If you haven't spotted Dave Matthews lately, you're either a cat-hoarding shut-in or have big, rusty nails shoved into your eyes. Dave moved to Seattle to be close to his new ball-n-chain, Ashley (who's a grad student here), and now you can't swing a dead baby without whomping little Dave upside the head. He's everywhere! Scott H. spotted Davey leaning over the banister outside Pacific Place Cinemas, "Jdogg" saw him "wandering aimlessly" 'round the Arboretum, and Tim H. swears Dave wasn't at the WTO riots (as I recently reported) but was "mowing down honey muffins" at a Starbucks. My favorite Dave encounters so far:

I was shopping at U-Village, riding the escalators and being seen, when who should appear but a shifty-eyed Dave Matthews! He was wearing a black pea coat and mulling around, riding escalators up and down and looking like a stray farm animal. Slightly shorter and dumpier than in the CD booklets, but unmistakably Mr. Matthews. Wow!

--Jfisher, Ballard

Bryan crashed into Davey too, this time shopping at REI.

I was eyeballing a pair of waterproof overalls when I saw him--Dave Matthews! My legs started to tremble! I wandered around, pretending to be interested in anything but Dave Matthews. My mind was racing. Do I say hi? I didn't want to be one of those obsessives who freak out. But I was freaking out! I was glancing over my shoulder, under my shoulder, through racks, shelves, in total disbelief that my favorite musician in the world was in the same damn shoe department as me! I had to say hi. He walked into the women's section when I closed in... 25 yards, 10 yards, five yards... three feet! Dave turns around and looks me right in the eye! "Excuse me, are you Dave Matthews?"

To make a long story short, Dave and Bryan shot the shit--with Dave behaving very much the "unpretentious and approachable" superstar Rolling Stone swears he is ("He looked me in the eye and shook my hand.... TWICE!"), even with Bryan babbling like an idiot ("Holy shit. Oh my god! I can't believe it! My heart is beating like crazy--I love YOU!"). Bryan went on babbling like an idiot even after he left REI, "screaming and pounding the steering wheel all the way home!" Well, right the fuck on, DUDE! SCORE! I have forwarded your e-mail address to Mr. Matthews. Maybe when Dave's back from his tour you can kick back a microbrew with the man you love.

celebisawu@thestranger.com