So I've found myself saying "this is the best week ever!" about 48 times this past year and if you ask me, 48/52 ain't too shabby. This week obviously deserved that statement, but I mean, if last week was the best week ever, but this week is even better than that, there's never too much to be bummed about!

This time, that exclamation is owed to a good friend of mine, Jen "makin' dreams come true" Bilec. First of all, she's one of the best humans I've ever met. Strange, but I really just don't know how else to describe it. How did I first meet this kid, you ask? Well, we went to elementary school together, but my first contact with her was at a 4th/5th grade softball game - where, this bored 4th-grade outfielder (accidentally) caught a fly ball hit by said superstar 5th-grade athlete. I was thrilled about it, probably until 7th grade.

It wasn't until later in college that we ran into each other again and started talking about/swapping music, which is truly where our friendship began.

The cool part about this is that we are now starting to get into positions where we can help the other out in the music world. I'm generally on the small show side, whereas Bilec sticks to the big shows annd guess who came through town last week....

I know I don't really write about DMB, but based on the title of my blog, I think it's safe to assume that there's always been something about their music for me. Not only has "Best of What's Around" been a life motto since the song was released in '94 - yes, little nine-year-old Alli's life philosophy- but it holds the coveted spot of all-time favorite song, mainly for that reason. Dave Matthews somehow also managed to write the musical sound of happiness at it's 3:00 mark, and how one does that I just don't know. I suppose that's just the kind of dude he is.

And it was never so much about Dave and the rest of the guys themselves (I can hear some of you saying, "liar"), but the ability that they have to create music. Songs that are original, songs that both lyrically and musically kick you in the butt and say hey, look at this from another perspective. To all those that equate them to Jack Johnson's mentality to write the same song 900 times, listen closer and you will inevitably discover a line or a track that you've never heard.

Anyway, there are many things that I would love to share, but am afraid that 1) this entry will never end and 2) it's disrespectful to the tour to blog about it. I will say, however, that watching DMB plus Tim Reynolds (who is such a rock star) on electric play to a completely empty, 24,000 capacity outdoor amphitheater on day two of rehearsals, standing backstage, directly behind Carter's set, so close, the stellar lighting design grazed my face, was nothing short of beautiful. If any of you can come up with a place I would have rather been, in any dimension, in any time period, I will give you a bazillion dollars.

Well she ran up into the light, surprised
Her arms are open, her mind's eye is
Seeing things from a better side than most can dream,
On a clearer road I feel, oh you could say she's safe
Whatever tears at her, whatever holds her down
And if nothing can be done,

She'll make the best of what's around...


(Photo: the back of my DMB crew shirt - lit with a simple 60 watt incandescent)