[note: This is the first in a series of regular commentary about DMB from Weekly Davespeak's newest staff member Brandon L. Please take a moment to welcome to our community.]
 “What can we expect this year?” This is the most common question asked before any DMB tour begins. Tour dates are announced, openers are listed, rumors and hints of studio work fly around the community. With Stefan’s journal, you’d figure it would make it easier for us(the fans) to get an idea of what’s going on with the band, but it’s been the complete opposite. With every bit of info that Stefan leaks, it raises more questions and speculations among the fans.
Before every tour there are hopes and wishes of rarities, guest spots, and new songs. With every hope and wish comes a nervous tension, leaning our expectations on how new material will hold up to the old, if Dave’s voice can make it through a single month, or if certain songs we don’t care for will flood setlists.
Positives and negatives swirl this community on a daily basis. Most of it is rooted from the band and what they’ve done, or haven’t done over the past 5 years, but we often forget that it’s our own expectations, hopes, wishes and demands that cause our negativity to overtake our view of this band and what they continue to do.
Sometimes we need to step back and take a look at the bigger picture that not only includes studio material but live performances as well. For every negative viewpoint someone may have, there can easily be a positive one waiting around the corner.
It’s 2006, and what can we expect? An energetic tour? New songs? A few surprises? Who knows what to expect. Maybe that’s the problem. Expectations often cloud enjoyment we could be having during shows and throughout a year.
Rob asked me to write about the current state of the band, but I think we already know the current state. I think we need to work on OUR(the fans) current state. DMB have proven time and time again that they do what they love. They show no signs of slowing down, so they’ll be out there in 2006, and in 2007, and in 2008 playing the music that we fell in love with, and along the way there may be a few letdowns but there will also be some hints of perfection from this band that we all search for in the studio and on the stage.
So, from one fan to another, the best I can tell you is that the single greatest expectation you could have that will undoubtedly be fulfilled is to go to a show and expect to see Carter smile, look for Dave to do some silly dance, watch Roi smoothly run through a solo, get caught up in the moment of Boyd pumping up the crowd. Just go and have fun, but be safe and courteous as well, and enjoy every moment you have witnessing Dave Matthews Band this year.
Trusted Stuff is a regular column on Dave Matthews Band written by Brandon L. You can share your thoughts and questions about this peice in the comment thread below.
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