Dave Matthews

It sucks to like an artist before he gets big. But it sucks even more to like an artist before he gets big, commercialized, uncreative and loathefully attractive to throngs of pre-teen girls. Yes, Dave Matthews has a great voice. Yes he has a great band. And damnit, he was once able to pen inspired pop songs. But rather than evolving into an artist you love to follow, Dave has evolved into a frat-house circus monkey you love to hate. Essentially, he and his band hit their zenith in 1994 with Under the Table and Dreaming and its been downhill since. The cheesy videos. The collaboration with Santana. The attack on the bootleg industry. The guy's become a loser. While 2002's Busted Stuff was a slight improvement over his most recent efforts, the NATN editorial team doesn't hold much hope of him ever returning to our favor.

Interviews

Day By Day
March 4, 2001
NATN has been pretty hard on the recent recorded output of the Dave Matthews Band. Now, the group’s leader speaks out about the new album, Everyday, and the continuing evolution of the DMB sound.

Concert reviews

January 20, 1999
Eisenhower Theater, West Point, N.Y.
Perhaps sometimes it's better to check your expectations at the door.