Customer Reviews

Live at Folsom Field - Boulder, Colorado

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Another year, another live Dave Matthews Band CD. I like his many of his live albums better then the studio albums, and was extremely excited about this release. I saw the set list and felt that it was very strong, although there is a tad too much "Everyday" material, an album I felt that wasn't up to regular DMB standards. Nonetheless, I was ready for another smashing success.

Let me start with this then: "Live at Folsom Field" DOES NOT DISSAPPOINT. Every track is good, and many are spectacular.

CLASSIC DMB MATERIAL("Under the Table and Dreaming" to "Live in Chicago" and everything in between): "Don't Drink the Water" has a very high energy level and Dave is screaming throghout much of the song. Definetly a promosing start to the CD.

There's another version of "Crash" on the CD, and it isn't any better or worse then any other version of the song. "Dixie Chicken" ending is present!

A great "Warehouse" graces the second set and it is excellent, although not as good as the "Live at Red Rocks" version. Dave seems to be having fun with the vocals and there is some nice violin work.

"Recently" is nice and tight. Very soft and care-free, just the way this song should be played. Dave's voice is very soft and pleasant. The best version of this classic track.

"What Would You Say" is sub-par and the studio version is much better. A little to lazy. Still, it's not terrible and is worth a listen.

"All Along the Watchtower" Another version of this Dylan classic? Yes, but this time it doesnt close the show. A little different placement in the setlist is nice and Dave hits a electric guitar solo in this version! Almost worth the price of admission alone. But I still miss Tim Reynolds...

The encore of "Two Step" and "Ants Marching" is fabulous, especially "Two Step". Dave messes around with some of the words at the beginning and adds it adds a nice twist.

NEWER DMB MATERIAL ("Everyday" and "Busted Stuff"): All of the "Everyday" songs are good, with "Everyday" highlighting. A long nine minute version of the best song from the album. A lot of vocals between Dave and the Lovley Ladies.

"The Space Between" is decent, but sounds much too much like the studio version: no solos or variations. Just stick with the studio version.

The "Big-Eyed Fish" into "Bartender" is very good: its hard to mess up such a great a song as "Bartender" though.

Everything else from "Busted Sutff" is pretty standard, and "JTR" makes its first "official" DMB appearance.

Although "Live at Folsom Field" is really dynamite, there are a few problems. Firstly, the crowd is much too loud and prominent at times. I'd rather hear Dave then some fans yelling his name, thank you. Also, there should definetly be an Intro track before "Don't Drink the Water" because there is about 2 minutes of crowd noises that you have to wait through to get to the song itself.

Other then those few complaints, this is another great Live album from Dave Matthews and company.

This is DMB's 4th 'official' live release, from a July 2001 concert in Boulder, Colorado. DMB was touring behind the then recently released "Everyday" album.

"Live at Folsom Field" (2 CDs, 21 tracks, 151 min.) starts off on CD1 (73 min.) with the excellent "Don't Drink the Water" and then delves straight into the newer songs, including "JTR" from the Lilywhite sessions, and making its first appearance on a DMB release. If you don't like the "Everyday" album, it's gonna be a long night, as 8 tracks from that album are featured, including among others "When the World Ends", "So Right", and the fab title track, here in a 9 min. workout, with some great crowd singalong. CD1 also has an excellent "Bartender" and "Big Eyed Fish" (eventually released on "Busted Stuff"). After all the new songs in the first half of the show, CD2 (78 min.) returns DMB to mostly more familair terrain, including a nice "Recently", "Warehouse" (another crowd-pleaser and singalong), the ever-trusty Dylan cover "All Along the Watchtower", and the one-two punch of "Two Step" and "Ants Marching" as the encore.

This is a pleasant live album, no question, but otherwise really not all that remarkable. In my opinion other DMB live releases like "Live at Red Rocks", "Central Park" and even the most recent "The Gorge" are a better choice.

