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Live Setlist
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Ants Marching

Also Known As: No New Directions
Times Fully Played: 1455
Live Releases: 102
Broadcasts: 107
Date Last Played: 3.2.24 (26 days ago)
Shortest Version: 3:07 (11.28.22)
Longest Version: 14:31 (12.08.93)

Aborted Count : 4
Fake Count : 10

Opener Count : 22
Set 1 Closer Count : 36
Set 2 Opener Count : 17
Closer Count : 702
Encore Count : 343
2nd Encore Count : 10
People in every direction
Composer
Matthews (1993)
Song History
As Dave Matthews once put it, "This song is our anthem". It's perhaps one of the best known DMB songs and the all time most played set closer in history by a longshot. It incorporates every aspect of the band's personalities and bridges the DMB of old with the new. During its first years, Ants Marching was an instant favorite. It was usually preceeded by the 2001 Intro and was heavy on the keyboards. After Peter Greisar left the band, the intro evolved into a prelude build up similar to "Dueling Banjos". As the song progressed through 1993, it evolved its most recognizable feature: the Carter snare intro, which has sometimes lasted as long as a minute and a half. 1995 was the golden year of Ants. Not only was it the most played set closer, but it was also the most played song. It was during this time that Dave began letting the crowd sing "People in every direction". Further through the years, the song evolved slightly more to include a 1-2-3 round robin jam towards the end and has also featured guests on special occasions. According to calculations based on the number of times played and number of shows performed, any given show has about a 50% chance of containing Ants. On our site, snare intro in the notes denotes the Carter snare intro, direct intro denotes the quick the band intro.

Starting in 2007, Rashawn began interpolating The Jacksons' "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" after the second chorus in nearly every version of the song.
Lyrics:
Color Legend
Show Type
Dave & Carlos Varela  (1)
Dave & Friends  (1)
Dave & Tim  (148)
Dave Solo  (33)
DMB  (1284)
Joshua Bell  (1)
The Cadets  (1)
Personnel
Dave Solo  (33)
Dave and Tim  (143)
Boyd Tinsley  (1117)
Carter Beauford  (1281)
Dave Matthews  (1282)
LeRoi Moore  (855)
Peter Griesar  (54)
Stefan Lessard  (1271)
Aldo López Gavilán  (1)
Alex Wasily  (2)
Ann Marie Simpson  (1)
Aoife O'Donovan  (1)
Ashlin Parker  (1)
Béla Fleck  (26)
Ben Golder-Novick  (1)
Ben Jaffe  (4)
Bennie Cowan  (1)
Bernardo Aguiar  (1)
Branden Lewis  (4)
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes  (1)
Buddy Strong  (153)
Butch Taylor  (205)
Carlos Varela  (2)
Charlie Gabriel  (2)
Clark Gayton  (1)
Clifton Anderson  (1)
Clint Maedgen  (4)
Cory Wong  (1)
David Ryan Harris  (1)
Doug Wanamaker  (4)
Eddie Allen  (1)
Elizabeth Lea  (1)
Eric Krasno  (2)
Futureman  (6)
Gabriel Policarpo  (1)
Greg Howard  (2)
Greg Thomas  (1)
Isaiah Sharkey  (1)
Jamaaladeen Tacuma  (1)
Jamal Millner  (2)
Jeff Bradshaw  (1)
Jeff Coffin  (419)
Jeff Sipe  (1)
