So what if it just sold out Giants Stadium? The Dave Matthews Band hasn't completely abandoned its roots now that it's also courted a No. 1 album, the cover of this month's Spin magazine and the best selling tour this summer.
Still, it was unusual to witness Matthews and his four-piece band strolling Cedar and 22nd streets on Church Hill yesterday as the band spent the day filming the video for its latest single, "Stay," in front of several area houses.
Even though the DMB began its ascension in Charlottesville, it now retains the power to film videos just about anywhere, thanks to massive mainstream success.
So, why Richmond?
"The director, Dean Karr, had a vision of it," said production coordinator Danya Browder. "He wanted an 'other side of the tracks' look, a classic urban feel. And there's great architecture here."
Additional exterior footage will be shot next week when a filming crew heads to Jamaica. The DMB, meanwhile, will head to Europe for a string of concerts this weekend.
Production on the "Stay" video began at 6:30 a.m. yesterday with scenes of Matthews getting a shave at a local barber shop. Filming in Richmond went on until sundown.
Close to 100 locals were cast as extras, including a quintet of schoolgirls from St. Patrick's grade school. But they were unruffled about their part in a video for one of music's biggest stars.
When asked whether they had met Matthews, two of the puzzled girls responded, "Who's Dave?"
Tickets still remain for the DMB's three area shows, July 22 at the GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheatre and Aug. 22-23 at Nissan Pavilion in Manassas.