A very nice blend of new and old, with stunning reinterpretations of "Warehouse" and "All Along the Watchtower." DMB is not a band to sit back on its laurels, but to keep marching forward with an impressive discography which will one day place it among the greats of rock music. They are the best thing that has happened to the music industry in the past decade, infusing it with new life and showing that you don't need catchy lyrics to sell out a concert or sell records. Great musicianship is never out of style.

DMB really has to be listened to live to fully appreciate the range of their work. Their extended improvisations and heartfelt way of playing reaches back to the glory days of rock music when Zeppelin would stretch out their classic numbers like "Dazed and Confused" into memorable concert pieces. One will never hear "Warehouse" the same way twice. DMB finds new ways to interpret its music, much in the same way Coltrane never rested on "My Favorite Things." Dave Matthews constantly amazes me with the breadth of his musical range, and he has found perfect company in Tinsley, Moore, Beauford and Lessard.

I've been a fan of this band for nearly 10 years...I've seen them come a long way and I've heard their sound evolve with each new album. This live album is an essential album for anyone even remotely interested in the Dave Matthews Band and it provides magical insight into their unique concert atmosphere. There is a reason the Dave Matthews Band has been one of the highest grossing live acts for several years and this album justifies that. Let me briefly compare it to DMB's other live albums: This album is funkier than their "live at Red Rocks" release from 1995, particularly due to the addition of Butch Taylor on keyboards for most of the songs, and Stefan's more confident, prominant bass playing. This album is more upbeat and lively than their "Listener Supported" album, as this one was recorded mid-tour and Listener Supported was recorded near the end of a tour. "Live at Chicago" is a great live album as well, and in many ways very comparative to this one. But, on a personal note, I prefer Butch Taylor on keyboards to Tim Reynolds on electric guitar.
Many people criticize this album for its abundance of "Everyday" material, however, the songs that appear on the "Everyday" album are very different from the versions here. The songs have evolved into typical DMB psuedo-jam songs rather than pop-hits. For example, the version of 'Angel' that opens up disc 2 on this album is 14 minutes long!--how is that at all like the bubble-gum-pop "Everyday" version. "So Right" and the song "Everyday" are also considerably better live than on the studio album as well. Other highlights include a brief (around 4 minutes) 'Recently,' which is a nice contrast to the epic version that appears on the album "Remember Two Things," a very passionate 'Don't Drink the Water,' a funked-out 'What would you say," and the always beautiful 'Crash Into Me.'
The set list of this album is its true strength. Yes, there are a bunch of songs from the "Everyday" album, but there are also songs from every single other DMB album as well. Dave Matthews and company have finally released the perfect live album, and its the next best thing to catching them in concert.

I must be biased, I was there. Sitting 15 rows back from the stage, I took in this music first hand. Of course I was going to like the CD. I have over 100 live shows recorded by fans like me with Daves permission. Few in my memory (w/ the exception of the shows he did unplugged w/ Tim Reynolds) come even close to this show. Well maybe Giants Stadium, the third night. But seriously, this cd captures Dave and his bands artistry.
The crowd was definitely pumped up. We knew they were recording us and every five seconds a camera would swoop over our heads. The cheers were more for the camera sometimes than the music. But something special happened when the the band got to Angel, something magical. You could see the crowd change, all of a sudden people really got into the music, we forgot about the cameras and Dave went nuts, Boyd whent crazy, butch started poundin, Stephan started swayin more and the night turned right. it was beautiful music. A great night. And dave whent over by 15 minutes playing 21 songs. Wow, buy this cd!

This is probably my favorite live album to date, and if I had to recommend a live show to someone not familiar with the band it would easily have to be this one or Red Rocks. Some of the staple live songs (Don't Drink the Water is getting a little tiresome, he opened here with Crush and it was a hellva lot better) were there but thankfully it contained a lot of stuff that had not been released yet. Would have loved to hear Grey Street (again) and Grace is Gone (and Pig), but the encore was the best he's done yet. I liked Everyday and enjoyed hearing a lot of the songs from that album as well, even though a lot of fans tend to dog it for its popularity, though I see it as a nice change from what all the longtime fans are used to. I think even non or casual fans could probably buy this and enjoy it for the great concert it is. My only complaint is that the band doesn't release these incredible live albums more often (hell even go overboard like Pearl Jam). I'm eagerly looking forward to next summer's tour.

