Nick x Nate Shoshan Interview V2
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00:00It's 93.3 WMMR right here in Philadelphia. I am Nick McElwain of The Preston and Steve Show,
00:05and today I am joined by Nate Shoshan of Dave Matthews Band, The Gorge Crew. I've become a
00:11fan of The Gorge. I went there for the first time last year in 2022, and I'm very excited to be
00:16going back in 2023. Nate, welcome to MMR. Thank you, Nick. I appreciate you guys having me.
00:23Yeah, no problem at all. Yeah, and so I reached out to you over social media, and we've been
00:28emailing back and forth a little bit, and this is the first time we've been able to
00:30have a conversation, so I appreciate you taking the time. And what I really like to share with
00:36MMR's listeners and with our viewers here over Zoom is how you guys have become so big,
00:42so successful. It's really become, in my mind anyway, the go-to fan account for the Dave Matthews
00:47Band. And so let's start with the beginning. How did it all begin? Was it an Instagram thing?
00:53Was it a website thing? Where did it start for you guys? Yeah, so I mean, I've been going
00:57to DMB shows since I was 16, 1996. And over the years, just, you know, as you're kind of going
01:07to more and more shows, and then once they started going to The Gorge, it started to become a thing
01:11where, you know, DMB fans said, okay, this is where you need to see a show. And then eventually,
01:18many years later, I finally made it out there with three other of my buddies for the first time in
01:232008. And, you know, we've been a lot of shows. It's been great. And but when you got there,
01:29it was definitely just something different. It was definitely more of like a magical
01:33experience. I don't know, kind of like a nice, good festival vibe. If you've ever been to like
01:38a really good laid back festival where it just everybody there was your buddy, your friend,
01:43you could kind of show up and empty handed and you could get everything you need. And nobody,
01:48everybody's your friend, in a sense. So it just kind of not only had the great music there,
01:53and you had this great scenery in the middle of Washington State, kind of like looking at the
01:58stage on the edge of the earth, almost how beautiful it was. But you had these people that
02:03were just really amazing. And because it's not just, you know, you go to if you go to a show
02:09in Philly, or Florida, wherever you're usually going to be local people, when people go to the
02:14gorge, yeah, of course, a lot of people from Washington State are there. But people are
02:18literally coming from around the world to go see three, three, three nights of Labor Day weekend,
02:25and the band. And so you meet so many great people. I mean, I have some of my closest friends
02:30I've met there or my weddings, and, you know, things like that. And, you know, it's just a magical
02:37place. It's kind of a weird thing that you can't always describe. But once you get there,
02:41it's more of a feeling than kind of because you see the pictures, and you see the beauty of that
02:45place. But see a show there is definitely something else. I think magical is the perfect
02:51word. And that was the word that I've used to describe it several times. I also use the word
02:55transformative, you know, and I'd heard and seen video from the gorge and then seen pictures,
03:03Pearl Jam, which is one of my other favorite bands. They did a few shows there. And, and I got that
03:09box set. So I'd heard about it. But I really think that unless you're there and in it and feeling
03:16with other fans, you don't quite know how magical it is, how transformative it is. And I remember
03:22leaving there last year, thinking, I want to come back to this place every year for the rest of my
03:26life. Yeah, yeah. And that's exactly what has exactly happened to me. And I have not missed a year
03:32since 2008, personally. And I know a lot of people have been on that same train as well. And that's kind
03:38of why we started the account a few years after going the first time. I'm just like, we wanted to
03:44kind of like, everybody deserves to have this kind of feeling of community and friends, you know, all
03:50this type of stuff. Obviously, Dave fans do have a real good connection to each other. But people have
03:56been to the gorge. I think it's something it is something else. So the idea behind the account was kind
04:02of being able to share that experience, but then kind of have everybody have their everybody has
04:07their crew when they go to a show. It's like, okay, we always go with these people. And then we
04:11all of a sudden, you meet more people and you go with these people. And over the years, a lot of times,
04:17wherever city you're going to, you're going with more and more people. And, you know, people are
04:21excited for it. So part of the account really is about sharing the fan experience. And, you know,
04:28to this day, we, you know, we always, the biggest, the reason that account has grown is literally
04:32because people, oh, I got this great video. I got this great picture. Look at my, look at this
04:37crew. Look at what we have here. Something, you know, something unique, something special. And we
04:40would share it and share it and share it. And it just comes something that keeps happening over and
04:43over. Yeah. We have a lot of our own original content, but if it wasn't for, you know, the DMV
04:49community, this, this account would be nothing really. And it's amazing that it continues to grow that
04:55way. Yeah. It started organically and continues to, I think, to grow organically. And you mentioned
05:01your first Dave Matthews band show was in 1996. Mine was as well. It was in California and Southern
05:05California and San Bernardino. And they were on a part of the horde festival here. There's a blues
05:11traveler who was bigger than Dave Matthews band at that time. And Lenny Kravitz and a rusted root was on
05:17that bill. And the guy that I went to at that show is my cousin's husband. His name is Eric. And he was
05:23the one that took me to the gorge last summer, last Labor Day weekend. And so it's really cool for me
05:28to continue sort of this Dave Matthews band tradition with somebody that I've loved for a
05:33really long time, but now I can share this with him. He went for the first time in 2021 and he said,
05:39you gotta, you gotta come next year. And then he was, you know, he was begging me to join him and I was
05:44trying to figure out a way to do it. And once I figured out a way to do it, I knew that I wanted to
05:49keep doing it. I don't know. Where are you from, by the way? I actually grew up in South Florida.
