Dave Matthews Band

About Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band emerged from Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991, which might seem like an unlikely place to birth one of the biggest touring acts in America. But South African-born Dave Matthews was tending bar there when he recruited a group of local jazz musicians to help him demo some songs. That lineup—Carter Beauford on drums, Stefan Lessard on bass, LeRoi Moore on saxophone, and Boyd Tinsley on violin—had serious chops, which is probably why their sound never fit neatly into any particular box.

Their 1994 major label debut "Under the Table and Dreaming" went quintuple platinum, mostly through word of mouth and constant touring. Songs like "What Would You Say" and "Ants Marching" got radio play, but it was "Satellite" that showed their range—Matthews' strained vocal style paired with this jazz-fusion instrumental approach that could expand and contract depending on the night. They weren't grunge, they weren't exactly jam band in the Phish sense, but they pulled from both worlds.

1996's "Crash" pushed them into actual pop territory. "Crash Into Me" became unavoidable, showing up on mix CDs and slow-dance playlists everywhere despite its somewhat questionable narrator. "Too Much" had that propulsive funk element that became a signature. Producer Steve Lillywhite helped them tighten things up without losing the improvisational feel that made their live shows a draw. The album moved 7 million copies.

"Before These Crowded Streets" in 1998 was darker and more ambitious. Alanis Morissette showed up on "Spoon," and "Stay (Wasting Time)" proved they could still do catchy when they wanted to. By this point they'd built this devoted following that would see them multiple times per tour, chasing different setlists and extended jams. The live album market basically existed for bands like this.

They stumbled a bit in the early 2000s. "Everyday," produced by Glen Ballard, went too pop and alienated some fans. But "The Space Between" was inescapable, so commercially it worked. They course-corrected with heavier, messier albums, though nothing quite recaptured that mid-90s momentum.

Tragedy hit in 2008 when saxophonist LeRoi Moore died from injuries sustained in an ATV accident. Rashawn Ross and Jeff Coffin eventually filled out the horn section. Boyd Tinsley left the band in 2018 amid sexual misconduct allegations.

These days Dave Matthews Band is an institution. They still tour extensively, still draw massive crowds, still release albums that chart respectably. Their 2023 album "Walk Around the Moon" debuted in the top 10. They've become something like the Grateful Dead for a generation that wore Birkenstocks to business school—a reliable constant in an industry that doesn't really do reliable constants anymore. Their fans remain intensely loyal, even if the broader culture stopped paying attention somewhere around 2003.

Their shows are technically precise but loose—songs sprawl in unexpected directions. Crowds go from seated contemplation to dancing depending on the song. There's a college-radio earnestness to the audience. You'll hear people who know every note and people who just came for Crash Into Me.

Known for Crash Into Me, Ants Marching, Stay (Wasting Time), The Space Between, Satellite

See Dave Matthews Band Live