sound, venue, and TRAFFIC. Or, in the order I experienced it: TRAFFIC, sound, venue.

Arriving in the vicinity at 6:30, after stopping in Abany and getting a room for the night, I am greeted by a line of traffic headed to the Saratoga State Park, home of Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). The ride in from RT 9 is a beautiful winding road, through pines and a golf course, before reaching a pretty big collection of beautiful brick WPA (Depression era) built buildings, initially designed to protect the mineral springs. Only problem, is there are few true parking lots, most of the areas are fields, and the road in is single file. It is a full one hour from the first time traffic stopped on RT. 9 until I was parked. The overall scene of the park is really beautiful. I bet it's a wonderful place to come for the Opera, when the 7,200 seat shed is not sold out, but when 25,000 fans, the biggest crowd of the whole season come in, it is wall to wall peeps thru the lawn and all the way up thru the concession area. And most kids have a phone to their ear. And every one is asking the same question into the phone...Care to guess? answer at the end of this post.

And on the way, I was teased by the sound of The Nocs- Mastermind while still in the car, Stop The Bus on the long walk to the venue, and NBTW as I had to walk all the way around to the other side to get tickets. And when there, running into Justin at the window, so we entered the park together, and talked our way down close enough for him to pick up his pass from Jen. So the Nocs, for me, were "heard but not seen" Friday night.

The Potters, with Lee, are there with college buddies Joe and Clarkie, hosts for the next two nights. Peggy says they have the best porch in town. (And I have to agree, after hanging out for a while there Saturday afternoon.) We all settle in to the balcony for Dave Mathews, even joined by Grace and Justin for about half the set. Enhanced by great video, it is heart pumpin loud. And we make the right call, exiting a few minutes before the curfew to beat the traffic out of the Park, and over to a delightful restaurant, equine-themed, for a post show gathering. The Potters know the owner and there is a delicious spread for about 30 friends of the band. It is down to about half that when I leave at 2 AM

Saturday is a late wakening, with a leisurely back-road trip to Saratgoa Springs that in includes a visit to Sienna College and Saratoga Lake.

And based on Joe's advice, I take a different and more efficient route into the park, earlier, in order to make sure I make the show. No problem, there is still plenty of room when the band takes the stage, after an intro fronm Dave hisself, for a short set punctuated by closer "Pain in My Heart". No Flying V tonight, but they sound great in the big venue, Grace in a contrasting striped dress. My plan is to beat feet home after The Nocs, and I said my goodbyes earlier, so after a final wave to The Potters down below, I head out. Traffic is very light, especially on the section of I-90 in NY as darkness fell, and I am home by 11:30. Never would have thought that the ride to Saratoga would be a few minutes shorter then the ride to Higher Ground...

Scene in the crowd over the two nights Adrienne....Kate...1/2 half of The Placid People, Aya and friends Kelma, some of Bryans old friends, including Purdy, Peter Prince..the Moon Boot Lover, Charlie Brown from Waitsfield, CSdasmack, Carrjo spotted downstairs, and some other Potter St. Lawrence friends.

Set List

Ah Mary
Ain't No Time
Apologies
Stop the Bus
Nothing But TheWater

Angel Band

Big White Gate
Pain in My Heart

Answer to phone question: "Dude, where you at?"