Dave Matthews Band hits the High Desert

One of the biggest acts to ever hit the High Desert, the Dave Matthews Band performed Tuesday night at the Les Schwab Amphitheater.

About 8,000 fans packed the venue for the show. After meeting a handful of them, it’s safe to say the band has loyal supporters.

Robin Jacobson said with a laugh he’d been to 15 of their concerts,” easily.”

“Chicago, California — we’re going to this next weekend to see him at the Gorge,” Brandon Thompson said.

“I think it’s somewhere in the 80s,” another fan said of the number of shows they’d seen..

That’s how many times they’ve seen The Dave Matthews Band live. Jacobson traveled from Portland because she says she’s one of his biggest fans.

“I love Dave — I love the fans, love the experience, every time I come to a concert,” Jacobson said before the show. “So I’m looking forward to a new concert venue, for sure.”

Another fan says Matthews’ versatility is what keeps him coming back for more. In fact, he’s traveled to South Africa and Europe to see him play.

“Performance, live music, at the level that allows the concert-goer to do it their own way,” one fan said.

Every fan also has their favorite song.

“Satellite, easily,” Jacobson said. “Yeah, that’s my jam.”

“Proudest Monkey, because it reminds me of this little one here,” Thompson said.

“Crash Into Me — you know, you just can’t go wrong with that song,” Niki Ryan said.

It’s not just those who bought tickets; one food vendor was excited Matthewscame to Bend and begged her boss to work the concert.

“I’ve been asking them for months and they offered me to work Jack Johnson, and I said, ‘No, I want to work Dave Matthews Band because he reminds me of my childhood,” Ryan said.

The concert sold out in a blink of an eye, so not everyone was able to get a ticket. Thompson opted to just listen nearby and enjoy the sounds.

“It’s just part of the Bend vibe, and it’s kind of nice when you have kids, you don’t have to deal with all the people,” Thompson said. “We’re out here throwing a Frisbee, and still listening to the good music.”

Not a big surprise that some of these fans will go marching to the next show.

“I’ll drive anywhere, buy any ticket, see anyone, bring my friends — whatever it takes to come have a good time at Dave,” Jacobson said.

A good time, indeed.

If you missed the Dave Matthews Band Tuesday night, he won’t be too far away at his next stop. He plans on playing at The Gorge this weekend in Washington.