Lone Dave: Say it ain't solo
Nancies.org is reporting that the long-rumored Dave Matthews-as-solo-act is taking its first step: Dave is planning a solo tour.
According to Nancies, numerous college students have indicated that promoters have gotten in touch with their schools in an attempt to book Dave Matthews in March or April. The price, according to nancies, is around $50,000, and management declines to confirm the reports.
Vintage Dave
Some stars pimp a beverage for financial gain Britney Spears goes ba-ba-ba-ba for Pepsi, Sammy Hagar pushes a brand of tequila. For Dave Matthews, that product is wine, but like almost no other item in the "Dave for sale" inventory, you won't find his name on it, nor will it appear as an item in the band's website store.
"None of the Blenheim wines will be marketed as Dave Matthews signature wines," says Brad McCarthy, managing partner of the newly created Blenheim Vineyards. "Blenheim won't be represented as the Dave Matthews winery."
But news of the product four of six vintages are already available at Feast! in the expanding Main Street Market has spread quickly, thanks to features in this newspaper and on various DMB-devoted websites. Fans are clearly clamoring for the available vintages.
McCarthy says the 2001 wines three Chardonnays, a Merlot, and a Meritage will be available soon at most area wine stores and across the state. Laws prevent McCarthy from shipping the product across state lines, so fans of the Matthews-sponsored wine will have to visit Virginia or have friends deliver.
Matthews' fondness for wine is well documented, as is his susceptibility to the allure of alcohol. But according to his most recent Rolling Stone interview, he's all but given up the hops for the grapes. While Matthews is famed for his employment as a bartender (and customer) of Miller's and is a frequent patron of the C&O Restaurant, marriage and parenthood have apparently changed his wayward drinking habits.
"To me the Dave Matthews Band was all about the life of drinking," DMB bassist Stefan Lessard told the magazine in its August 8 issue. "Coming back drunk from the bar that's what we were all striving for."
Matthews admits as much, claiming he was always a "joyful drunk" and "much more charming" when inebriated. But the disheveled Lillywhite Sessions marked a turning point, he says. Matthews, according to the Stone article, has stopped drinking at least to excess. "I like the way wine tastes," he says. "I'm not going to do anything too rash."
Investing in a winery? Too rash? Nah. See you at the C&O, Dave.
On the road again
Only a few months after the end of the 2001 tour, DMB announced winter tour dates to begin in Tampa, Florida, on December 10 and wind up at Washington, D.C.'s MCI Center on December 22. For more information, visit the band's official website, dmband.com.
For the record
Dave will appear as one of many artists honoring Elvis Presley on NBC's Elvis Lives, an hour-long special paying tribute to Presley as part of the 25th anniversary of his death. The show is set to air Thursday, November 28, at 10pm, according to the network. Chris Isaak hosts.
DavAIDS
American by birth, South African by circumstance, Virginian by choice, resident of Seattle by virtue of his wife's career studies, Matthews continues to contribute his considerable talent to worthy causes around the world. Matthews will appear via satellite from his (temporary) home in Seattle for the World AIDS Day concert special, while co-star Alicia Keys takes the stage in Cape Town. Scheduled for broadcast on MTV and across the country on the Westwood One radio network on December 1, Matthews' portion was to be pre-recorded at the Experience Music Project concert in Seattle and spliced into the show.
Matthews media
From Rolling Stone on down, DMB continues to drift from cover to cover. The graphic accompanying this column shows the extent of the band's exposure– from the cover of Plan 9's magazine to Guitar World's spin-off, Acoustic Guitar. Meanwhile DMB news continues to provide fodder for national entertainment magazines and TV shows:
In Entertainment Weekly, Dave Matthews is rated No. 34 in the magazine's list of the "101 Most Powerful People in Entertainment." All those listed are portrayed as famous comic book characters Dave is Marvel Comics' Silver Surfer:
"Why him? He's grossed $100 million in concert revenues since the beginning of 2001. Released two multi-platinum albums Everyday and Busted Stuff in the space of a year and a half. Matthews co-owns ATO Records, which spawned a film division, ATO Pictures. Its first production, Amandla! (a documentary about South African musicians), won two awards at [the] Sundance [Film Festival]."
From Rolling Stone: DMB's Under The Table and Dreaming and Crash were voted No. 71 and No. 54, respectively, by voters in the magazine's Top 100 Albums.
From VH-1: Matthews is ranked No. 88 on the channel's poll of the 100 sexiest artists.