05:55And now I'm in Colorado for the past two, over two years now. I'm just outside of Denver, Boulder
06:01area. Whereabouts? Called Erie. Sure. Yeah. So I've been here for a couple of years. I love it out
06:09here. And, but yeah, my home venue really growing up was West Palm beach. You know, I've been to so
06:13many and I just went back there a couple weeks ago for the shows down there, which were amazing
06:19and sweaty, but fun. But yeah, that was, that's my home venue. And then probably the second most
06:25shows I've ever seen besides West Palm beach is definitely the gorge. So have you ever had a
06:30chance to see a Dave Matthews band at red rocks? No, I have not. That is something that a lot of
06:36people keep asking for. I see, I mean, that's one of those things when anytime you post anything
06:40about red rocks, the fans are, it's not, it's, it's probably just not big enough for them
06:45right yet, but unless they did like a week of shows or something maybe in a row. Um, but
06:51they got some bigger venues out here, obviously, you know, I went, I saw the dead and company
06:56and Dave came out in Boulder at the, at the university. That was fun, but they obviously
07:00have fiddlers. They usually play, but they skipped this year. I'm not sure why. Hopefully
07:04they'll come back here. Um, maybe if they do a little fall tour, um, but, uh, yeah, it's, it's,
07:11it's, they got some good venues out here. So hopefully they'll be back.
07:14When I've talked about the gorge with friends in the past, or even on the radio, people, um,
07:18will mention other venues like red rocks, you know, these, these places that are sort of
07:21legendary because, uh, of what they are themselves, you know, the red rocks, the gorge there,
07:26they are these natural amphitheaters, uh, that become these great places to see shots.
07:30And, um, you know, I, I've heard, uh, Saratoga performing arts center, um, is like that as
07:35well. Um, people talk about the, the one in, um, Wisconsin, what is it? Alpine, Alpine Valley.
07:39Yeah. Yeah. And, and so in, uh, in Philly, you know, there are a few sheds where, where Dave
07:47Matthews band will play a few years ago, Dave and Tim did some shows at the man, which is a great
07:52outdoor venue. Uh, normally when they come through Philly, they do either, um, the, the shed in Camden,
07:57which has had a bunch of different corporate names over the years, or sometimes they'll go to the
08:00Wells Fargo center, uh, which has also had a bunch of different corporate names over the years.
08:03And there's nothing wrong with either of those venues. They're great places to see shows,
08:06but they're not, there's also nothing really that special about either one of those, the,
08:09the, the, um, the building in South Philly is great for, you know, for sixes and flyers games and,
08:15and, and really good for concerts. There's good acoustics there. And the same goes for the,
08:19the, uh, shed in Camden, but you're not going there just because of that venue, right?
08:24But people will make the trek, like you mentioned before to the gorge from around the world.
08:28And certainly from around the country as well. And that there's something very special about
08:32that. People are driving two and a half hours East of Seattle nowhere to go see this place in
08:38the middle of the Columbia river Valley. Yeah. I mean, I think, uh, one of the questions you,
08:44I get sometimes when people are saying like, well, why do people always take a picture in front of
08:48the exit sign? You know? And it's because of that is because they've come on this long journey.
