You know what it’s like. You go to your first Dave Matthews Band show, and leave so astonished that you instantly plan the next trip to see DMB. “You’re crazy,” your friends will tell you, “you just saw them!” You know that they don’t understand, and simply shrug off their comments. So you go to your second show, then your third.

Now you’re stoked, and go online to keep track of your song stats. Finally you do something crazy: spend a weekend at the same venue to see DMB twice in two nights. “What a waste of money,” your parents will tell you. They don’t get it either, but you do. Yes, you do.

Just a few nights ago, I was getting ready to see my final DMB show of the summer in Syracuse, NY. This show was general admission, and I (and several other hundred fans) had the intentions of being front row. The fact that I achieved my goal was not the point, I took away something much more than a few front row cell phone pictures from the show, something that will last after 11pm, something that makes me “get it.”

I’m friends with all types on DMB fans: fans that have been to 130+ shows, fans that love ‘I Did It’, and fans that have no interest in Before These Crowded Streets. They all have something in common: passion. This passion lasts long after the show, and creates friendships that last a lifetime.

When I arrived in the parking lot at Syracuse in the morning, the line to get in was long. People begun to form the line at 5am. Despite the gut wrenching heat, people had smiles all over. Food was being shared, cell phone numbers were being exchanged, stories were being told, and friendships were being made. Sure, many of us are “obsessed” with the band, but don’t ever let anyone tell you that being “obessed” with DMB is a bad thing, because it’s not, it’s a great, complex, and at times magical thing.

“Tell me why you’re here so early,” a news reporter asked someone in line. “To get front row,” a hot, sun burnt fan said. I’m sure viewers on TV chuckled, but once again, they don’t get it. Only we do.

The time to the show passed quickly. It felt like less of a “wait” and more of an experience. I’ve been to quite a few DMB tailgates, but not a day-long marathon like this one, alongside hundreds of my closest friends.

At any given time, there is no place I’d rather be than in a parking lot of a DMB show hours before the show. The people are friendly, and the memories made will last forever. I’ve made countless friends at these shows, and although we rarely see eachother outside of DMB shows, it’s as if we haven’t skipped a beat every time we meet up. We all have something in common, and this special bond will serve us all in life; it will open our eyes to be more open to other ideas and people.

Think about it, the fans you meet at the DMB show may be “obsessed” with the band, but they have a life too. A life that is likely much different than your own. If you were to cross paths with someone in a street, without knowing that they were a big DMB fan, you’d keep walking and go on with your business, but if that person were to be wearing a DMB summer tour 2004 shirt, you may stop to say hi, introduce yourself, and start a conversation.

But this is what the band wants, fan interaction. It’s why DMB is no longer on archive.org, there was no fan interaction on there, you simply clicked a link and had a show. Now you sometimes have to hunt it down and talk with other fans. Of course this may only be on the internet, but as we all know, what happens on the internet can translate into a friendship in real life.

DMB is the door to friendship, and teaches us to be more open to all of those around us. As humans, we all must have at least something in common, and for us it’s DMB, but don’t be afraid to start a conversation with a complete stranger and see what you have in common with them, who knows, you may end up making a great friend.

Cherish what this band has done for you, and remember: it’s not where, but who you’re with that really matters.