In 2015, Dave Matthews Band (DMB) announced a fall tour in Europe. It was the first time the band had toured Europe in several years. My husband and I love to travel, so what better excuse to visit Europe than to go there to see one of our favorite bands?
DMB on tour in Europe! We saw 9 shows in 9 cities in 8 different countries! What an adventure!
We attended four DMB shows in 2015 – Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin and Gdansk. What a treat! We enjoyed the shows so much, we decided that if the band did another tour in Europe, we would try to do as many shows possible.
Well, fast forward to 2018. DMB announced a Europe tour that would take place in early spring of 2019. After looking at the tour schedule, we decided that we could pull off 9 shows on the tour!
We just returned home, and I can’t explain how amazing the trip was! During our adventures we visited 9 cities, 8 countries and did 9 DMB shows (plus we threw in a show by The National Reserve who happened to be playing a bar in Stockholm one night when we were there)!
The National Reserve happened to be playing in Stockholm while we were there, so we caught their show too! Thanks Sean Walsh for taking a picture with us!
Keep reading to find out more about the trip, the shows, and the people!
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I KNOW I’M A LITTLE CRAZY, BUT 9 SHOWS????
When our “non-DMB” friends hear us talk about how many times we’ve seen the band, they think we’re crazy. So, when we said we were going to Europe for 18 days to see DMB 9 times, they were ready to have us sent to the loony bin!
Normally, I wouldn’t travel halfway around the world to go see a band that I can see multiple times within a couple hour drive of my house every summer. But after seeing the shows in Europe in 2015, we knew we wanted to go as many times as we could. Why, you ask?
GETTING THE RAIL
If you are a concert goer, you know what “being on the rail” means at a show. You are literally standing against the rail that separates the crowd from the stage.
In the states, it’s really hard to get on the rail at a DMB show. There are a lot of dedicated fans that will go to extremes – including camping out at the venue overnight – to get an up close spot.
Center rail in Oslo, Norway!
While some of the fans at the Europe shows do queue up early, our experience has been that so long as you show up a bit before doors open, you can get on the rail (or 1 or 2 rows back) quite easily. During this past tour we were on the rail 4 out of 5 shows without much of an effort.
THE SMALL VENUES
When DMB plays in the states, they typically play venues that hold 25,000 or so people. Most of the venues in Europe held 5,000 or less people.
Seeing DMB in such a small and intimate setting is something you just can’t get in the states and well worth the trip! The venues are so small, that you can hear the banter among the band members in between songs. It’s an amazing experience!
THE FANS
During our shows in 2015, we met some amazing people in Europe. Those people have since become lifelong friends, and they welcomed us back to Europe with open arms.
The DMB fans in Europe are some of the most passionate and dedicated fans I know. Their love for the band, and their appreciation of the music are off the charts.
We had a fantastic time on this tour hanging out and traveling with a number of them. For a few of the shows, one of our friends drove a group of us around in a van from show to show. While the shows were fantastic, the company we kept in between the shows was even better!
Our DMB “van squad”!
Our general experience at the Europe shows is also that the fans are much quieter and respectful during the shows. During the songs – and particularly quiet songs – the fans don’t talk or yell out. They actually listen to the music.
I MEAN, IT’S EUROPE!
While the pace of our travel was pretty crazy, we did get to see 9 cities in Europe – Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Hamburg, Berlin, Warsaw, Prague and Vienna.
I MET DAVE!
It’s not a guarantee, but the likelihood of “running into” Dave or other members of the band is much greater in Europe. They are tourists just like us, and like to take in the sites in each city. There were several lucky people that had random encounters with Dave and other band members throughout the tour.
My husband and I were lucky enough to meet Buddy Strong (keyboards) and Stefan Lessard (bass), and have a chance to chat with them. We also got a photo op with the man himself – Dave Matthews!
Meeting Stefan Lessard from DMB!
Also met Buddy Strong from DMB!
Oh, and we also met Dave Matthews!
THE SHOWS!
I won’t be able to do a full review of each show, otherwise this post would be way too long! But, I wanted to share some highlights of each show, a picture or two, and the setlist of each show.
AFAS LIVE – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – MARCH 15, 2019
Our first show of the tour featured one of my favorite set lists. Big Eyed Fish into JTR into Minarets! Wow! That’s a 3 song run that you rarely get.
One of my favorite shots from the whole tour was in Amsterdam! Dave Matthews giving it his all!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): That Girl Is You, Louisiana Bayou, #41, What Would You Say, Again and Again, Warehouse, Big Eyed Fish, JTR, Minarets, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Lover Lay Down, Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), Stand Up (For It), Here On Out, Lying In The Hands Of God, Don’t Drink The Water, You & Me, Ants Marching Encore: Some Devil, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel
ROYAL ARENA – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – MARCH 17, 2019
Copenhagen was cold and windy. Like hurricane force winds. The venue – Royal Arena – was not my favorite on the tour, and this show was not my favorite either. The show did feature the premier of Jimi Thing into Fly Like An Eagle, which was fun to hear.
At the Copenhagen show, I started my string of making Jeff Coffin’s Instagram pictures at each show. If you zoom in, you can see me!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): That Girl Is You, Stand Up (For It), Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Again and Again, Satellite, Time Of The Season (The Zombies cover), Louisiana Bayou, Here On Out, Don’t Drink The Water, Grey Street, Can’t Stop, Gravedigger, Jimi Thing, Fly Like An Eagle (Steve Miller Band cover), She, You & Me, Funny The Way It Is, Ants Marching Encore: Save Me, All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover)
Globen Annexet – Stockholm, Sweden – March 19, 2019
By the time we got to show #3, it was clear that DMB was going to play a lot of the fan favorites each night. But, they were also going to throw in one or two gems each show. Stockholm’s gems were Dreamgirl and The Space Between!
