Dave Matthews to Release Recording of 1996 Solo Concert at Sweet Briar College

Once upon a time, before his career really took off, Dave Matthews played an outdoor solo gig at Sweet Briar College in Amherst County.

Twenty years later, that performance can be heard in its entirety.

The Dave Matthews Band announced Friday it's releasing a recording of the show, as well special-edition T-shirts featuring the school's vixen mascot, with all proceeds donated to the tiny all-women's private college that almost permanently closed last year because of financial woes.

From the Sweet Briar release:

"This special, uncirculated Dave Matthews solo acoustic performance was recorded in Spring, 1996 outside at the Sweet Briar College Dell, just before the release of the band’s sophomore album Crash."

It adds that Matthews frequently interacted with the crowd, Among the music: acoustic renditions of full-band songs with highlights including “#41,” “Lie In Our Graves,” “Seek Up” and “#36.”

The school's then-president announced in March 2015 that, largely because of ever-decreasing enrollment and ever-increasing costs, Sweet Briar no longer was financially sustainable.

But alumnae, along with the community, raised $12 million in three months and the order to close forever was reversed after intervention by, among others by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring .

The recording is available to pre-order before the Aug. 19 release. T-shirts are $25 or may be bundled with the CD for $29.99.

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