Before These Crowded Seats: A Dave Matthews Band Fan's Journey Through 100 Shows

Written by Mike Carpenter

Each pre-order includes:
Paperback book (350 pages, 100,000+ words)
Audiobook (8+ hours, narrated by the author)
Shipping in late July ahead of general on-sale date

Twenty-five years of Dave Matthews Band shows from the tailgate lots to the cheap seats . . .

Before These Crowded Seats offers an in-depth look at the Dave Matthews Band from 2002 to present. Mike Carpenter charts the group’s history while reflecting on his personal experiences as a fan, from his first DMB concert in the winter of 2002 to his 100th during the 2026 Summer Tour.

Discovering DMB as a high school freshman, Carpenter began digging deep into their discography, starting with Before These Crowded Streets and working his way back to Under the Table and Dreaming. It wasn’t long before he was downloading audience recordings and burning them onto CD-Rs. In 2002, he attended his first show and never looked back.

Relive it all - the concerts, tailgates, road trips, campsites, hotel rooms, and everything in between - from Before These Crowded Seats.

About the Author
Mike Carpenter is a musician, teacher, and writer. Born in Urbana, IL, he has traveled throughout the Midwest and attended hundreds of concerts, DMB and otherwise. An avid sports fan, he is the author of The 200 Level: An Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Fan’s Journey.