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Dave Matthews Band; Dionne Farris #

 ((Universal Amphitheatre; 6,251 seats; $ 22.50))

By PHIL GALLO

Presented inhouse. Band: Matthews, Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Leroi Moore, Boyd Tinsley. Reviewed Aug. 5, 1995. The scope of the Dave Matthews Band's first theater-headlining gig was so broad and expertly executed that it was hard to believe this quintet is a rookie in the big-market game. The band stretched far beyond the boundaries of their million-selling major label debut, "Under the Table and Dreaming" (RCA), with improvisational jams, lengthy opuses and a magnificent light show. As much as he tried to hide it -- baggy clothing, sheepish presence between numbers and mumbling cryptic lyrics -- Matthews has star power. "I'm a country boy," he told the audience before launching into the gripping "Jimi Thing," his "aw, shucks" attitude put to work as a comforting presence rather than an aloof stance a la Michael Stipe.
 

And it's actually a formula that makes this band's music such an enjoyable listen and guarantees return visits from the enthusiastic throng that packed Universal. The bulk of the Matthews Band's material starts in riffs and bluesy motifs until the melody is resolved in the sweetest pop chords this side of Sting.

The wordiness of his verses, combined with the catchy refrains, bolsters the sing-along attraction of almost all his choruses -- hey, Led Zeppelin did this, too -- and provides Matthews a loose framework and a sonic identity. (With a band that prominently features radiant saxophone solos and violin, there are moments when Matthews veers mighty close to being a neo-hippie Sting but he counters quickly by interjecting just enough toughness to stand out).

The band's two-hour-plus show started in a soft and eerie mode and didn't brighten up until almost 20 minutes when the band struck up an attention-getting version of "Satellite." Though Matthews said he's tired of the songs on the nearly year-old "Under the Table"-- the group previously issued a CD and EP on their own -- he found funky underpinnings in "What Would You Say" and "Ants Marching," signs that he wants to keep this as interesting to play as it is to hear. Each musician was given moments to shine but their steadiness and precision were the lasting impression.

To add to it all, the lights -- placed at varying heights and beaming rich and affecting shades of purple, red, green and yellow -- and the psychedelic-lite images on the backdrop punctuated the songs beautifully.

Opener Dionne Farris, former lead singer of Arrested Development with the current hit "I Know," performed a glorious set of upbeat funk with a band that has gotten tighter and more dynamic since she debuted at the Roxy. (Daily Variety, Feb. 13).