Photo Credit: Sanjay Suchak

On Friday night, Dave Matthews Band kicked off a two-night stand at the historic Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The ensemble’s stand on July 8 marked their 41st performance at the fabled outdoor amphitheater, which was met with a fitting start when the troupe began the show with “#41” off their 1996 LP, Crash. Night two was met with other memorable moments, including a bust out of “Pay for What You Get.”

Dave Matthews Band’s Friday night stand got underway with “#41” to commemorate their 41st concert at the iconic venue. Then, the band continued with a numerical theme, playing “Seven” off 2009’s Big Whiskey & the GooGrux King and “#27.” For the next tune of the night, Matthews and company picked up “Grey Street” ahead of an epic take on “Funny the Way It Is” and “Don’t Drink the Water.” 

“Dancing Nancies” arrived next, ahead of a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain.” Then, the band worked their way into “So Right” off 2001’s Everyday. They busted into “Madman’s Eye,” followed by fan-favorite “You & Me,” performed with a “Hope For Tomorrow” prelude. Then, the ensemble played “Say Goodbye” with an interpolation of Roger Miller’s seminal track, “You Can’t Roller Skate With a Buffalo Herd.” 

“So Damn Lucky” included an a taste of Sly & The Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” which elated the packed crowd with the recognizable arrangement. Night one continued with “Drive In, Drive Out” and a “Two Step” set ender which included a “Time Bomb” prelude. For the night’s encore, Matthews delivered a solo “Some Devil” before the complete band joined the stage for “The Maker” and “Shake Me Like a Monkey” to cap the night.

Saturday night’s concert kicked off with “Bartender” followed by “Can’t Stop” and a segued pairing of “Proudest Monkey” and “Satellite.” “Louisiana Bayou” arrived next, then the ensemble dug into “Sweet” before a pairing of “Recently” and “Warehouse” which appeared on the 1994 LP Under the Table and Dreaming. 

Next, they rolled out “Walk Around the Moon” and “Break Free” followed by “Seek Up.” Dave Matthews Band covered the Peter Gabriel hit “Sledgehammer” before returning to their original catalog on “Come On Come On.” The set continued with “Minarets” and “Lie in Our Graves,” which the band recently performed with Grammy-award winning guitarist Eric Krasno on July 3 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wis. Read more here.

They dug into a set of fan favorites next, landing on “Crush” ahead of “Rooftop” and “Ants Marching.” For the night’s encore, the full band played “Pay for What You Get” for the first time since August 1, 2015. The performance of the tune also represented the first time it had been dusted off as an encore since August 15, 1998. Then, the night was capped with “Too Much” and “Halloween.” 

Following Dave Matthews Band’s time in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., they’ll trek up to Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, N.H., for a two night stand beginning on July 12. From there, they’ll head to Camden, N.J., for another set of shows, ahead of their July 20 concert at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, N.Y. Tickets remain on sale for the band’s forthcoming shows. To learn more, visit davematthewsband.com. 

Scroll down to see Dave Matthews Band’s setlists from their two-night stand at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Dave Matthews Band 

Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

July 8, 2022

Set: #41, Seven, #27, Grey Street, Funny the Way It Is, Don’t Drink the Water, Typical Situation, The Only Thing, Dancing Nancies, Fool in the Rain^, So Right, Madman’s Eyes, You & Me%, Say Goodbye, Everyday, So Damn Lucky, Drive In, Drive Out, Two Step#

Enc.: Some Devil, The Maker, Shake Me Like a Monkey

Notes:

^ Led Zeppelin cover

% With “Hope For Tomorrow” intro 

# With a “Time Bomb” intro 

Dave Matthews Band 

Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

July 9, 2022 

Set: Bartender, Can’t Stop, Proudest Monkey, Satellite, Louisiana Bayou, Sweet, Recently, Warehouse, Walk Around the Moon, Break Free, Seek Up, Sledgehammer*, Come On Come On, Minarets, Line in Our Graves, Crush, Rooftop, Ants Marching

Enc.: Pay for What You Get&, Too Much > Halloween

Note:

* Peter Gabriel cover 

& First time “Pay for What You Get” has been played by the full band since Aug. 1, 2015. And first time as an encore with the full band since Aug. 15, 1998 

Setlist via dmbalmanac.com.