As 2020 unfolds with each moment more and even less alarming the previous, it begins to truly feel like a Typical Situation. Rewind a year before an epic 14 minute jam like this was possible to witness with twenty five thousand of your fellow tribe, and it’s difficult to image today’s landscape -- pandemic, social unrest, climate change, political firescape, literal firescape here in California, John Lewis, RBG, okay enough with this list 2020.
When the typical situations overwhelm, I turn to universal truth. Nature. Music. Love. The ultimate embodiment of truth in music is improvisation, the letting go of structure, the contrived, the constraints. What flows from the universal soul and out through performers, synchronized and reflected with the energy of every single person in the space is the ultimate truth. The moment, the now, the present, has never been like this previously, will never be like this again, yet is all happening concurrently in timespace.
Like so many improv-centric artists, Dave Matthew Band reflects truth and love to their participants, and receives truth and love back cyclicly on a nightly basis. Wether it’s witnessing Jeff Coffin’s explosive sax lines, him trading bars with Rashawn Ross’ captivating trumpet, hearing Tim Reynold’s & Stefand Lessard’s acoustic stringed stories unfolding, or feeling Carter Beaford’s rhythmic syncopation driving this loveful truth, it’s as if during this entire 14 minutes the pandemic wasn’t preventing more of these magical moments in 2020. Release. Six senses feeding five.
Too many choices leads to one choice. Truth and Love. Make your choice wisely… it all comes down to nothing.
“Ten fingers counting we have each
Nine planets around the Sun repeat
Eight ball will last if you triumphant be
Seven oceans pummel the shores of the sea
It’s a typical situation
In these typical times
Too many choices, yeah
It’s a typical situation
In these typical times
Too many choices, yeah
Everybody’s happy
Everybody’s free
We’ll keep the big door open
And everyone’ll come around
Why are you different?
Why are you that way?
If you don’t get in line
We’ll lock you away
It all comes down to nothing
Six senses feeding five
Around a sense of self
Four seasons turn on and turn off
I can see three corners from this corner
Two’s a perfect number
But one is not enough”
