Photo by Sanjay Suchak

Last night, Dave Matthews closed out their two-night run at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Like the previous evening, frontman Dave Matthews had several sit-ins by musicians with deep ties to The City That Never Sleeps, this time tapping into several renowned artists with connections to the beloved TV show Saturday Night Live.

Matthews and his band – comprised of Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Tim Reynolds, Rashawn Ross, Jeff Coffin and Buddy Strong – opened with “Pantala Naga Pampa” and moved through fan favorites, including “#41,” “So Much To Say” a cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” “Madman’s Eyes” and more.

Matthews then welcomed New York native Mark Whitfield out to add to “Cornbread.” The guest sit-ins continued with American saxophonist and musical director of the Saturday Night Live Band Lenny Pickett, adding his tenor saxophone stylings to “Steady as We Go.” Like rush hour, the number of guests only increased: “Shake Me Like a Monkey” and the following “Jimi Thing” saw the Saturday Night Live Band’s Ron Blake and Alex Foster joining Pickett on baritone and alto saxophone, respectively, along with Summer Camargo on trumpet.

After much applause from the crowd, enamored by the talent radiating throughout their city, Dave Matthews Band ripped into a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain” before rounding the frame out with the penultimate “Warehouse” and a set closing “Two Step.” To close the show, Dave Matthews Band encored with a paring of “Pay for What You Get” and “Don’t Drink the Water.”

Dave Matthews Band
Madison Square Garden – New York City
Nov. 19, 2022

Set: Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel, #41, Pig, So Much to Say, Anyone Seen the Bridge, Too Much, Madman’s Eyes, Do You Remember, Gravedigger (Dave Matthews song), The Best of What’s Around, Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel cover), Say Goodbye, Cornbread[1], Steady as We Go[2], Shake Me Like a Monkey[3], Jimi Thing[3], Fool in the Rain (Led Zeppelin cover), Warehouse, Two Step

Enc.: Pay for What You Get, Don’t Drink the Water

Notes:

[1] with Mark Whitfield

[2] with Lenny Pickett

[3] with Ron Blake, Alex Foster, Lenny Pickett, Summer Camargo