08:52Even when you, even if you're just coming from Seattle, it's still about two and a half,
08:56three hour drive from Seattle, beautiful drive to the mountains and you see much so much scenery.
09:01And then you finally get to that, your destination. It's, it's something like, that's why people want
09:06to commemorate it, you know, and saying, okay. And then it's become a big thing obviously over the
09:10years, but, um, but I really like, why, why people always take a picture, not, you know,
09:15obviously they're taking a picture at the gorge, but it's like, okay, well, because you do get off
09:19and you're going to heaven's amphitheater from there. And it's kind of, yeah, again,
09:23people are going from, I started going, we flew in from Florida every year and get, you know,
09:28get our cars, get, go buy our camping equipment, you know, the whole thing. Um, and it is a journey
09:34and it's a trek. So it's harder, it's hard. It's not easy for some people it's dry out there and,
09:38you know, dusty and all that type of stuff. But then, you know, again, you get to really
09:43experience something that you will remember forever, no matter what. Yeah. And it is,
09:48if people don't know, um, it's, it is in the middle of nowhere. Most people that stay there
09:52either are in an RV or are camping. They're intense. There are some limited hotel accommodations,
09:58not too terribly far from there, but, uh, and then there is a, uh, apparently a world-class resort.
10:03I think it's called Sage cliff on the ground as well. And, um, I had a friend that used to work
10:08there and she's not working there any longer, which bums me out. Cause I've never even got a tour of that
10:12place, but there's a winery on the grounds. It's a beautiful spot. Um, but, uh, yeah, I mean,
10:17you're camping the whole time that you're there. Is that what you normally do?
10:19I think there's more and more accommodations. I saw recently that there's more things that
10:23have been coming up and as it's kind of growing and, um, and, and, but yeah, I've always camped.
10:29I've always camped, you know, there's, there's different levels of camping with there's regular
10:33and their premier and then there's gold and this net, but, um, you know, it's part of it,
10:39you know, you get there, you, you unload your car and you try to, you know, uh, before,
10:46you know, before you like kind of take everything and you're like, all right, let's get set up.
10:48So we don't have to do anything else the rest of the time. And, uh, but you get in, you set
10:53up like kind of a home, you know, and for the, for the few days that you're there and everybody
10:57has their different unique ways of setting up. Some people have couches, some people, you know,
11:01people are hanging. We have, we put flags up, we put this up, you know, people are giving
11:05out things. It's just, again, it's very much a community thing. And anytime you're going to
11:09just walking by and saying, hi to somebody, somebody's always offering you something and
11:13vice versa. Um, it is very much kind of in the, in the spirit of like, you know, uh, grateful
11:20dead and stuff as well, you know, kind of just that community and friendships that you're wanting
11:25and you get, uh, when you, when you're there, you know,
11:28My parents went to the original Woodstock in 1969 and, uh, they left after two days because
11:33it was raining and disgusting out and yeah, that was tough, but they had no idea at the
11:37time that it was going to become this legendary thing. Um, but you, you know, you talked about
11:41the community and the sense of there's this communal sense at the gorge where you go from
11:46campsite, campsite to campsite, or you visit, visit other places or other RVs and everybody's
11:51inviting you in and, and Hey, you want to drink, you want, you want to bite to eat or whatever.
11:54And none of it is disingenuous. It's everybody really kind of looks out for one another. Um,
11:58there are festivals that, uh, I'm sure, uh, have great bills and, and really great acts,
12:04but that sense of community doesn't always exist. And you're all there for the same reason,
12:09right? Everybody's coming to see the same band. They want to be there for Dave Matthews band.
12:13But beyond that, there's just this really strong sense of community. That's it's palpable. And once
12:19you experience it, once you're there, it, I think it lives with you. Yeah. I mean, I, I think that of
12:24course we do a lot of people go see Dave in different States and stuff like that and
12:29different venues, but you know, big part of your reason you're going back and coming back to the
12:34gorge is the community that you get there. It's a, it's, it's part of the entire experience.
12:38Cause you're obviously you're camping on your, you're hanging out all day until the show starts.
12:42It's not like you just showing up two hours before the show and then going into the, you're there.
