Photo by Sanjay Suchak via Dave Matthews Band’s Facebook page.

Dave Matthews Band wrapped up a two-night run at Saratoga Springs, NY’s famed Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Saturday. Their performances at the scenic space were not only their 50^th and 51^st headlining shows at SPAC but they also marked the 30^th anniversary of their first full-show appearance at the venue, after making their debut there in 1994 as part of the H.O.R.D.E. tour. Before taking the stage, the members of DMB received a plaque commemorating the occasion.

Two threads running throughout Dave Matthews Band’s summer tour have been song revivals and guest fiddlers and both of those themes collided at SPAC this weekend. On Friday, Dave Matthews Band performed “Beach Ball” as a full-band number for the first time since February 28, 2020, though Matthews did offer the song—an outtake from 2009’s Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King sessions that was issued on the album’s ”Little Red Bird” bonus disc as part of a deluxe edition—as a solo number this past June. Then, near the last third of the concert, fiddler Jake Renick Simpson emerged for “Captain,” “Rooftop,” “Seek Up,” a segue from “Big Eyed Fish” into “Bartender,” “Grey Street” and a run from “Pig” into a set-closing “Ants Marching.” After Matthews kicked off the encore with “Making It Great” in his traditional solo spot, Simpson returned with the rest of the band for an extended “Lie in Our Graves” that wove in an interpolation of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight.”

The surprises continued on Saturday. Nine songs into the evening, DMB revived the Away from the World track “If Only’ for the first time since November 18, 2022, marking the first time Matthews has tried out the tune in any format since then. The single was played with some frequency from 2012-2017 and enjoyed a brief revival in 2021-2022 after COVID, but “If Only” has long since fallen out of rotation. A bit later, Simpson returned for another extended spot with the group, augmenting the core combo on a cross-catalog mix of numbers like “Broken Things,” “The Song That Jane Likes,” “Dreamgirl,” “Crush,”  “Drunken Soldier,” “Warehouse” and the show’s climax, a version of “Pantala Naga Pampa” that moved into the oft-requested “Halloween.” Adding to the excitement, Matthews broke a string on the latter selection. The fiddler returned one final time after Matthews offered the new song “Peace on Earth” at the top of his encore, helping DMB close their weekend at SPAC with “Two Step.”  Matthews also got political both nights, calling out the current administration from the stage and saying he is “sick” of President Trump and his actions.  

Simpson, who is best known for his work with Lukas Nelson, first sat in with Matthews last August and has joined him 13 additional times since then, including at seven shows in 2026. Dave Matthews Band will return to Wantagh, NY’s Jones Beach Theater this Tuesday.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s setlists via Dave Matthews Band’s Facebook page

Friday, July 17, Albany Med Health System At SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY

Louisiana Bayou

So Much To Say >>

Anyone Seen The Bridge >>

Too Much

The Only Thing

Beach Ball

I Did It

Come Tomorrow

Madman’s Eyes

Fool In The Rain

Captain *

Rooftop *

Seek Up *

Big Eyed Fish * >>

Bartender *

Grey Street *

Pig * >>

Ants Marching *

——————

Making It Great +

Lie In Our Graves *

* Jake Simpson

Saturday, July 18, Albany Med Health System At SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY

Granny

Dancing Nancies

Sweet Up and Down

Joy Ride

#41

(Improv)

Stay Or Leave

She

You Might Die Trying

If Only

All Along The Watchtower

Broken Things *

The Song That Jane Likes *

Dreamgirl *

Crush *

Drunken Soldier *

Warehouse *

Pantala Naga Pampa * >>

Halloween *

——————-

Peace On Earth +

Two Step *

* Jake Simpson

+ Dave Solo