July 20, 2008

LeRoi Moore readmitted to UVA hospital
with 'complications' of ATV crash injuries

LeRoi Moore is back in the hospital.

Dave Matthews Band released this brief statement Friday night:

"Last night LeRoi Moore was readmitted to the University of Virginia Health System due to complications stemming from his recent accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with LeRoi and his family."

LeRoi suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs in an ATV crash on his Virginia farm June 30. He was originally admitted in serious condition, upgraded to fair condition the next day, upgraded to good condition July 8 and released from the hospital early last week.

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July 17, 2008

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds to play Farm Aid

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds will perform at Farm Aid 2008.

Farm Aid announced Tuesday that Dave, a Farm Aid board member, would be one of the headliners. Yesterday, Dave Matthews Band announced that it will actually be a Dave and Tim performance.

Farm Aid 2008 is Sept. 20 in Mansfield, Mass. Warehouse members can request tickets through Monday at noon.

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CNN highlights DMB's environmental efforts

Dave Matthews Band's environmental awareness efforts have landed the band on CNN.

The network has produced a segment about DMB's partnership with Reverb, which promotes recycling, carpooling to concerts and more. The video also shows how DMB eats mostly organic food backstage and even uses biodegradable cups made out of corn.

The segment includes footage of DMB playing "Bartender" and "So Damn Lucky" during the July 7 show in Atlanta, as well as interviews with Stefan Lessard and fans.

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July 15, 2008

Farm Aid 2008 coming to Boston area

Farm Aid 2008 will take place Sept. 20 at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass., according to The Boston Globe.

The Globe says Farm Aid board member John Mellencamp will announce the concert at a press conference in Boston this afternoon. He and Farm Aid's three other board members -- Willie Nelson, Neil Young and Dave Matthews -- will headline the show; other acts will be announced later.

It's not clear whether Dave will perform solo, with Tim Reynolds or with the full Dave Matthews Band at Farm Aid 2008. All three incarnations have played at Farm Aid concerts in the past.

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July 14, 2008

Dave Matthews: Band working on 15 songs
for new album, LeRoi's absence 'tough'

Dave Matthews Band has 15 prospective songs for its new album, Dave Matthews tells the Rocky Mountain News in a wide-ranging interview.

Dave describes the songwriting process as very casual, with one band member picking up an instrument and everyone else joining in. Producer Rob Cavallo then picked 15 songs and told the band to refine and record them, which is where DMB left off to start its summer tour. (The band is supposed to go back into the studio in October, but there's been no word if LeRoi Moore's injury will affect that schedule.) Dave said he has been listening to the recorded songs and trying to come up with lyrics during days off from the tour.

On the subject of LeRoi's injury, Dave said the first show without him was "a tough one" and that his absence is a "challenge." Dave didn't say what injuries LeRoi suffered, but he did say "there's the possibility of him being out for a while."

Dave also spoke about Butch Taylor's departure from the band. Dave said, "Butch of his own decision decided he didn't want to be here, wanted to pursue something else in his life. We honor that."

Dave spoke to the Rocky Mountain News in advance of DMB's July 20 performance at the Mile High Music Festival in Denver. The AT&T Blue Room will present a live webcast of the festival.

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Dave Matthews Band's 'Sugar Will' returns

Dave Matthews Band has revived "Sugar Will," a 2004 song that did not make the final cut for the Stand Up album.

DMB played "Sugar Will" on Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. and again Friday in West Palm Beach, Fla. The last time the band had played the song in concert was Oct. 5, 2004.

Several other DMB songs made their returns this week in Florida as well. They included "Drive In, Drive Out" (last played in 2006), "Help Myself" (last played in 2005), and the tour debuts of "Stay" and "The Song That Jane Likes."

The Tampa Tribune has a review of Wednesday's show.

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July 12, 2008

Dave Matthews visits Disney World

Dave Matthews went to Walt Disney World with his family and friends Tuesday.

Tuesday was an off day for Dave Matthews Band, who played Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. and is playing West Palm Beach, Fla. this weekend. Here's a picture of Dave and his daughter Grace, 6 1/2, at the Magic Kingdom, courtesy of Walt Disney World News:

The Celebrity Baby Blog also features a different photo of Dave and Grace.

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July 11, 2008

Dave Matthews gives song for Tibet benefit CD

A Dave Matthews acoustic song will appear on Songs for Tibet, a compilation album to benefit The Art of Peace Foundation.

The news of Dave's inclusion comes via Sting's official Web site, which also lists Sting, John Mayer, Suzanne Vega, Rush and Duncan Sheik as contributors. The Songs for Tibet Web site says that some artists recorded songs specifically for the CD, while others are donating previously recorded songs.