12:46So you really are trying. And I always say to people like roam around, go meet people,
12:50talk to people. You're always going to find some fun adventures and some random people and,
12:56you know, but everyone's it's, everyone's unique. Everyone's fun. Everyone, you know,
13:00you get to really kind of understand what the community is really about when you go to a place
13:05like that. So your organization is known as a Dave Matthews band gorge crew and, and you've been
13:10going since 2008. Your Instagram following has just surpassed a hundred thousand people, which is
13:16a really impressive and really cool. And, uh, I think I read on, on your account, not that long
13:20ago that, um, the first Dave Matthews band show at the gorge, was that in 1996 as well? Did I, is
13:26that, am I correct in saying that? Yeah, actually I, uh, I think it was the other fan account DMV society
13:31that shared that we, we, we shared it, but yeah, it's, um, 96 is, is, is that time. Yeah. So
13:37that would have been an interest. I mean, the gorge has changed a lot since back then, you know,
13:42the, you know, if you can see some pictures and stuff like that, but everything from the vendors
13:47to just accommodations, all that type of stuff has changed. Even when I, in 2008, when I went,
13:52it was not like it is now, now they have, you know, a whole market and food and all this type
13:57of stuff before it was just a little corner store, uh, at the front where you can get a frozen burrito.
14:02If you didn't have, if you didn't bring any food, like literally that was about all you and some ice,
14:06of course, but, uh, yeah, things have changed for sure, but it's definitely good. You know, um,
14:12and it's cause a lot of big acts are doing the same thing. They, they like, like DMV has done
14:17and, um, bringing their going there. They don't go there just for usually for one night. A lot of
14:22acts go for at least two or three nights. And it's good to see that happens with other,
14:26with other groups as well. There's an article in the Philadelphia inquire this week, um, about a
14:31writer who has, uh, seen Bruce Springsteen a million times over the years. And Bruce is in Philly,
14:36uh, at the ballpark here in town and, uh, August 16th and 18th, I believe a Wednesday and a Friday.
14:41And the point of the article is that this person is, has kind of checked out of Bruce that they,
14:46they're tired of, um, the ticket prices or the concert venue or whatever. And, and, and their
14:51concert fatigue and fan fatigue certainly happens. I've been a fan of Dave Matthews band for a long
14:56time, as have you. And, and I remember the first time I got, uh, remember two things, a friend,
15:01you know, said a friend of my brother said, I think you might like this band. And, you know,
15:05it was bootleg cassettes back in the day. And then under the table and dreaming came out. And of course,
15:09crash sort of rocketed them to superstardom, um, when running this account and when going to as
15:15many shows as you had, have you gone through Dave fatigue? Have you had years where you've gotten
15:20not necessarily tired of it, but just, uh, maybe checked out a little?
15:24I mean, I think it can happen with people. You just, you, you go to the same, I think what I've
15:29done to kind of maybe combat that is I try to find, to go to new venues that I've never been to.
15:36I went to Charleston this year. I never been to Charleston. That was beautiful. It was fun. Like
15:40it's a good re you know, you can find, it's a good reason to go see a place you've never been to
15:45kind of like the gorge or something like that. Um, with some of my friends, we've talked about
15:50never been a deer Creek and Noblesville there. I want to go to new deer Creek, hopefully next year.
15:55You know? So I think that some people, some people have a mission in their life. Like I'm going to go
16:00to 500 shows and that's awesome. I mean, I think that it's amazing that people
16:03do those things and are that committed to it, but yeah, I like to see other music too. I'm going
16:09to see, I'm going to Red Rocks next week to see Beck and Phoenix and things like that. So it's,
16:15you know, the fatigue for me, it's never, it's always been a part of my life. So I guess it's not
16:19like, um, fatigue, but I definitely can see where maybe if you've been going for that long and it's
16:25like, okay, you already know exactly what he's going to play. I think part of the band also what they
16:30do and not every band does this. I know fish and some other bands do it, but the set lists are
16:34always different, you know, and that helps a lot. And then they're pulling out stuff they haven't
16:38pulled out for years on their set list, which also helped. And then, you know, you're, you're
16:42chasing those moments and stuff. And, uh, that the band helps us from any fatigue, I guess as well,
16:49you know? Yeah, no, I couldn't agree more. It's a different show every night. If you're there for
16:53three nights at the gorge, it's a different show from night to night to night, even though when you're in
16:56the same beautiful venue every night, it's a different set list. Um, I think maybe as Dave
17:00Matthews band fans were spoiled by that, you know, you go see another band that might be a great band.
