The Best of What's Around

In January of 1993, back when I still believed that I’d be married with 4 kids by the time I was 32, I went with some friends to see a band I’d never heard of – the Dave Matthews Band.  It was a Tuesday night, we were in college and it was just $5 to get in.   By the time the show was over, I was in love – not with the band, but with the bass player, Stefan.  I went back the next Tuesday night, and started to listen to the music.  And realized I loved it, too.  By the end of 1993, my friends and I had seen them almost every single Tuesday night they were in town, and had driven across the state to see them when they weren’t in town. 

We had our usual spot in the front row, right in front of Boyd, the violinist, so while we never actually had any extended conversations with the band, they all knew who we were.  When their first album was released that fall, we went to the CD release party, and the autographed poster from that night (signed with funny things from Dave and a sweet comment from Carter after I told him I’d always wanted to play the drums) is hanging in my office at work today. 

I’ve only seen them about 8 times since 1995, but every time fills me with absolute joy.  I loved the time in my life when they were so important to me, and when I’m at a show, I can close my eyes, hear the music, feel the bass deep in my chest - and for a moment I can experience that same happiness and innocence I had back then. 

They were in my town this week, and Ali and I had tickets – the best tickets I’ve had since 1995!  The seats weren’t fabulous, but I could actually see their faces, and could imagine that they saw me and said to each other after the show, “Did you see that one of our favorite fans from our early days was at the show tonight?” Or more likely, “That stalker girl from Charlottesville is back, did you see her?”  Of course they didn’t play all my favorite songs, but they did play “Lover Lay Down” and “Jimi Thing” so I was happy.  And Branford Marsalis was with them for part of the show, which was so cool!

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve realized that I’m not as recovered from my miscarriage as I thought I was, and in many ways I’ve been an emotional hot mess.  My evening with Dave was wonderful therapy – I just wish I could follow them around for a few more shows.    

When I step into the light

My arms are open wide

When I step into the light

My eyes searching wildly

Would you not like to be

Sitting on top of the world with

Your legs hanging free

Would you not like to be ok?

When I'm walking by the water

Splish splash me and you takin a bath

When I'm walking by the water

Come up through my toes

To my ankles

To my head

To my soul

And I'm blown away

I can't believe that we would

Lie in our graves

Wondering if we had

Spent our living days well

I can't believe that we would

Lie in our graves

Dreaming of things that we

Might have been

-DMB

My goal in life is to not be at the end of it, dreaming of the things I might of been.  Instead, I hope get to the end of my life and be so glad I took the chances and the risks and had lived my life to the fullest.  With DMB providing the soundtrack.