The album will be out Aug. 5, and proceeds will benefit peace projects supported by the Dalai Lama, including several Tibetan cultural initiatives.

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Dave Matthews film 'Lake City' in theaters Nov. 7

Dave Matthews' next film, "Lake City," will be out Nov. 7, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Screen Media Films acquired the film's rights and plans to release it on that date in select cities, including New York and Los Angeles. IMDB.com describes "Lake City" as a "searing Southern drama" about a mother and son who reunite after a tragedy. Dave plays a drug dealer named Red, and the film also stars Sissy Spacek, Rebecca Romijn and Drea De Matteo.

Dave's last film was the Adam Sandler comedy "You Don't Mess with the Zohan."

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July 8, 2008

Dave Matthews Band saves prison art program

Dave Matthews Band is giving $7,000 to its hometown prison for an inmate arts program, according to WVIR-TV.

The grant will ensure that the 3-year-old program at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail continues. More than 160 prisoners have participated in the program, and DMB's grant will help buy supplies and cover the costs of art exhibits.

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LeRoi Moore upgraded to good condition

LeRoi Moore is now hospitalized in good condition, eight days after injuring himself in an ATV accident.

LeRoi was in serious condition immediately after the June 30 accident and was upgraded to fair condition July 1. An AntsMarching.org report last week said LeRoi suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs, but Dave Matthews Band management has not confirmed any specifics of his injuries.

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July 6, 2008

Dave Matthews Band plays Rothbury Festival

Dave Matthews Band headlined the Rothbury Festival last night, playing a nearly three-hour set that relied heavily on '90s classics.

The concert was a live webcast, giving most DMB fans their first chance to see the band in action without LeRoi Moore, who reportedly punctured a lung and broke ribs in a June 30 ATV accident. Replacement sax player Jeff Coffin shined on several solos, including "Grey Street" and "#41," but you can tell he's still learning a lot of the songs. Rashawn Ross was showing him how to play songs during breaks, and Jeff also played with notes on a stand in front of him. A musician of Jeff's caliber will definitely catch on quickly.

Other highlights of the show included a very heavy, rock version of "Eh Hee," a climactic "You Might Die Trying" and great horn work by Jeff and Rashawn on "Gravedigger." Classics included the "Seek Up" opener, "Satellite," "Jimi Thing," "Tripping Billies" and "Ants Marching."

DMB's next show is Monday in Atlanta.

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July 3, 2008

Report: LeRoi Moore punctured lung, broke ribs

LeRoi Moore punctured a lung and broke ribs in his ATV accident Monday, according to AntsMarching.org.

The report cites "multiple" anonymous sources, most of whom said LeRoi will not perform with Dave Matthews Band for the rest of the summer tour. One of the sources said LeRoi will be out of action for "up to a year."

A punctured lung is obviously a big deal for anyone, but the injury is especially problematic for a saxophone player. DMB was scheduled to go back in the studio in October to resume work on its next album, and it's not yet known if or how LeRoi's injury will affect that timetable.

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July 2, 2008

Stefan Lessard speaks out on LeRoi Moore

Stefan Lessard has posted a short MySpace blog, describing what it was like to play without LeRoi Moore last night:

"Getting on stage without Leroi tonight was one of the hardest things for me to do in my history with this band. It felt I was missing my left arm. I kept thinking that he was there but then he wasn't. I know that the love being sent his way will speed up his recovery and bring him back to the stage."

LeRoi was hurt in ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Va. on Monday and is in fair condition at the University of Virginia Health System. Last night in Charlotte, N.C. was the first Dave Matthews Band show since the accident, and the first DMB show without LeRoi since Oct. 16, 1994, which he missed because of a family illness.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones' saxophonist Jeff Coffin is playing with DMB in LeRoi's absence. By most accounts, Jeff was a great on-stage addition last night, but many fans in attendance said it was clear that Dave Matthews and other band members were visibly rattled without LeRoi there.

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July 1, 2008

LeRoi Moore upgraded to fair condition after crash

Doctors today upgraded LeRoi Moore's condition to fair following his ATV accident Monday.

LeRoi's accident happened on his farm near Charlottesville, Va., and he had been in serious condition at the University of Virginia Health System. There are now two additional ways that fans can send cards to LeRoi: by emailing fanmail@davematthewsband.com or sending regular mail to P.O. Box 1467, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones' saxophonist Jeff Coffin will begin filling in for LeRoi at tonight's Dave Matthews Band concert in Charlotte, N.C.

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