17:05And for the most part, it's the same show from show to show to show. And some of that's production
17:09value, you know, for lighting or, or, you know, just continuity or whatever, they want to keep the
17:13same set list. But, uh, as a Pearl jam fan and as a occasional dead fan, and certainly as a Dave
17:18Matthews band fan and, you know, see fish, it's a different show every night. And, um, I know you,
17:23you read the article that was in the New York times not that long ago about why Dave
17:26Matthews band fans are so loyal and in part it's because there are these nuancical changes,
17:31even in songs that you've heard a million times. Uh, it's diff that's different from night to night
17:35or certainly from tour to tour. Um, and then you discover new songs or songs that may have been
17:40out for like 15 years. Uh, and I'll give you an example and maybe you can think of one as well,
17:44but I always, uh, liked American baby intro. Right. And that was sort of its own little thing on a,
17:49on a record. And now it's become this song that people chase, you know, and, and they'd love to see
17:54live and I hadn't heard it for a while for a number of years. And then they played it at
17:59Camden. One of the nights, I think it was Saturday night and they were in town and all of a sudden I
18:04just like, Holy crap. I love this song, you know? And so I'd love that about the band and, you know,
18:10a song that I've known or kind of like all of a sudden it becomes my new favorite. And, and I don't
18:16know if there are a lot of bands that are like that, but it certainly happens with Dave fans.
18:19Yeah. I think that you've seen it. I mean, this tour, uh, especially they've been, they've been
18:25busting out a lot of, of different songs, but it's also like, there's a different energy behind it.
18:30Like when they, they're getting excited to do that, they're not just saying, Oh, we're going to put
18:34out American baby entry because fans said we want to see that. Like, they're like, Oh, how can we
18:38surprise them? How can we put something up? But then they, I think what's happening is they're,
18:42they're starting to practice it and like, wait, this is pretty good. We like this. And it's like,
18:46boom, let's, let's, let's really get behind it. And then the whole, the whole squad kind of gets
18:51excited for it as well. And then you do hear a different version of that song, you know,
18:55that you might've heard 10 years ago now, which is, is also really cool.
19:00Yeah. And the band themselves have evolved over the years. I mean, you know, if you look at what
19:05they were originally, um, Leroy passed away, obviously Boyd is no longer in the band. And, and
19:10so the three core members with Dave and Stefan Lessard and Carter Beaufort are still around,
19:14but the energy, uh, that the other players bring in, you know, Tim, obviously he's been around
19:19Tim Reynolds has been around for a long time, but watching buddy strong over the last few tours,
19:23it's seeing his joy to me brings, uh, brings out joy and other band members. And certainly in the
19:30audience that people are now focused on guys like buddy and watching him have as much fun as he's
19:34having up on stage. Yeah. I think it's just that you see that they, they know, they just,
19:39I think they just respect and love how much talent they have next to them.
19:43And then it really just keeps stepping up everybody's game. So when you have someone
19:47like buddy come in who can do multiple things, you know, I mean, he's really a, a multiplayer,
19:52like he can do almost, I don't know, he was singing, he's playing drums one time, he's playing
19:56keyboard. I don't know what else he can do. I'm sure he can do plenty of others, but he definitely
20:00has a good energy out there and he gets it with, he understands it with the fans. He plays into it as
20:05well. And, um, but everybody is doing that and it is definitely an energy
20:09to get off of each other. I think it was 2021 and correct me if I'm wrong, but, um, Carter
20:14maybe got COVID and there was, um, it was in the gorge. Yeah. Right. I was there. It was a very
20:19weird, it was a very weird year because COVID had just kind of, you know, it was like, okay,
20:24should we go? And we went and yeah, Stefan and Carter, uh, were out, which was crazy. I remember
20:32we were driving, we were literally in the line to get into our, our campsite and everything.
20:37And all of a sudden people are a million people are texting me and I get all these messages and
20:41what's going to happen, what's going to happen. And, and, and then someone like Buddy Strong
20:45stepped in, the openers came on, stepped in, you know, they made the best of it and there was no
20:51way they were going to cancel the show. And, but that's another reason that you got to look at it.
20:55Like they're just the talent they have there to be able to pull off three shows like that in,
21:01and at the last minute, um, you know, again, it's, it's something that the reason that people keep
21:06coming back for him. Yeah. That's remarkable. I remember the day that Leroy passed, they played
21:12that night, you know, the, the old action of the show must go on. And that floored me that they were
21:16going out. I actually, I don't know how I felt about it when it happened. I was very surprised that
21:21they, they continued to go, um, but they do. And I know that there's a lot of production value and
21:26it's difficult, uh, challenging next to impossible to cancel the show at the last minute. There's,
21:31there's more than the band and the fans that are involved. There's certainly a lot of money.