Some of these earlier "critics" are on drugs! This cd is magical. I didn't purchase it with very high expectations but it sure left me tapping and smiling like a fool. This is a perfect blend of "Red Rocks" (best cd EVER) and "Luther College." It combines the raw power of RR and the softness of LC. Some added lyrics onto amazing "old favorites."

Hey, I'm 56 years old and have seen and heard every rock star in the last 40 years - Elvis, Dylan, Beatles, Stones, Clapton, Allmans, Bruce, et.al. None of them come near these guys as songwriters, musicians or performers (well, maybe Mick is better as a performer). Unfortunately, most good rock music died around 1980 or so. For the last 10 years these guys continue to be the 'best of what's around.'

Buy it -- you'll love it.

Every Dave Matthews Band album is a masterpiece, but their live albums are on a level by themselves. While Live at Folsom Field doesn't surpass classics like Live at Red Rocks, it is definitely better than any other music available today. The energy of songs like Bartender is unbelievable, and much of the setlist is great. The encore is Two Step and Ants Marching for crying out loud! My only complaint is that the mixing is a little off, meaning that you aren't able to hear much of Dave playing guitar most of the time, and you can hear way too much of Butch Taylor on keyboard at times. There is also way too much of the Lovely Ladies on this album, but that's just my personal opinion and I'm sure that a lot of people enjoy them. All in all, this is another exceptional album by the greatest band of our time...and in my opinion, the greatest band ever.

Well, it's not "Red Rocks". But it's better than "Live in Chicago". Overall, the sound is great. Dave is in excellent voice throughout, and he and the band rip through an awesome blend of new and old songs. I am not a big fan of the "Everyday' album, but I must admit that the live versions of these songs are far superior to the album cuts. They have been reworked to include the band more, and the result is pretty astonishing. I love the "Everyday"/"36" jam, and the full power of "So Right" is realized when the band is allowed more creativity. The old DMB staples, including a short but sweet "Recently" and a more energetic "What Would You Say" than I have heard in a while. Also check out "All Along the Watchtower" with Dave on electric guitar. Wow!

Overall, this is a great live album. The set list is a well-chosen mix of DMB past and present. My only regrets are that there are very few songs from Crowded Streets on here and that "Angel' seems a little too long, but otherwise, it's really an amazing show, and the inclusion of "Everyday" songs and rare songs from the infamous "Lillywhites" give the show a fresh, updated feel. And by the way, the shorter "Everyday" songs mean more songs on the CDs. More DMB for the money. Gotta love that! I definitely recommend this album.

I got this the day it was released on Nov. 5. I have to say, it is close to being DMB's best live CD to date. There is something about the thin Colorado air that makes DMB's music sound so complete and beautiful. DMB managed to get in at least two songs from every commercial album---even Busted Stuff. And you can't complain when song's like Warehouse get the crowd to WHOO! between the syncopated drum beats at the beginning. Sure, I'm a little biased being a fan for almost eight years, but really, this album is unique enough from anything you have heard before. Buy it, you will not be disappointed!... P>Disc One: Dont Drink the Water (awesome keyboards by Butch Taylor), JTR, When the World Ends (better than the cut on Everyday), So Right (ditto), Big Eyed Fish, Bartender, What You Are, Crash Into Me, Everyday, I Did It, If I Had It All.

Disc Two: Angel (the lovely ladies rock on this one), Warehouse (the fans go ballistic at the beginning), Recently (with the Some People Do intro), Digging a Ditch, What Would You Say, All Along the Watchtower, The Space Between, Stay (Wasting Time), Two Step, Ants Marching

21 songs. That should last you until they release their next album in another year or so!