Review and live photos from their annual pilgrimage to the Waterfront Music Pavilion
It was another hot midsummer’s night in the shadow of Philadelphia as Dave Matthews Band returned for their typical two-night stand at the Waterfront Music Pavilion. The stop in Camden, New Jersey has been a staple of the band’s annual summer tour for years. This year is no different, with fans flocking to the gates early in hopes of grabbing one of the band’s famous gig posters, and getting a good spot on the lawn.
As the last little bit of sunlight was fading away, Dave and company strolled onto the stage to a standing ovation. The kicked things off with “Fool to Think” from their chart-topping 2001 outing Everyday. It was the first time since 2004 that the group had started a show with that song.
As Dave began to slow strum the opening chords of “Bartender” three songs in, the crowd began to roar louder and louder as they realized what was coming next.
As the show rolled on, the hits kept coming. Throughout the hefty 22-song set, fans were treated to tracks like “So Much to Say,” Too Much,” “When the World Ends,” “Rapunzel,” “Grace Is Gone,” “Everyday,” and others. One can only assume that tomorrow’s crowd will get to hear the likes of “Warehouse,” “Grey Street,” “”Crush,” “#41, “Jimi Thing,” “Granny,” and others.
Another little nugget that the crowd was treated to was a new song called “Walk Around the Moon.” The track has been seeing daylight quite a bit on this tour. Hopefully this means there’s more to come.
The band wrapped things up with the fan favorite, “Don’t Drink the Water.” With the capacity crowd still need more, DMB returned to the stage for a two track encore featuring the coveted “Sister” and the smash hit “Ants Marching” from their debut album Under the Table and Dreaming. Many longstanding fans might consider it the best way to end a Dave Matthews Band show.
No matter the venue, any Dave Matthews Band concert is a momentous occasion. Old friends reunite, folks from online communities link up, and parents bring their kids to introduce them to their favorite band. While this most certainly happens everywhere, there is a little something special about seeing DMB at this pavilion under the Ben Franklin bridge.
Dave Matthews Band return for Night Two tomorrow in Camden, with the rest of their summer jaunt rolling on through September 20.