21:35Um, but yeah, they're a moving city at this point, you know, exactly. Yeah. I mean,
21:39just look at the number of tour trucks that are coming through and setting up the stage. Um, but yeah,
21:43they, they just, they keep going the Dave Matthews band. I mean, and they find, um, they find new
21:49energies and new ways to, uh, to make it fun, to make it, um, to revitalize themselves. Um,
21:55you know, there was a point prior to COVID happening where I just didn't want to see them
22:00every time they came into town. I, you know, I used to be in the warehouse, which is the fan club.
22:04And, um, they would do two or three shows in the summer. And then they do two, maybe in the fall or
22:09two in the winter. And I'd be like, you know, the older I got and I had a son and I was like, yeah,
22:14it's time and money and whatever else. And then those first shows for me anyway, last year,
22:20post COVID the first shows that they did in Philly or in the Philly area really re-energized me and my
22:26love for the band. And then it was just going to the gorge. I was like, Holy crap. I, I, I re-loved
22:32this band. I've always loved it, but now it's, it's almost like a relationship, you know, you,
22:37you have peaks and valleys and ups and downs. Um, and, and so it, for me, it was exciting to fall in
22:43love with this band again. Yeah. I mean, I, I've a hundred percent heard that exact story
22:48so many times or just like, kind of like, okay, I'm not going to go this year. And then
22:51they didn't go for another year. And then all of a sudden they come and they're like, wait a minute,
22:55why did I stop going? Cause you know, they, they get out of that, they go to the show and they get
22:59the experience again. They're like, wait, why do I, why did I skip, you know? And then they're back
23:03again. But, um, I think anybody, I think that happens with you're like, you're saying it happens
23:07with anything in life. Um, but knowing that they're still there is we're pretty lucky that they're still
23:13touring the way they do. Um, you know, and they're not, and from everything I'm hearing,
23:17they're not stopping anytime soon. And, and, you know, I think we're going to get some more,
23:23you know, more tours, more music, more everything. And it's, it's, it's fun.
23:27Yeah. I mean, 30 plus years at this point, I got to go to Miller's down in Charlottesville,
23:31Virginia for the first time a few weeks ago, who is now 16 to look at UVA and, and, uh,
23:36I had to pay respects to the place where really the band began. Um, and, uh, I want to ask you a
23:43little bit more about DMB GC, because you guys are really interactive with people who follow you.
23:48You'll repost stuff all the time. I know that it's gotta be, um, a lot of work and, and, and probably
23:53exhausting at times, but how do you, how do you keep up? Is it just, is it a constant thing? Um,
23:58when, uh, especially with the Instagram account, it just gets a lot.
24:01It's a, it's, it's a funny constant thing. I mean, we get sent a lot of stuff, you know,
24:07and we try to post as much as we can. We usually do a lot of times, you know, people tag us in
24:14their stories. We'll share them. People send us videos and, you know, and sometimes it could be
24:19a weekend where just so much happened and there'll just be tons. I mean, I I'm so fortunate that the
24:24people do that because it keeps this account moving in a great direction. And, but it's, it's,
24:28it is, it's, I try to, we try to share as much as we can because
24:31we want people to see the fan perspective as much as possible. Um, and, you know, but it's a lot of
24:39fun. It keeps, you know, you know, for, for this to be kind of like a fun side job thing that I,
24:46that just started a long time ago and keeps growing the way it is. It doesn't, you know,
24:49hasn't got boring ever. Um, you just, the only time you're, you think it's like, I look like a
24:56negative is like, did I miss something? You know, cause you feel like you missed cause, you know,
24:59obviously there's a lot of good accounts out there that do a lot of fan stuff as well. And
25:03we interact with them as well. And we get sent stuff all the time from everybody. And, but it's
25:10just cool to see so much kind of still to this day for after all this time, like that there's still
25:16is this much love and joy behind the band, you know? Yeah, I agree a hundred percent. Um, uh, I'm very
25:23much looking forward to returning to the gorge this year, Labor Day weekend, Labor Dave weekend,
25:27as it's commonly known amongst Dave Matthews band fans. And, um, one of my goals this year is to try
25:33to organize, uh, MMR listeners, uh, Philly fans that are heading out West, making the trek, uh, you
