Its very chic for connoisseurs of cool music to trash the Dave Matthews Band. Yes, they crank out jammy songs that tend to be indistinguishable from one another, theyre so prolific they come off as annoyingly ubiquitous, and they attract inebriated throngs of former Greek system undergrads to their shows. But you should be thanking their asses: DMBs three-show run at the Gorge every Labor Day weekend means these same people wont be showing up for Dylan or Neko at Memorial or stumbling around one of Bumbershoots smaller stages. And you should also lighten up and consider both their roots (they slaved away on the bar band circuit for years before attaining mega-stardom) and where Daves put down his (Wallingford). Plus, best of luck assailing the bangthree-hour concerts are de rigueurthey give their fans for the buck. MIKE SEELY
Sept. 3-5, 6 p.m., 2010
