Dave Matthews Band closing its '04 summer tour in Utah

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Sep 3, 2004 by Pat Reavy Deseret Morning News

It could be a double dose of music and politics at the USANA Amphitheatre Wednesday night.

The Dave Matthews Band is making the rounds with yet another tour. But this year, Matthews has also been busy doing what he can to get President Bush out of office.

DMB recently agreed to take part in the Vote For Change Tour organized by Americans Coming Together and MoveOn PAC.

More than 20 acts including DMB, Pearl Jam, REM, Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks are taking part in at least one of the tour's 34 shows. Proceeds will go to ACT, which vows on its Web site to "derail the right-wing Republican agenda by defeating George W. Bush."

"A vote for change is a vote for a stronger, safer, healthier America. A vote for Bush is a vote for a divided, unstable, paranoid America. It is our duty to this beautiful land to let our voices be heard. That's the reason for the tour. That's why I'm doing it," Matthews said in a statement after the tour was announced in August.

The shows will be held in nine states considered to be pivotal swing states in the upcoming election.

The Dave Matthews show at USANA is not part of the Vote For Change Tour. In fact, Wednesday's show is the last one of the band's 2004 summer tour that began in June.

That's not to say that after Wednesday the band will be done playing for the year. Just four days later DMB will be hosting a free concert at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park Polo Fields. Matthews will then go it alone at the annual Farm Aid fund-raiser on Sept. 18. Then in October the entire band will play about a half-dozen shows for Vote For Change.

Similar to bands such as Pearl Jam, the Dead or Phish, the Dave Matthews Band has developed a strong following of die-hard fans who hit the road with them each summer, thanks in part to extended jam sessions during their concerts and unpredictable set lists.

Most recently the band's bus driver has been the one making headlines. The driver could face criminal charges for allegedly dumping 80 to 100 gallons of liquid human waste off a Chicago bridge and onto a river boat tour group below.

Jason Mraz and his acoustic guitar will open the show. Mraz is somewhat of a newcomer with only one major-label album on his resume so far (excluding a recently released live album), even though it was released in 2002.

Mraz, a former musical theater student in New York, started down his path to be a touring musician after seeing a psychic in Central Park.

If you go. . .

What: Dave Matthews Band and Jason Mraz

Where: USANA Amphitheatre

When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.

How much: $38 to $56

Phone: 467-8499 or 1-800-888-8499

Web: www.smithstix.com

E-mail: preavy@desnews.com