Jeff Young  (1)
Jon Lampley  (1)
Joshua Bell  (1)
Julio César González  (1)
Kyle Roussel  (2)
Larry Campbell  (1)
Leon Mobley  (1)
Louis Fouché  (1)
Miguel Valdez  (2)
Mike Durham  (1)
Mix Master Mike  (1)
Molly Tuttle  (3)
Paul McCandless  (1)
Pedrito Martinez  (1)
Rashawn Ross  (487)
Ray Parker, Jr.  (1)
Revon Andrews  (2)
Richmond Symphony Orchestra  (2)
Ricky Peterson  (1)
Ron Blake  (1)
Ronald Khalis Bell  (1)
Ronell Johnson  (2)
Sara Watkins  (1)
Sarah Jarosz  (1)
Shawn Pelton  (1)
Steve Gadd  (1)
Steve Jordan  (1)
The Cadets  (1)
The Chamber Orchestra of Havana  (1)
Tim Reynolds  (450)
Trey Anastasio  (1)
Trombone Shorty  (2)
Victor Wooten  (5)
Walter Harris  (2)
Warren Haynes  (3)
Wayne Cobham  (1)
Will Lee  (1)
Yissy García  (1)
1991
10.22
1992
2.13
3.20
4.5
5.13
5.14
5.20
5.26
6.9
6.17
7.4
7.8
7.21
7.28
7.31
8.4
9.1
9.11
9.20
9.30
10.14
10.27
11.3
11.10
11.17
11.24
12.1
12.4
12.21
12.22
12.29
12.31
1993
1.19
1.19
1.20
1.26
1.27
1.29
1.30
2.2
2.3
2.6
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.16
2.17
2.25
2.26
2.27
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.6
3.9
3.12
3.16
3.17
3.20
3.23
3.24
3.27
4.1
4.2
4.7
4.9
4.10
4.14
4.18
4.22
4.25
4.30
5.4
5.19
5.21
5.23
5.25
5.27
5.31
6.2
6.4
6.8
6.9
6.12
6.13
6.15
6.16
6.21
6.23
6.24
6.26
7.6
7.7
7.14
7.21
7.22
7.26
7.27
8.10
8.13
8.16
8.17
8.18
8.19
8.28
8.31
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.8
9.16
9.18
9.23
10.3
10.5
10.8
10.15
10.16
10.20
10.22
10.24
10.26
10.27
10.30
11.2
11.5
11.6
11.9
11.10
11.11
11.12
11.13
11.16
11.17
11.18
11.20
11.23
11.24
11.27
11.29
11.30
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
12.5
12.7
12.8
12.10
12.11
12.12
12.28
12.31
1994
1.3
1.6
1.10
1.29
2.4
2.5
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.16
2.17
2.19
2.21
2.22
2.23
2.24
2.25
2.26
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.7
3.10
3.15
3.17
3.18
3.19
3.26
3.31
4.1
4.3
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.19
4.20
4.21
4.22
4.24
4.26
4.27
4.28
4.29
4.30
5.2
5.12
5.14
5.30
6.12
7.17
7.19
7.21
7.23
7.24
7.27
7.28
7.30
8.1
8.2
8.5
8.6
8.12
8.16
8.17
8.21
8.25
8.28
8.30
8.31
9.1
9.3
9.4
fake
9.28
9.29
10.1
10.3
10.5
10.6
10.9
10.11
10.12
10.14
10.15
10.16
10.18
10.19
10.20
10.21
10.22
10.26
10.27
10.27
10.28
10.29
11.1
11.3
11.7
11.8
11.9
11.11
11.12
11.13
11.14
11.17
11.18
11.19
11.20
11.23
11.25
11.26
11.29
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
12.8
12.9
12.10
12.12
12.15
12.16
12.17
12.27
12.28
12.29
12.30
12.31
1995
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.30
1.31
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.7
2.8
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.12
2.14
2.15
2.17
2.20
2.21
2.23
2.24
2.25
2.26
2.28
3.1
3.4
3.5
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.11
3.12
3.15
3.17
3.18
3.19
3.23
3.25
3.27
3.28
3.29
3.30
3.31
4.2
4.3
4.5
4.7
4.8
4.10
4.11
4.14
4.15
4.16
4.17
4.18
4.19
4.21
4.22
4.23
4.25
4.26
4.27
4.29
4.30
5.1
5.2
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.8
5.9
5.10
5.10
5.12
5.13
5.14
5.20
6.24
6.25
6.26
7.8
7.9
7.12
7.13
7.20
7.21
7.22
