Miami Student

Issue date: 11/3/09 Section: Features

While some people may call it excessive, four concerts in one summer still isn't enough to satisfy junior Vince Formica's
passion for the Dave Matthews Band (DMB).

In two years, Formica has been to five Dave Matthews concerts and grown a strong passion for the band.

High school sweethearts

As a senior in high school, Formica checked out DMB's Live Trax vol.6: Fenway Park from his local library at the advice of friends.

"I didn't know any of the songs, so I put one CD in and I let it play through," Formica said. "That CD did not leave my car from April until I left for college."

Although he realizes his love for the band may not be normal when it comes to being an "average" fan, he said he doesn't think it can ever be too much. With more than 1,100 songs from the Dave Matthews Band on his iPod, he claims he has always been able to rediscover something in all that music.

Formica said the band is known for its energetic live performances that often include lengthy, improvised versions of their songs and dynamic solos by each member. Formica and a friend recently drove from Oxford to Chicago to see Dave

perform. The two decided on a whim to make the five-hour trip and returned to Oxford directly after the concert, getting back at 6 a.m.

"They're unique to every show," Formica said. "I went to four shows this summer and every show just blew me away."

Aside from his trip to Chicago, Formica's summer schedule included a trip to Indianapolis for back-to-back nights of DMB at the Verizon Wireless Music Center, as well as the band's performance at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which is close to Formica's hometown of Solon.

Close friend Kelly Bennett went to the show with Formica.

Bennett said she doesn't think it's normal for someone to travel so far for a concert.

"I've never met someone with such a passion for a band," Bennett said. "He'll do anything to see DMB."

Matthews teamed up with country music star Kenny Chesney for the single "I'm Alive" this summer. Although Formica does not refer to himself as a country music fan, he did admit he enjoys the song.

"I like that its kind of slower, the picking behind it, I think it was done really well, and for not being a country fan, I'll listen to it over and over."

Style and swag

With the band's fusion of jazz, funk and rock, Formica said DMB's style transcends nearly every clear-cut musical categorization, which is a large reason for its popularity.

"They're different," Formica said. "They incorporate the violin with Boyd Tinsley, they have horns, trumpets, saxes ... it just makes it sound more unique."

Senior Bryan Hennessey, an engineering management major, said he agrees the diversity within DMB's sound is what makes its music accessible to so many people.

"It's the style of music that I like," Hennessey said. "They can incorporate so many different instruments without focusing solely on one."

The Dave Matthews Band has four members: Carter Beauford on the drums, Stefan Lessard on bass, Boyd Tinsley on the violin and Matthews on the guitar and lead vocals. LeRoi Moore, the popular saxophonist and fifth original band member, died in 2008 due to complications from an ATV accident.

When commenting on the quality of DMB's newest album, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, Formica said he thought the band did Moore proud.

When it comes to Dave Matthews as an individual, his talent isn't his only appeal.

"The reason I like him is because he's very intellectual," said Gwyneth Conaway-Bennison, a senior theatre major, "and his band is made of very, very talented, very devoted musicians. He is an exceptional artist and an exceptional writer, and a really amazing actor and advocator for what he believes in."

Matthews is an avid supporter of charities around the world. He performs benefit concerts for causes such as lung cancer research, music education and to support victims of Hurricane Katrina, according to http://www.davematthewsband.com.

As a musician himself, Formica said he thinks there is a lot to learn from Matthew's music.

"I think Dave as a songwriter and as a guitarist is really complex," Formica said. "If you give me a song I can almost guarantee I can play it. It's kind of sad that my entire repertoire is all Dave, but that's all I'm interested in learning, and if I've learned anything, it's that you don't just stick to your traditional chords. You can explore the sounds of the guitar."

When asked if he has musical aspirations of his own, Formica laughed and shook and his head.

"I can't sing but I would love to play with a band and if anyone's willing to listen, I'll play for them," Formica said.

Although Formica said a musical career isn't in his future, Bennett said he'll be playing in front of someone in the future ? his kids. She said she can see him singing Dave Matthews lullabies.

Dave at Miami

Bennett said Dave Matthews Band has a bandwagon-like mentality at Miami and people want to be a part of the scene.

Hennessey said he agrees the music is definitely popular at Miami, but he think it's not as popular as it was with people three or four years older than current college students. Hennessey said his brother and friends like the band more than him.

Whitney Smith, a senior integrated studies major, said she thinks the band is popular for a reason unrelated to music.

"Miami students like him a lot because he's known for his concerts where you can go smoke pot, as horrible as that may sound, it's realistic," Smith said.

Formica said he isn't a fair weather fan and his passion for Dave isn't going to change.

"The way I see it right now is there's no end in sight," Formica said. "I haven't gone a single day in the last two years without listening to a single Dave song. It's been such a huge part of who I am that I really don't see an end in sight, and I don't want one."

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