Photo by Bill Kelly

Last night, Dave Matthews Band performed their first show in Seattle, the hometown of frontman Dave Mathews, since a 2006 opening slot for The Rolling Stones and their first headlining show since 1996. During the performance, which took place at the Climate Pledge Arena, Dave Matthews Band was joined by a couple of Seattle-based musicians, including Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready and American saxophonist Skerik, who sat in with Greensky Bluegrass the evening before.

Dave Matthews Band started the evening off with his ode to fun, love and accountability, “One Sweet World.” Though Matthews has played many times in The Emerald City over the years, he was sure to keep the return with his band special as he moved through a cover of Daniel Lanois’ “The Maker.” Next came “Stay or Leave” before a run of fan favorites which included “Seek Up,” “She” and “Crush.” Bassist Stefan Lessard then welcomed “Walk around the Moon” with an extended solo, and the ensemble moved into a pairing of some song tracks from Matthews’ solo catalog: “So Damn Lucky” and “Gravedigger.” They grooved into a cover of Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, then “Grey Street” and “Come Tomorrow.”

For the final cover of the evening, McCready joined the band on stage to rip through the Bob Dylan penned “All Along the Watchtower,” though the eclectic guitarist played it in a way leaning toward the late Jimi Hendrix, who too was a native of Seattle. Next, Dave Matthews Band performed “Kill the Preacher,” and a cut off Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King, “Why I Am.” Next, Skerik, the eclectic saxophonist who is credited as being a pioneer in a playing style called saxophonics, joined on stage to add his style to “Jimi Thing” before the ensemble closed the show with a rendition of “Louisiana Bayou.”

After much applause and a short interlude, Dave Matthews Band returned to the stage for a two-song encore comprised of “Singing From the Windows” and “Two Step.”

Dave Matthews Band will perform next at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. tonight.

Dave Matthews Band
Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle
Nov. 4, 2022

Set: One Sweet World, The Maker (Daniel Lanois cover), Stay or Leave (Dave Matthews song), Madman’s Eyes, Seek Up, She, Crush, Walk Around the Moon, So Damn Lucky (Dave Matthews song), Gravedigger, (Dave Matthews song), Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), Grey Street, Come Tomorrow, All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover) (with Mike McCready), Kill the Preacher, Why I Am, Jimi Thing (with Skerik), Louisiana Bayou

Enc.: Singing From the Windows, Two Step