I just went to see Dave Matthews Band at Toyota Park in Bridgeview Illinois and I have some sick pictures from the show; unbelievable. I will post a slideshow and make the pics available to those interested (keep checking back cuz the ones here are just thumbnail teasers). My seats were awesome.

From a personal perspective the show was pretty solid however I would trade Butch Taylor for Tim Reynolds any day. Don’t get me wrong I like Reynolds, especially in acoustic scenarios like in the Radio City Music Hall gig. But he got lost in this show. Nice but not the strong guitarist like Warren Haynes IMHO. Neither can sub for the jazzy back and forth that I have come to enjoy between Carter and Taylor (long extended bridges in bartender or the latin funk riffs in Step Up come to mind). Bummer.

The show was nicer than the Tinley Park shows sound wise because it was in an open air stadium and the sound at Tinley just flat out sucks. The Tweeter or First Midwest as it is now called is always too loud and the pavilion acts like a tin cavern.

However the performance was a little off.

Nice addition was the cover of Pink Floyd’s Money. They totally botched the “Anyone Seen The Bridge” ramp up to Too Much. Cool YouTube from a different show here. The current version being played can be heard on the latest Live at Piedmont Park triple CD but I swear they dropped a few. I’ll know better when I catch the live recording when it becomes available in about a week or two.

Both Bela Fleck and Rashawn Ross played nicely although Ross looked a little bored (what’s a horn player to do when not blowing the pipes?) Fleck was my favorite addition for the night. He completely rocked.

Here is the setlist courtesy of antsmarching:

The Dreaming Tree ^G1
You Might Die Trying ^G1
Pantala Naga Pampa …> ^G1
Rapunzel ^G1
Crash Into Me ^G1
#27 ^G1
Grey Street ^G1
Money ^G1
So Damn Lucky ^G1
Gravedigger ^G1
Louisiana Bayou ^G1
#41 ^{G2 G1}
Don’t Drink the Water ^{G2 G1}
Corn Bread ^{G2 G1}
Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd ^G1
Everyday ^G1
Anyone Seen the Bridge? …> ^G1
Too Much ^G1
Ants Marching ^{G2 G1}
Encore:
Long Black Veil ^G1
Thank You ^G1

Guests:
^G1 Rashawn Ross
^G2 Bela Fleck

Soundcheck:
Kashmir
Crush (intro – Stefan)
Long Black Veil
Cornbread
Long Black Veil
Long Black Veil
Kashmir (tease)

Don’t forget to check back this week for pictures. Leave a comment if you want notification. -Trip