7.22
7.23
7.25
7.26
7.27
7.28
aborted
7.30
7.31
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.7
8.8
8.9
8.11
8.12
8.14
8.15
8.17
8.18
8.19
8.20
8.21
8.23
8.24
8.25
8.26
8.27
8.29
8.31
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.24
10.1
10.4
12.5
12.7
12.15
12.27
12.28
12.29
12.30
12.31
1996
2.1
2.2
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.13
2.14
2.16
2.17
2.18
2.19
4.14
4.29
4.30
5.3
5.5
5.6
5.9
5.10
5.11
5.14
5.15
5.22
5.23
5.25
5.26
5.29
5.30
5.31
6.4
6.5
6.7
6.8
6.9
6.11
6.12
6.14
6.15
6.16
6.18
6.19
6.21
6.22
6.23
6.28
6.30
7.3
7.5
7.6
7.8
7.10
7.13
7.14
7.18
7.19
7.20
7.21
7.23
7.24
7.26
7.27
7.28
7.29
7.30
8.1
8.3
8.4
8.30
8.31
9.1
9.3
9.4
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.9
9.27
9.28
9.29
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.6
10.7
10.10
10.11
10.12
10.13
10.15
10.16
10.18
10.19
10.21
10.22
10.25
10.26
10.28
10.29
10.31
11.2
11.3
11.5
11.6
11.7
11.9
11.10
11.12
11.13
11.15
11.16
11.17
11.19
11.20
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.5
12.6
12.7
12.8
12.16
12.27
12.28
12.29
12.30
12.31
1997
1.14
1.15
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.27
1.29
1.30
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.10
2.11
2.13
2.14
2.15
2.17
2.18
2.20
2.21
2.22
2.23
6.3
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.10
6.11
6.12
6.13
6.15
6.16
6.18
6.19
6.20
6.22
6.23
6.25
6.26
6.27
6.28
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.10
7.11
7.13
10.4
11.1
12.5
1998
5.29
5.30
6.5
6.28
6.29
7.1
7.2
7.5
7.6
7.9
8.9
8.15
8.18
8.20
8.21
8.23
8.25
8.27
8.30
10.15
10.16
10.18
10.26
10.27
10.29
11.3
11.5
11.7
11.9
11.11
11.14
11.17
12.17
12.18
1999
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10
3.13
3.14
3.24
3.25
5.2
5.4
5.7
5.9
5.12
5.15
5.16
5.20
5.22
5.26
5.30
6.4
6.9
6.11
6.12
6.15
6.18
6.19
6.22
6.24
6.27
7.6
7.9
7.10
7.11
7.15
7.17
7.20
7.24
7.26
7.28
7.30
8.3
8.7
9.12
2000
6.20
6.24
6.27
6.30
7.8
7.13
7.16
7.19
7.21
7.25
7.28
7.29
7.30
8.1
8.5
8.19
8.23
8.27
8.29
9.1
9.9
9.13
9.16
9.19
9.20
10.28
12.3
12.5
12.8
12.13
12.17
2001
1.20
2.27
4.21
4.29
5.2
5.5
5.12
5.14
6.6
6.13
6.17
6.24
7.7
7.11
7.20
7.30
8.1
8.4
8.8
8.26
8.28
10.21
11.12
2002
2.9
3.16
4.12
4.19
4.21
4.24
4.27
4.30
5.2
5.5
5.7
5.10
5.12
5.15
5.19
5.24
5.29
7.6
7.9
7.12
7.13
7.17
7.29
8.5
8.11
9.1
9.6
9.29
12.10
12.14
12.20
12.21
2003
3.19
3.20
3.22
3.23
3.25
3.26
3.28
3.31
4.1
4.4
5.5
6.18
6.27
6.30
7.5
7.9
7.10
7.12
7.13
7.18
7.22
7.26
7.29
8.1
8.4
8.7
8.28
8.30
9.3
9.6
9.9
9.13
9.16
9.17
9.20
9.24
12.19
2004
6.21
6.24
6.26
6.29
7.2
7.7
7.8
7.10
7.11
7.13
7.17
7.23
7.26
7.31
8.4
8.7
8.16
8.20
8.23
8.28
8.31
9.5
10.2
10.11
2005
3.21
3.24
3.26
4.30
5.9
5.17
6.5
6.13
6.19
6.29
7.1
7.5
7.14
7.21
7.31
8.12
8.20
8.28
8.30
8.31
9.3
9.7
9.9
9.18
9.20
11.27
11.30
12.4
12.7
12.10
12.12
12.15
2006
6.2
6.6
6.9
6.14
6.17
6.20
aborted
6.23
6.27
7.1
7.5
7.7
7.28
8.2
8.5
8.9
8.11
8.15
8.16
8.18
8.25
8.28
9.2
9.12
9.15
9.22
10.20
10.21
10.27
10.28
10.29
10.30
2007
2.23
2.24
2.26
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
3.12
3.13
3.14
5.1
5.2
5.4
5.5
5.23
5.25
5.27