25:38know, the pilgrimage, if you will, to, uh, to George Washington. Um, how do you, uh, how do you
25:44approach the weekend? Is, is it, um, I I'm assuming it's still a lot of fun for you, but do, uh, how do you,
25:49you know, do you guys have gatherings? Do you have formal stuff? How does it, uh, how does that weekend
25:53present? You know, it's, uh, you know, uh, people have asked about that every, you know, we've
25:57people find us and we have, you know, it's, it's funny if I think a lot of people expect it to be
26:02like, I don't know, fireworks when they come to our campsite or something like that, which we have a
26:06lot of fun. And we, we, we do set up tapestries and flags and we have a bunch of people around and
26:11in, in, in some years we'll have, you know, started at four people going the first year with our little
26:17crew. And then it's grown by upwards of 30 plus. And sometimes it's like 10, sometimes 15. So
26:22every year is a little bit different and it's kind of like we, our crew grows just naturally
26:27like people who are camping next to us. Um, but at the end of the day, we're just, we're there to go
26:32to the show and we're there to tailgate and meet new people. So when people come by and say hello,
26:38because of the, they see our flag or whatever, that's awesome. But at the same time, we just go
26:42roam around and try to meet other people because that's what we did from the beginning. And that's
26:46kind of like, again, that's part of the experience, but nothing, we never really set up a formal,
26:51uh, meetup I would say, or anything like that. But, um, there's just a lot of people we know
26:56from years of going there or other shows, um, other groups that kind of have their big tailgates
27:02and things like that. So it's just, I just tell everybody just explore while you're there and
27:07you'll, you'll, you'll find a lot of, uh, good, fun, fresh places for you. You know,
27:12I have a confession to make, uh, last year for my first year, I was not exactly roughing it. My,
27:17my cousin's, uh, RV is a luxury tour bus. And so we had air conditioning and a fully stocked fridge
27:24and he stocked up, uh, you know, with a lot of great wine. So, um, I say that not to brag,
27:30but just because we were super lucky to have that, I would love for you to come over and spend some
27:34time with us this year. And, and, uh, I'll certainly get you, get you that information,
27:37but it's really cool to just hang out with other Dave fans. I remember hanging out with some people
27:43last year who would go back and forth because fish will do those shows, uh, not too far from
27:47you in Denver. I forget the name of, uh, at Dick's they, they do labor day is always, uh, Dick's out
27:53here and Dave's at the gorge. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So some fish fans and the, uh, obviously a lot of
27:58sort of cross stream there with Dave fans and fish fans. Um, some will go to the Dick's one year and
28:03gorge the next and whatever, but it's cool to see, um, you know, to hear these stories and, and talk
28:08to people who saw Dave at, uh, you know, red rocks in 97 or whatever. And so, um, it really is this
28:14communal thing. And I would love for you and a DMB GC to come visit us and, uh, and have a drink
28:19with us this year. That would be fine by me. You know, I got, I like a little luxury too. We're
28:25getting older. So, you know, Dave fans like some luxury as well. So we don't need to be roughing it
28:31all the time. Not all the time. No. And it is a hot and dry, um, but absolutely beautiful. It's,
28:35it's in the Columbia river Valley. This gorge amphitheater is something to see. And if you've
28:40not been, I highly recommend it, uh, Nate Shoshan from DMB GC. Uh, thanks so much for spending some
28:46time with us before we let you go. Is there anything that you'd like to plug or anything
28:49you want to talk about with the website? Um, uh, and I mean, we have our website, we have the
28:54socials, um, you know, it's, uh, if you're, if you're a DMB fan and, and, you know, or just
29:01a music fan, definitely follow us at DMB GC or at DMB gorge crew, uh, is usually the handles.
29:09I forget which is which on them, but they're all, if you stipend DMB gorge crew, it should
29:14pop up. Um, but yeah, I would love, we love more followers. We love people coming and sending
29:20us stuff and, and being able to share the experience, uh, that I've loved my entire life.
29:26So, yeah, it's a shared love and it's a great account. It's a great Instagram follow. Um,
29:31and it's a great website. And, uh, thanks again for spending some time with us here on
29:34MMR in Philadelphia. Thanks, Nick. I appreciate it. We'll see you Labor Day weekend. Take care.
29:38All right. Bye-bye.
29:39Bye-bye.