Givin' me, givin' me the shivers

The Dave Matthews Band setlist tonight, for their concert at the Woodlands:

1. Pantala Naga Pampa/Rapunzel. (Best opening song(s) ever. And "Rapunzel" was actually played at a tempo somewhat near the studio version, as opposed to the lethargic drone of the Listener Supported take.)
2. Everyday.
3. Cornbread. (A new song, previously heard on the Dave and Tim Radio City set. It works much, much better in a full-band context.)
4. You Might Die Trying. (About thirty times better than the tepid studio version.)
5. Eh Hee. (Repeat everything I said about "Cornbread.")
6. You Never Know.
7. Dancing Nancies. (Hey, they played Steve's song. Is it churlish to be disappointed they didn't play mine?)
8. Anyone Seen the Bridge/Too Much. ("Bridge" is usually the, um, bridge between "So Much to Say" and "Too Much." It sounds weird without the first song, but it still works, especially with the hilarious stop-time intro.)
9. Bartender. (They brought out Robert Earle Keane's banjo player to assist them on this song, and he promptly blew the band off the stage with a solo that lasted about nine minutes. That's how it's done.)
10. Grey Street. (I'm pretty sure they cut out a verse. But hey -- it's "Grey Street.")
11. Fool to Think. (Ick. Every silver lining has a dark cloud, huh? Hey, at least it wasn't "Sleep to Dream Her." And it gave me a chance to sit down.)
12. The Dreaming Tree. (Holy shit!)
13. What Would You Say?
14. Louisiana Bayou. (The transformation this song undergoes from the bouncy studio version to the ferocious beast it becomes live is truly astounding.)
15. Ants Marching. (Complete with the awesome extended intro.)
16. Encore: Two Step. (Well, if your encore is only going to be one song, you might as well make it thirteen minutes long.)

The setlist looks short on paper, but don't be fooled -- they played for a legit three full hours. Rather than putting two or three "jammy" songs, as per usual, every song suddenly became an excuse for virtuosity.

Leroi Moore seemed a little out of it, but guest trumpeter (trumpetist?) Rawshawn Ross made up for that with his stylish blare. And the showy solos never became lost and boring -- even when they extended beyond the realm of sanity, they remained captivating and compelling. (They also provided welcome distraction from the couple behind me engaged in a solid bit of Relationship Drama. Apparently, he wasn't cheating on her, he just wasn't -- he'd never do that, he doesn't know what she's being so paranoid about. Hey, people, I realize that conversation is an important one in the life of your fun-but-doomed relationship, but why do you have to have it during "Bartender"?)

And guess what, kids? Dave can still sing. And you probably didn't know this, but Carter? He can play the drums a little bit.

But seriously -- what do I have to do to get you to play "Warehouse"?