Photo © oceanfrog
Dave Matthews Band just announced their annual Summer tour dates — nothing new there — and they’ve got an amazing assortment of opening bands lined up for the trek, including Xavier Rudd, Umphrey’s McGee, The Roots, Pete Yorn, and more…
Say what you will about “jam light,” but you have to admit that Dave Matthews Band has been a force in live music for the last ten years. Every year there is a national tour that usually dwarfs every other bands’ tour that year, and he’s rather consistent in his approach that way. He makes boatloads of money off the live shows and it allows them to really expand their operation to include live CD releases, mini-festivals, etc.
Plus and probably the most important fact, their live shows are amazing (if you’re a fan), even if you’ve seen it all before, too. They can build to a climax with the best of them, even if it’s not improvisational in spirit. They’ve built their following off the live show, even if it is radio-friendly, and their base only continues to grow from there…
Full tour dates after the jump.
With Xavier Rudd
Wed / Aug 1 / Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts / Mansfield, MA
Thu / Aug 2 / Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts / Mansfield, MA
Sat / Aug 4 / New England Dodge Music Center / Hartford, CT
Sun / Aug 5 / New England Dodge Music Center / Hartford, CT
Tue / Aug 7 / Tweeter Center at the Waterfront / Camden, NJ
With Toots & the Maytals
Wed / Aug 8 / Tweeter Center at the Waterfront / Camden, NJ
Fri / Aug 10 / Post Gazette Pavilion at Starlake / Burgettstown, PA
Sat / Aug 11 / Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge / Bristow, VA
Tue / Aug 14 / Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center / Saratoga Springs, NY
Wed / Aug 15 / Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater / Virginia Beach, VA
With Umphrey’s McGee
Fri / Aug 17 / Verizon Wireless Music Center / Noblesville, IN
Sat / Aug 18 / Verizon Wireless Music Center / Noblesville, IN
With Pete Yorn
Mon / Aug 20 / Blossom Music Center / Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Wed / Aug 22 / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH
Thu / Aug 23 / DTE Energy Music Theatre/ Clarkston, MI
With The Roots
Sat / Aug 25 / Alpine Valley Music Theatre / East Troy, WI
Sun / Aug 26 / Alpine Valley Music Theatre / East Troy, WI
With Umphrey’s McGee
Tue / Aug 28 / Verizon Wireless Music Center / Bonner Springs, KS
With Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Fri / Aug 31 / The Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA
Sat / Sep 1 / The Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA
Sun / Sep 2 / The Gorge Amphitheatre / George, WA
Fri / Aug 31 – Sun / Sep 2 Gorge Camping 3-Day Discounted, Non Refundable Pass
Fri / Aug 31 Gorge Camping 3-Day Pass Extra days refundable
Sat / Sep 1 Gorge Camping 2-Day Pass Extra day refundable
Sun / Sep 2 Gorge Camping 1-Day Pass
Fri / Aug 31 – Sun / Sep 2 / Best Western Lake Inn, Moses Lake –
Hotel Room, Double Occupancy, 1 Queen Bed
Fri / Aug 31 – Sun / Sep 2 / Best Western Lake Inn, Moses Lake –
Hotel Room, Quadruple Occupancy, 2 Queen Beds
With The Wailers
Tue / Sep 11 / Stephen C. O’Connell Center / Gainesville, FL
Wed / Sep 12 / Ford Amphitheatre / Tampa, FL
Fri / Sep 14 / Sound Advice Amphitheatre / West Palm Beach, FL
Sat / Sep 15 / Sound Advice Amphitheatre / West Palm Beach, FL
With Robert Earl Keen
Tue / Sep 18 / AllTel Pavilion / Raleigh, NC
Wed / Sep 19 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Charlotte, NC
Fri / Sep 21 / C. W. Mitchell Pavilion / Woodlands, TX
Sat / Sep 22 / Smirnoff Music Centre / Dallas TX
With Stephen Marley
Tue / Sep 25 / Cricket Pavilion / Phoenix, AZ
Wed / Sep 26 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre / Irvine, CA
Fri / Sep 28 / Coors Amphitheatre / Chula Vista, CA
Sat / Sep 29 / Shoreline Amphitheatre / Mountain View, CA
Mon / Oct 1 / Hollywood Bowl / Hollywood, CA
Tue / Oct 2 / Hollywood Bowl / Hollywood, CA
Umphrey’s McGee and Dave Matthews Band at Deer Creek — I might be persuaded to attend that show myself. It’ll be an epic tour no doubt, so feel free to send us a review if you came away from the show blown away.