5.28
5.30
7.9
7.28
8.2
8.5
8.8
8.15
8.18
8.22
8.26
8.28
9.2
9.6
9.8
9.9
9.11
9.14
9.18
9.21
9.25
9.28
9.29
10.1
11.13
11.14
11.15
2008
4.1
4.6
4.20
5.20
5.31
6.4
6.6
6.7
6.10
6.13
6.17
6.21
6.24
6.27
6.28
7.1
7.4
7.5
7.7
7.9
7.11
7.20
7.22
7.26
7.29
7.30
8.1
8.2
8.5
8.7
8.9
8.13
8.15
8.16
8.19
8.22
8.24
8.31
9.7
9.10
9.20
9.26
9.28
9.30
10.3
10.26
2009
4.14
4.17
4.20
4.22
4.25
4.26
4.28
5.2
5.5
5.9
5.29
6.1
6.5
6.6
6.9
6.10
6.12
6.16
6.20
6.25
6.28
6.29
7.1
fake
7.2
7.4
7.5
7.7
7.10
7.11
7.18
7.25
aborted
8.10
8.15
8.29
9.5
9.10
9.13
9.20
9.25
9.26
10.3
10.25
12.11
2010
2.16
2.17
2.19
2.22
2.25
2.28
3.1
3.3
3.4
3.6
3.7
3.9
3.11
3.12
3.14
3.15
5.20
5.28
6.1
6.2
6.4
6.7
6.15
6.18
6.23
6.25
6.26
6.30
7.4
7.6
7.9
7.10
7.13
7.16
7.20
7.23
7.25
7.27
7.30
8.14
8.15
8.17
8.21
8.23
8.27
9.5
9.9
9.11
9.14
9.15
9.17
9.23
10.8
10.10
10.14
10.16
11.3
11.9
aborted
11.20
12.16
2011
fake
6.26
7.10
fake
9.18
11.19
2012
5.22
5.28
6.6
6.8
6.13
6.22
6.29
7.7
7.11
7.14
7.20
9.1
9.7
9.9
9.11
9.23
12.5
12.9
12.12
12.14
12.19
12.21
12.22
2013
4.6
4.28
5.17
5.26
5.28
6.1
6.6
6.7
6.16
6.21
6.29
7.2
7.3
7.5
7.9
7.10
7.12
7.17
7.19
7.24
7.27
8.23
8.27
8.30
9.4
9.7
11.30
12.3
12.7
12.8
12.11
12.14
12.17
2014
1.16
4.13
4.15
4.17
4.19
5.17
5.21
5.31
6.6
6.7
6.10
6.13
6.21
fake
6.25
6.27
6.28
7.2
7.4
7.9
7.12
7.16
7.18
7.22
7.25
7.26
8.23
8.30
9.6
9.13
2015
1.17
3.15
5.7
5.15
5.16
5.20
5.23
6.2
6.5
6.6
6.10
6.13
6.30
7.3
fake
7.10
7.14
fake
7.21
7.25
7.29
8.29
9.1
9.2
9.5
9.11
9.13
10.8
10.11
10.12
10.15
10.17
10.20
10.24
10.25
10.28
fake
11.1
11.4
11.11
2016
2.4
5.7
5.17
5.21
5.24
5.28
6.6
6.21
6.28
7.6
7.13
7.20
7.23
7.30
8.30
9.4
9.17
10.1
10.10
10.23
 11.1
11.12
 11.13
2017
1.25
2.23
3.23
3.25
3.29
4.1
4.6
4.7
4.10
4.11
5.5
5.7
5.30
6.2
6.4
6.6
6.11
6.13
6.14
6.17
7.9
10.2
2018
1.13
1.28
2.3
4.20
5.19
5.26
5.29
6.2
6.5
6.6
6.9
6.13
6.16
6.22
6.26
6.27
6.30
7.7
7.10
7.11
7.13
7.15
7.17
7.20
7.24
7.27
7.29
8.12
8.25
8.28
9.2
9.7
9.8
9.10
fake
9.13
9.19
9.22
11.29
12.2
12.8
12.15
fake
12.28
2019
2.16
3.6
3.10
3.13
3.15
3.17
3.20
3.22
3.23
3.25
3.27
3.30
4.1
4.3
4.6
4.20
4.30
5.1
5.3
5.4
5.11
5.15
5.17
6.14
6.17
6.18
6.21
6.29
7.2
7.5
7.12
7.15
7.19
7.20
7.24
7.27
8.24
8.27
8.31
9.4
9.7
9.13
9.14
9.21
9.22
9.24
9.27
9.29
10.3
10.5
10.8
10.18
10.19
10.20
2020
2.15
2.28
2.29
3.12
2021
4.16
8.7
8.13
8.13
8.19
8.21
8.25
8.27
8.28
8.29
9.3
9.8
9.11
9.22
9.25
9.26
9.29
10.13
11.6
11.9
11.11
11.13
11.17
2022
2.20
3.9
3.26
4.9
5.10
5.11
5.18
5.21
6.3
6.7
6.11
6.15
6.18
6.19
6.22
6.24
6.29
7.9
7.12
7.15
7.17
7.20
7.22
8.21
8.30
9.4
9.10
9.16
9.19
10.25
10.26
11.5
11.8
11.9
11.12
11.15
11.16
11.18
11.28
2023
1.24
2.10
2.19
3.19
5.11
5.20
5.23
5.31
6.3
6.27
6.29
7.1
7.2
7.7
7.12
7.22
7.29
8.26
9.1
11.8
11.11
11.18
12.10
12.12
2024
2.17
3.2
All statistical information and computations copyright ©2002, Matias Nino and Rob Bokon. No portion of dmbalmanac.com may be reproduced without permission. Portions of the site, specifically lyrics and songtitles are copyright Colden Grey, Ltd., Bama Rags Records, Red Light Management, RCA and/or BMG. Show posters are copyright their respective artists.