Dave Matthews Band: A Look Back

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre Friday night, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE /HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre Friday night, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

DAVE MATTHEWS looks out over the crowd as he and his band jammed at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford. Stefan Lessard on bass is behind him.  (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

Many of the concertgoers heading to Friday night’s performance by the Dave Matthews Band were prepared for wet and muddy conditions, as a steady rain greeted them in the parking lots surrounding the Comcast Theatre. Friday was the first of the band’s annual two-night concert series in Hartford.  (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

Hartford police direct traffic on Weston Street in Hartford as concertgoers head to the Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre Friday night, the first of an annual two-night concert series.  (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

Dave Matthews does a little jig during his band’s concert at the Comcast Theatre Friday night, the first of an annual two-night concert series in Hartford.   (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

Dave Matthews belts out a tune as a large projection screen behind him captures his actions at the Comcast Theatre Friday night, the first of an annual two-night concert series in Hartford. Stefan Lessard on bass plays in the background.  (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)

Are people really still talking about: Dave Matthews? This guy has been around FOR-EVER. According to a knowledgable friend the only people still listening to him are “white males, aged 27-32, who were exposed to DMB at a college frat party in the late ‘90s, and kissed a girl after drinking 9 cans of Keystone Light, at which point she said, ‘I like this song.’ Said song was DMB’s ‘Crash Into Me.’” Very illuminating! Well, if you fall into that category you can buy the CD and DVD of the singer in concert at Radio City Music Hall. (Tuesday).  (Tim Larsen / AP)

Dave Matthews:

Yes, there was that nasty sewage-dumping incident involving one of the singer’s tour buses, but Matthews and his band mates plant trees, give away bikes to reduce vehicle emissions and support global warming relief and other similarly minded causes.  (Tim Larsen / AP)

Kakhi pant wearing college boys sporting puca shell necklaces and white hats REJOICE! It is Dave Matthews’ birthday today! We’ll celebrate by getting under the table and dreaming.  (Photo by Gary Knapp/Getty Images)

Dave Matthews performs during the first of two shows at the Dodge Music Center in 2007.  (TIA ANN CHAPMAN/ THE HARTFORD COURANT)

Dave Matthews has a close encounter with the audience.  (KEN HIVELY / LAT)

The Dave Matthews Band at the Comcast Theatre, the first of an annual two night concert series in Hartford.  (JOHN WOIKE / HARTFORD COURANT)