Rail again – horn side!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): Do You Remember, Louisiana Bayou, Warehouse, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Minarets, Lover Lay Down, Stand Up (For It), Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), Here On Out, #41, She, You Might Die Trying, Dreamgirl, Jimi Thing, Fly Like An Eagle (Steve Miller Band cover), Don’t Drink The Water, Everyday, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel Encore: The Space Between, All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover)o
OSLO SPEKTRUM – OSLO, NORWAY – MARCH 20, 2019
Our first back to back nights on the tour. We barely had enough time to take the train from Stockholm to Oslo, check into the hotel, and get dinner. Since we didn’t have time for sightseeing, we decided to head to the venue a little earlier than usual. SCORE! Rail front and center right below Dave!
The view of the show doesn’t get any better than this!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): What Would You Say, So Much To Say, That Girl Is You, Don’t Drink The Water, Do You Remember, Crush, Seek Up, So Right, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), Here On Out, Louisiana Bayou, Cornbread, The Space Between, Jimi Thing, Fly Like An Eagle (Steve Miller Band cover), She, Ants Marching Encore: Crash Into Me, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel
MEHR THEATRE – HAMBURG, GERMANY – MARCH 22, 2019
At the Hamburg show, DMB gave the fans yet another surprise – Kill The Preacher. Rarely played and highly chased by a lot of fans, the dedicated German crowd loved every minute of it!
Dave being Dave in Hamburg!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): Warehouse, What Would You Say, That Girl Is You, Seven, #41, Again and Again, Stand Up (For It), Time Of The Season (The Zombies cover), Don’t Drink The Water, Here On Out, Kill The Preacher, Why I Am, Lying In The Hands of God, So Much To Say, Can’t Stop, Gravedigger, Grey Street, You & Me, All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover) Encore: Some Devil, Ants Marching
TEMPODROM – BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 22, 2019
The second of two straight nights in Germany was in a really great venue. We had a great view again and DMB debuted Recently and Say Goodbye during the show.
DMB playing for the German fans in Berlin!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): Too Much, Louisiana Bayou, Satellite, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Crush, Recently, Stand Up (For It), What Would You Say, Funny The Way It Is, Say Goodbye, Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), Here On Out, Jimi Thing, Fly Like An Eagle (Steve Miller Band cover), She, Crash Into Me, Don’t Drink The Water, Everyday, Ants Marching Encore: Save Me, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel
COS TORWAR – WARSAW, POLAND – MARCH 25, 2019
The venue in Warsaw made me feel like I was in a high school gymnasium. But, DMB put on one of my favorite shows of the tour! Maybe it was the fact that I was still riding high from meeting some of the band earlier that day. Or maybe it was the fact that I finally got my favorite – Granny!
The set list right off the sound board!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): What Would You Say, Warehouse, That Girl Is You, Crush, Stand Up (For It), Do You Remember, You Might Die Trying, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Lying In The Hands of God, Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), Here On Out, Don’t Drink The Water, Jimi Thing, Fly Like An Eagle (Steve Miller Band cover), Can’t Stop, Gravedigger, Granny, Ants Marching Encore: The Space Between, All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover)
FORUM KARLIN – PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC – MARCH 27, 2019
Our tour was winding down and we were starting to get a little tired. But, DMB pulled out some fantastic versions of a couple of their best jam songs. And, we got the tour debut of Sister. Before singing it, Dave told a cute story about his twin daughters sitting in the back seat of his car holding hands at the time he was writing the song. So sweet!
I streamed the whole Prague show on FB Live, so I have no pictures of the show. But this picture after the show with our friend Michal is the perfect image of the friendships we shared on this tour!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): That Girl Is You, What Would You Say, Satellite, Seven, Crush, Again and Again, Don’t Drink The Water, Seek Up, Here On Out, Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Time Of The Season (The Zombies cover), Stand Up (For It), Jimi Thing, Fly Like An Eagle (Steve Miller Band cover), She, Everyday, Ants Marching Encore: Sister, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel
WIENER STADTHALLE – VIENNA, AUSTRIA – MARCH 28, 2019
Last but not least – Vienna! We had the chance to get on the rail one last time, so we did it. I did very little live streaming and took very few pictures. I just wanted to soak in the last show and the whole experience. DMB shocked the crowd when the second song was Anyone Seen The Bridge. The last show was one of my favorites!
I had to wrap up my Europe tour with the best view of me in Jeff Coffin’s Instagram post yet!
Set List (click on any link to purchase the song directly on Amazon): So Much To Say, Anyone Seen The Bridge, Too Much, Do You Remember, Crash Into Me, Louisiana Bayou, Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), One Sweet World, Save Me, Lying In The Hands Of God, Stay (Wasting Time), Here On Out, #41, Grey Street, You & Me, Cornbread, Gravedigger, You Might Die Trying, All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover) Encore: Sister, Don’t Drink The Water
So, that’s a wrap! Honestly, this was one of the best adventures and most amazing 2 1/2 weeks I’ve had in my life. When is the next Europe tour DMB???
Did you catch any DMB shows in Europe? What did you think? Share your stories with us and let us know what you think by commenting below or e-mailing me at tips2livebywriter@gmail.com.
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