The University Concert Committee might have been initially worried about Big Head Todd and the Monsters' and the Dave Mathews Band's co-headlining concert at Rec Hall last night, but the 3,600 fans assured a UCC success.

Ugly Americans started off the musical feast, with a five-song set culminating in the James Brown staple "Sex Machine." The band didn't stop there as crowd reaction encouraged the Americans to add the Juicy Fruit jingle into the song.

Response to the Americans' introduction was marked by clapping, but it was obvious it was more out of anticipation for what was to come.

After the break, H.O.R.D.E. tour graduates Big Head Todd and the Monsters took the stage with an assortment of their best. They opened with "Sister Sweetly" and the crowd showed its first signs of real life since the night began.

Big Head Todd kept the momentum going through their radio hit, "Bittersweet," but they unfortunately lost what small spark of magic they were carrying. Once front man Todd Park Mohr apologized to the crowd about a broken string, their set was looking for life from the crowd.

After pulling their last fan favorite, "Broken Hearted Savior," out of the bag, the band turned to classic rock-meisters Led Zeppelin by borrowing "Tangerine" to once again rouse the mellowed crowd. But this was not enough to salvage their set.

The closing applause for Big Head Todd was subdued, with chants of "Dave Matthews" echoing through the crowd.

Molly Rodgers (senior-biology), who came specifically to see Big Head Todd, was slightly dissapointed. "I liked it, but it was a little too mellow."

As the Beastie Boys wailed over the public address system during intermission, the crowd began to wake up from the Big Head Todd daze.

"I'm glad Dave Matthews is the closing act. I think he'll end the show with a blast," said Jeff Gralnick (junior-history).

As if not to be proven wrong, the Dave Matthews Band took the stage with a passion and kept it --something the previous act had been unable to do.

They opened with "Jimi Thing," and the cheering rose to a dull roar as Violinist Boyd Tinsley showed why he used to front his own band.

With his current quintet, Tinsley couldn't be happier. "We play music. We play from our hearts . . . it's for real."

"It's a great feeling to be a musician and have people connect with you, between your soul and other souls," he thoughtfully added.

If it was possible for the band to play any better, they managed to do it during the live favorite "Dancing Nancies," which doubled the length and intensity of the recorded version.

Before the closing number, Matthews took a moment to address the crowd. "We're really having a nice time. We hope you're having a good time too." The end of his comment was deafened by thunderous screaming.

Then "Ants Marching" brought to life and ignited the crowd again. Tinsley started the tune with a violin flourish while jumping around on one leg, which drew huge amounts of applause from the ecstatic audience.

During a later moment of brilliance, Tinsley took the song to another level, as two crowd members flew into the air and floated on a wave of friendly hands.

As if to add to the musical orgy, drummer Carter Beauford tossed a stick to the sky, and the band brought the song home.

And to sum up an experience that left both the musicians and the audience exhausted. Alex Gentry (senior-business) elegantly stated, "I've seen them a couple of times. They're good on record, but live is incredible."