Dave Matthews, the recently inducted Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend, says he still gets nervous before a gig. Talking backstage at the Wells Fargo Autograph Card exclusive event in Houston, Texas, on Friday night (May 2), Matthews joked about his fear of stepping on stage and bombing. But of course, that was the furthest thing from happening when the songwriter took up his acoustic in front of an intimate audience of a few hundred fans at the White Oak Music Hall over the weekend.
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For the 58-year-old Matthews, perspective is key. So is humor. When asked if playing live shows feels different now versus an earlier time in his decades-long career, the Grammy Award winner says it’s all different.
“It has to feel different,” he tells American Songwriter, waxing philosophical. “Because everything’s different. I look at the world from a different angle. I’m closer to the end than the beginning.”
But while most things are different, not everything changes. Take, for example, Matthews’ solo performance on stage that night. He had the packed crowd eating out of his hands, as per usual. To start the evening, he opened with a cover of Willie Nelson’s reflective country hit, “Don’t You Ever Get Tired (Of Hunting Me)”, and followed it up with one of his own biggest love songs, “Crush”. During that one, the audience sang along with him, word for word. And they kept it up for the third tune, the passionate, “Bartender”.
“Thank you so much for wooping with me,” said Matthews, who played on Friday for just over two hours.
Dave Matthews Has More on His Mind Than Music
Longtime fans of the artist are familiar with his free and funny stage persona. He waves his arms, speaks in silly voices, dances like he’s trying to put out cigarette butts with his feet. He’s sweet and gregarious. On Friday, he also talked about planting trees, the possibility that life on Earth could end, what the moon might think if that happened, and spending the week in New Orleans at Jazz Fest. Of course, he also sang, using his signature intense, elastic voice.
When performing solo, as he did on Friday, Matthews leans into more banter than he would with his full band behind him.
“I don’t plan it,” he says. “But maybe I [can] talk a little more.”
Matthews says he has to captivate while up there—after all, it’s just him. Not that it’s a hard job for the performer at this point. He’s beloved, he has a lengthy repertoire of music, and he’s one of the most successful touring artists ever. Still, though, he doesn’t want to go out there and “suck,” he says.
On Friday, he had his mission clear in mind: mesmerize some longtime fans. So, he played hits. He played deep cuts. He arranged songs in ways that fit him as a solo performer. And then when he got out there in front of the people, he figured out in real-time what would work for the experience.
“Some songs are almost—there’s a couple [songs] that are safety for me,” he says. “Even if they’re not necessarily radio songs, I know I can lean on them. They’ll be enjoyable. The crowd will probably respond.”
Looking at the hundreds of people in attendance on Friday, one thing was clear: they were all enraptured. They knew Matthews’ lyrics line for line, his melodies note for note, his intonations growl for growl. It’s the kind of thing born from decades of mutual appreciation, a feeling that goes both ways.
“I just care about them,” Matthews says of those who’ll spend hard-earned money to buy a ticket to see him. “They put something into it. I have to put something into it, too.”
Featured image by David Loi
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