This past weekend, Dave Matthews Band took the stage at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, Calif., for a two-night run that unfolded over August 25 and 26. During the aforementioned concerts, the billed players brought out a talented list of guests, including a celebrated keyboardist known for stints in Toto and the Bee Gees, Greg Phillinganes. Also included were esteemed saxophonists Bob Mintzer and Kamasi Washington, who joined in on select tunes during Friday night’s display. 

The August 25 show commenced with “Spoon,” which started off the night for the first time since July 29, 2015. To follow, the band played “#27” and “Virginia in the Rain,” the latter included an extended outro courtesy of drummer Carter Beauford. After running through additional crowd-pleasing numbers and setlist frequenters like “Madman’s Eyes” and “So Damn Lucky,” amongst others, the band welcomed their initial guest: Phillinganes, who added instrumentation to “Grace Is Gone,” followed by a cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer.” 

The band returned to their regular lineup for “Monsters” and surprised the audience once again by bringing out more guests, this time Mintzer and Washington, to assist on “What Would You Say,” “Jimi Thing” and a cover of the Commodores’ classic “Brick House.” Following the sit-ins, Dave Matthews Band cut into “Crash Into Me” and “Two Step” to conclude the frame. For the night’s encore, they delivered “Little Red Bird” and “Crush.”
 

The following night, Saturday, August 26, Dave Matthew Band returned to the FivePoint Amphitheatre, where they began their set with “Looking for a Vein,” and ensuing renditions of “#41,” “Come on Come on” and “Granny.” “All You Wanted Was Tomorrow” came before “Spaceman” and “Big Eyed Fish.” After a peppering of other classic tunes, the ensemble brought out Phillinganes again. The keyboard player added to “Break Free” and “Louisiana Bayou.” 

After the billed players trickled out added songs, they landed on a cover of Paul Simon’s “Late in the Evening,” bringing out Phillinganes for one final sit in. Dave Matthews Band continued the later half of the night with takes on “Cornbread,” “So Much to Say,” “Anyone Seen the Bridge” and “Ants Marching,” which included a snippet of “Too Much” during the intro. For the evening encore, the group of veteran jammers delivered “Sister” prior to taking on Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower.” 

Following this weekend’s sit-in heavy display, Dave Matthews Band will work their way up to Bend, Ore., for a gig at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, prior to their annual three-days of Dave in at The Gorge Amphitheatre, on Sept. 1 through 3. 

Scroll down to view setlists via dmbalmanac.com.  

Dave Matthews Band 

FivePoint Amphitheatre – Irvine, Calif. 

August 25, 2023 

Set: Spoon, #27, Virginia in the Rain, Madman’s Eyes, The Ocean and the Butterfly, Don’t Drink the Water, Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd, So Damn Lucky, Cry Freedom, Walk Around the Moon, Grace is Gone+, Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel)+, Monsters, What Would You Say^#, Jimi Thing^# > Brick House^#, Crash Into Me > Two Step 

Enc.: Little Red Bird, Crush 

Notes:

+ Greg Phillinganes 

^ Bob Mintzer

# Kamasi Washington

Dave Matthews Band 

FivePoint Amphitheatre – Irvine, Calif. 

August 26, 2023 

Set: Looking for a Vein, #41, Come On Come On, Granny, All You Wanted Was Tomorrow, Spaceman, Big Eyed Fish, Lie in Our Graves, Lover Lay Down, The Song That Jane Likes, Break Free+, Louisiana Bayou+, It Could Happen, Lying in the Hands of God > American Baby Intro, The Price is Right [Tease], Late in the Evening (Paul Simon)+, Corn Bread, So Much to Say > Anyone Seen the Bridge, Ants Marching 

Enc.: Sister, All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) 

Notes:

+ Greg Phillinganes