Could I Have Been Anyone Other Than Me - 25 Years of the Dave Matthews Band

It all began in 1990 at a bar in Charlottesville called Miller's. This bartender / musician / actor named Dave met a few other musicians.

Twenty-five years and over 2500 official band shows, imagine if Dave, Carter, Stefan, Boyd, and LeRoi had never met. Be it their unique sound, their infamous jams, or Dave’s funny stories, the band continues to draw their legions of fans and amass more young fans.

No one ever thinks the band they followed around in high school or college might still be touring and selling out arenas and stadiums when they are adults. Many of us grew up with the Dave Matthews Band. We remember when we heard that first drum hit of Ants Go Marching, heard Dave’s crazy guitar on What Would You Say (WHO PLAYS GUITAR LIKE DAVE??). And we all remember the first time we heard a 15 minute Two Step jam at our first DMB concert.

Even when the band lost LeRoi Moore in 2008, they marched on. It isn’t often that a band made of so many can say it had its original members for so long. Side projects, solo projects, and even stepping up to help put on Farm Aid each year, the band has simple dealt with things that weaken others. 

May 7th was the official kick off for the DMB 25th anniversary. In 1991, we were more apt to jam out in our cut offs and tee's and drink beer in the parking lot before the multi-hour jam adventure in stadiums. Now, we sip our Dreaming Tree wine in amphitheater fields and reminisce under starry skies in Central Park while Dave and Tim Reynolds offer us teasers of Stairway to Heaven during All Along the Watchtower, and Boyd Tinsley weaves us a solo to remember in Lie in Our Graves. 

Twenty-five years of memories shaped by those neverending jams that seem to be seamless and rehearsed to perfection. Thank you Dave, Carter, Stefan, LeRoi, Boyd, Rim, Rashawn, Jeff, Peter, and Butch for creating a soundtrack and for growing up together with us.

I am who I am who I am well who am I
Requesting some enlightenment
Could I have been anyone other than me
And then I'll

Sing and dance
I'll play for you tonight