On Tuesday evening, Dave Matthews appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. During the musician’s New York City pitstop, he delivered three politically-charged songs, including the newer number “Making It Great,” which was previously debuted in concert during Dave and Tim’s 2026 destination vacation event. Prior to the night’s live performance, Matthews sat down for a conversation about his affinity for fellow artists like Pete Seeger and David Byrne. 

Sitting down with Colbert, Matthews shared tales of his first live music experience seeing folk legend Seeger on the back of a flatbed truck after boasting an affinity for Byrne’s creative on-stage charisma. While discussing the one-time member of the Talk Heads’ latest studio pursuit, Who Is the Sky?, and its subsequent tour, which Matthews said he took his family to see, and calling Byrne, “The truest of artists.” 

When asked about the contents of the night’s musical properties, Matthews provided the meaning behind “Don’t Drink the Water,” telling Colbert, “I think the polite term is genocide. But, I mean it well. It’s like I’m the villain in the song. Nowadays, it feels like a lot of us are villains, and or a part of a villainous world.” He went on to clarify, “I don’t mean to be the villain, but that’s what this song is about.”

Last night’s appearance served as a prelude to Dave Matthews Band’s extensive summer tour dates, which pick up on May 8, following their participation in the Riverbeat Music Festival’s May 3 festivities.