Photo Credit: Bill Kelly

Over the weekend, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds returned to Moon Palace Resort in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico for the final two performances of Riviera Maya concert vacation. To conclude their eighth annual getaway, the masterful jam duo raised the stakes even further following their Friday bust-outs, delivering two shows lined with more long-lost fan favorites, memorable covers and high-profile special guests–including the continued tradition of a Trey Anastasio sit-in.

Matthews set Saturday’s show off with a bang as he emerged independently for a stirring solo piano take on Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” which hasn’t figured into a Dave Matthews Band setlist since April 2007. After another bust-out of “Pig,” last played by Dave & Tim in 2018, and a “Little Red Bird” that flew high for the first time since Feb. 2020, Reynolds struck out solo for a medley of “In Your Eyes” and “Watcher of the Skies.”

Immediately following, Dave returned to the stage in the company of mandolin master Sierra Hull, who stepped back into the spotlight after her opening set to pick away on the classic “Angel From Montgomery.” Hull’s bandmates Avery Merritt and Shaun Richardson stepped up for a celebratory full company take on “Ants Marching,” then left the core duo of Dave and Tim to wrap their set with “Dancing Nannies,” then conclude the show with a bust-out of “Loving Wings” for the first time since Feb. 2020 and “All Along the Watchtower” in the encore.

On Sunday, Dave stepped on solo again for “Baby Blue” which appeared as an opener for the very first time after its last staging in Aug. 2011. The pair went big for their finale with a fistful of surprises, including a duo debut of “Drunken Soldier,” a performance of “Recently” for the first time since Jan. 2018, a Tim solo treatment of King Crimson’s “In the Court of the Crimson King” and “Proudest Monkey,” which last appeared in June 2017.

The tone of the final show shifted dramatically when Matthews introduced his “very good friend” Trey Anastasio, who has previously reared his head in the final sets of Dave & Tim’s Riviera Maya runs in 2020, 2022 and 2024. The Phish frontman took on lead vocal duties for a debut of The Band’s 1975 classic “Ophelia” delivered in tribute to organist Garth Hudson, the final member of the legendary group who passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 21. After this emotional moment, the trio moved on to “Everyday,” then concluded the set with “Three Little Birds,” which was at once a bust-out from Sept. 2007, a debut for Tim & Dave and the song’s first time in the closing spot.

In the wake of Dave & Tim’s annual Mexico run, Anastasio will commence a tradition of his own with Phish’s eighth annual Riviera Maya run, set to commence on Wednesday, Jan. 29. For tickets and more information, visit phishrivieramaya.com.

See Matthews’ full 2025 tour itinerary here, and read setlists from the weekend at dmbalmanac.com.