime producer Steve Lillywhite and previous tracks of an unreleased album , “Everyday”, produce by pop guru Glen Ballard was released. Arguably the most mainstream release to date, everyday became an instant success- the upbeat sounds of singles “I Did It,” “Everyday” and “The Space Between” drove a larger audience of radio listeners to Dave Matthews Band concerts, to the dismay of some hardcore DMB fans. Songs like “When the World Ends” kept DMB’s street cred in check, lending a dusky tone to the album.

The drama between Lillywhite and Matthews would surface in 2001 when tracks recorded during Matthews depression leaked onto file sharing systems under the label “The Lillywhite Sessions” – fans heralded the tracks a success and criticized Matthews for scrapping the material in favor of the commercialized “Everyday” in response, DMB returned to the studio to record “Busted Stuff” which put a new spin on “The Lillywhite Sessions,” While only receiving lukewarm reviews from critics, true Dave Matthews Band fans loved the album.

Dave Matthews Band tickets took on new meaning when both Matthews and Reynolds launched a solo acoustic tour around the country in 2003. In turn, Matthews first solo album “Some Devil” won a Grammy Award for the single “Gravedigger” which was followed my a short Dave Matthews tour featuring Trey Anastasio and Reynolds. (for complete information on studio and live albums, check out the DMB Discography page).

DMB’s fifth album, released in 2005, was created in response to “Busted Stuff’s” mediocre reception and the fan consensus that any album after 1998 couldn’t hold a candle to “Before These Crowded Streets.” “Stand Up” debuted at number 1 with singles “American Baby,” Everybody Wake Up” and “Dreamgirl” featuring Julia Roberts in the video.

Dave Matthews tickets were a hot commodity in 2005, especially at the Red Rocks Amphitheater where all proceeds went to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. in 2006 DMB partook in a 1.5 million dollar challenge grant to contribute to the New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village before heading out on their annual DMB tour with the help of Reverb- a NPO that educates people on environmental sustainability through music.

Tragedy and loss would strike DMB in 2008 after a string of charitable events including, Rock for Change supporting, then, presidential candidate Barack Obama, Seeds of Compassion supporting the teaching of the Dalai Lama and the Kokua Festival in support of the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation. As they were gearing up for another DMB Summer Tour, Butch Taylor, longtime keyboardist, announced his departure from the band. When the tour ended, saxophonist LeRoi Moore injured himself in an ATV accident and died after unexpected complications 2 months later. Dave Matthew’s official website states-

“We are deeply saddened that LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon, August 19, 2008, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles from sudden complications stemming from his June ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. LeRoi had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program.”

The band continued the rest of the tour in honor of LeRoi.

DMB’s next album is set to be released mid-april 2009 to compliment the DMB spring tour- and although LeRoi will only be there in spirit, DMB fans around the world are anticipating a great turnout this year. For more information on Dave Matthews Band tickets, check out the DMB ticket page.