The Central Park Concert

Disc 1
1	Don't Drink the Water 10:09
2	So Much to Say 4:14
3	Too Much 6:41
4	Granny 4:32
5	Crush 11:19
6	When the World Ends 3:54
Disc 2
1	Dancing Nancies 9:47
2	Warehouse 9:40
3	Ants Marching 5:51
4	Rhyme and Reason 5:36
5	Two Step 18:56
6	Help Myself 5:23
Disc 3
1	Cortez, The Killer 10:52
2	Jimi Thing 16:39
3	What Would You Say 5:27
4	Where Are You Going 3:53
5	All Along the Watchtower 12:59
6	Grey Street 4:58
7	What You Are 6:40
8	Stay (Wasting Time) 6:59

Barnes & Noble

Dave Matthews and band did their good deed for 2003 when they played a huge benefit show to raise cash for music education in New York City's public schools. About 90,000 fans caught the event in person, but for those who couldn't make it, this triple-disc set delivers a goodly dose of the gig's electricity. Matthews and company were in peak form that night, as evidenced by crackling renditions of favorites like "Ants Marching" and "Too Step" (the latter of which extends past the 12-minute mark, emphasizing the instinctive interplay among the band's members). The band flexed their jamming muscles again on a version of "Jimi Thing" that winds its way around a verse or so of the Buffalo Springfield classic "For What It's Worth." That song is one of a passel to feature guest guitar work from Gov't Mule veteran Warren Haynes, who also takes the mic from Matthews to share vocals on a cover of Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer." Matthews's sunny mood pervades the set, with numerous lyrical digressions -- most notably a customized-for-Gotham take on "Dancing Nancies" -- and plenty of free-form scatting. The upbeat ambience endures throughout, lending loads of energy to a solo-laced "All Along the Watchtower" and a communal warmth to a sing-along version of "Stay." It's easily the next-best thing to having been there. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Here is yet another live album by the Dave Matthews Band. This one is from his Central Park Concert in 2003. This one is three CDs, loaded with hits and near-misses, from one of the most successful stage bands in the business. The Matthews Band is tight, full of enough funk and sass to keep it interesting, and yet is able to convey real emotion to tens of thousands of people, as evidenced by their many live recordings. What sets this one apart is its presentation of one concert in its entirety, and its willingness to leave rough edges in. While the sound is pristine, and the performance reflects the band's well-rehearsed acumen, there are those spontaneous moments on this set that get left off of most band's live recordings -- including Matthews' previous ones. In addition, this one rocks harder, and is more visceral, than his other offerings of this type. There are 20 tracks spread over this triple-disc, and without doubt, many of the same tracks that have been issued now nearly countless times are here as well: "Ants Marching," "Dancing Nancies," "All Along The Watchtower," (this one shouldn't be issued again until they can read it as dynamically as they did with steel guitar boss Robert Randolph). There is also a guest appearance by Gov't Mule's and the Allman Brothers' Warren Haynes on Disc Three, for a smoking cover of Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer," and a band jam called "Jimi Thing." If you are a fan of Matthews' idiosyncratic rock, this will definitely be a welcome addition to your shelf -- though it's worth speculating that you have tons of bootlegs already. If you are part of the uninitiated, but curious, this is a pretty fine introduction, though admittedly, it is a very big dose all at once. Thom Jurek