The Gorge

The Gorge Review

Think what you will of the Dave Matthews Band but they certainly know how to keep their fans satisfied. Just eight months after the release of the lavish Central Park Concert package comes another generous helping of live material, this time in a limited edition three-disc set compiled at the band's 2002 concerts at Washington State's scenic Gorge, one of its favorite venues. With more than three-hours of music and video, recorded in 5.1 audio and shot with over 20 high-definition video cameras, even fans that missed the shows will feel the mosquitoes buzzing around their ears. And it's easy to see why Seattle resident Dave Matthews and his cohorts feel at home here--the natural backdrop provides the perfect setting for their gently inspiring music. "I feel like I'm making a racket in a place that should be quiet," the frontman says at one point in the documentary, which may suggest why this is a more reverential, detail-oriented performance than its Manhattan predecessor, particularly in songs like the acoustic "Gravedigger" and the leisurely 15-minute-plus version of "Lie In Our Graves." --Aidin Vaziri