Gig Report: An Acoustic Evening with Dave Matthews - Manchester Apollo, Thursday 1 March, 8pm

Manchester Apollo for those not in the know (as I wasn't) is a gorgeously opulent theatre venue boasting a sound quality to rival any. That said, it was the perfect venue for an accoustic set from Dave Matthews and his side-kick Tim Reynolds. Arriving in good time before the 8pm start (no support act - and frankly none needed for this 2.5 hour show) we found ourselves almost unable to procure a drink before the house lights went down.. though we're pretty determined on that front and soon found ourselves with a beverage and a seat. (Nice work by the way Phil on scoring mid stall mid row seats!)
Strumming enthusiastically and very well supported (though sometimes out-shone) by Tim, Dave entertained all with his gravelly angst-ridden tones and occasional semi-falsetto, belting out some obvious favourites along the way (Grace, Crash etc) and ignoring others such as American Baby. Interspersing songs (and numerous guitar changes) with random anecdotes delivered in his typical dry wit, Dave as usual connected with his fan base and kept us entertained.

In what seemed like a musical interlude where Dave departed the stage, the spotlight was duly handed to Tim Reynolds who thrilled the audiece with an awe-inspiring guitar instrumental. Making it sound like everything from a mandolin to a violin, the audience was left gasping at his talent.

The only down-side to the show was the incessant flash photography by the woman on my right - almost forcing me to grab her camera and ram it down her throat in an ultimate 'kodak moment' and the boy in front videoing half the gig on his phone - very distracting. Other than that there were various people vying to be "Biggest Fan Ever" including the woman behind me laughing maniacally at everything Dave said between songs. Her cackling died down after she accidentally snorted like a farm animal on heat, and I suspect her mates silenced her out of sheer embarassment.

Overall, fantastic gig - a truly talented musician and gifted lyricist, Dave gave a solid performance - even if his 7-song encore was a little self-indulgent (but that's just my opinion).