Just back from a really nice show. Maxwell's wasn't packed like during the reunion shows, but was probably 3/4 filled. Peter and Chris sat on stools and played acoustic guitars. They were backed by Dave Schramm on electric guitar, Andy Burton on keyboards, and Alan Bezozi on drums.

Was a mix of tracks from Mavericks, new tunes from the upcoming Mavericks "sequel," and some covers. If I've forgotten or imagined a song played, forgive me, but here's my recollection. From Mavericks: Angels, She Was the One, Geometry, The Child in You, Close Your Eyes, Here Without You, and Taken. New Holsapple/Stamey songs: Early in the Morning, London, Begin Again (Peter's Katrina song), Long Time Coming, Bird on the Wing, and Hang Around With You (played at the reunion shows). Covers: Everly Brothers' Lord of the Manor, Act Naturally (for Buck Owens), William Bell's You Don't Miss Your Water (great second-encore closer), and a song by Family that i'd never heard before. Only dB's song closed the first encore: From a Window to a Screen.

The mood was light, Chris and Peter both in fine voice and harmonizing beautifully, and it doesn't hurt to have world-class backing musicians. In addition to future dB's shows, I hope this lineup hits the road eventually for you all to see.

Thanks for the synopsis Jack. What a setlist! 'Mavericks' is so dear to me. As much as I love the dB's, it's the 'Mavericks' tunes that really drew me in. Saw Holsapple and Stamey when they toured that record. Looks like the have some of the original 'Mavs' musicians back on board too.
Is there a new Holsapple-Stamey record in the works?
How bout the new dB's record? Sure would enjoy seeing these guys live again!!

It was a wonderful show and Peter and Chris sounded just great and funny and rest of the band was perfect. My wife and I watched most of the show, but eventually had to take off (mostly due to babysitting issues back home in NY), but also because of all the smoking in the crowd. There were a particular couple of people in the front who were chain smoking so much that I had to get out of there. I don't remember that from when the dB's played there last time a couple of months ago. Chris even made a comment about it. I guess NJ has different rules than NY. It's funny how something you'd just take for granted a couple of years ago becomes so offensive and just plain weird a few years, and law changes, later. I don't mean to be harsh--10 or 15 years ago I probably would have been standing there smoking--and drinking--myself. But now, three kids later and “working for somebody else,” it just makes hanging out in a smoke filled club in the middle of the week with a long drive home, harder. Even if it means missing out on a few minutes of great music by two members of your favorite band ever.

Wanted to mention that they also played Chris's "Something Came Over Me."

As for Maxwell's and smoking:
--Most importantly, New Jersey's anti-smoking regulations will go into effect on April 15. So, pay your taxes, and then come back to Maxwell's! Of course, New Jersey is only the 11th state to enact such legislation, so smoke-filled clubs are a fact of life for tons of rock fans and all touring bands.

--When I moved to Hoboken 12 years ago, Maxwell's back room (where bands play) was famously smoke-free. There was a change of ownership about a decade back that turned Maxwell's into a cigar-friendly microbrewery, featuring generic bar bands. The "forces of good" reclaimed Maxwell's, but I think allowing smoking in the back room was a business decision.

--I do remember a Freedy Johnston show at Maxwell's a few years back that was smoke-free at Freedy's insistence.

As far as I'm concerned, I will do my best to never again play any venues as smoky as Maxwell's was that night. I was blindsided by it--in Chapel Hill it's all nonsmoking where I play--otherwise I would have asked the owner to make it so for the night. That was awful.