Despite the cooler weather Saturday evening, the Dave Matthews Band delivered another incredible performance at Merriweather Post Pavilion as their 2025 Summer Tour continues to heat up.
On May 31, the band made their return to Merriweather for the first time since 2023. In recent years, the band has been rotating between Merriweather and Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia, for their recurring DMV stops. This was Dave’s sixth time stopping by the ampitheater, with the band’s first appearance being in 1994 during the HORDE Festival. In 2017, there was also a show with just Dave and Tim, the wizard behind DMB’s guitar sound.
Coming off a 2023 tour for their most recent album, Walk Around the Moon, and a momentous 2024 that included their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the band certainly has not stepped off the gas for their Summer 2025 tour.
The show at Merriweather kicked off with a welcome “So Right” followed by “The Best of What’s Around.” This was the first time both songs were played this tour – along with 11 other tour debuts, they feature the band’s versatility. Yes — they still have never repeated a setlist in the 30+ year history of the band.
Watch Dave Matthews Band perform “The Best of What’s Around” live back in 2014 in California via YouTube:
They jumped to a more modern (ish) sound with “Funny the Way It Is” in the three-spot and then took fans back to 1998 with “The Stone” and “Pantala Naga Pampa” into “Rapunzel.” With “Pig” rounding out the run of “Before these Crowded Streets” songs, fans knew they were in for a good one.
The middle of the show was packed with hits old and new — notably a fantastic rendition of “Monsters,” “Jimi Thing,” and a surprising “Idea of You” — with Dave pulling out his little red 12-string Veillette guitar.
“#41,” an all-time classic for the band, was knocked out of the park, partly thanks to an incredible solo by Tim Reynolds, showcasing his talents at controlling the voice of his guitar. His guitar makes noises most people didn’t know were possible.
Songs rounding out the set included fan-favorite “Crash Into Me,” as well as a great rendition of “Everyday” — the whole ampitheater was taken to church by Buddy Strong, the incredibly talented vocalist behind the keys for the band. “You & Me” was a solid 16-spot, with “Lie in Our Graves” (no choral reprise) and “Stay (Wasting Time)” closing out the main set. Rashawn Ross and Jeff Coffin absolutely held down the horn section throughout the whole show, and Stefan Lessard was fantastic too — always consistent in his bass playing for the band. And who could forget Carter Beauford on the drums!
Watch Dave Matthews Band perform “Stay (Wasting Time)” live in Vienna from 2019 via YouTube:
The encore was slightly underwhelming in my personal opinion, with Dave playing his newest unreleased song “Peace on Earth” solo before the rest of the band came out (after putting on a few more layers — it was chilly!) to close the show with “Granny.” “Peace on Earth” seems to be Dave’s first choice for the solo spot on this tour, as he played it three other times just this week, which is unusual for a band that played 122 different songs last year throughout their 2024 Summer tour.
After a pretty traditional start to the tour with stops in Bethel, New York, and performances at Boston Calling, Syracuse, and Blossom Music Center in Ohio, it’s safe to say the band is in midseason form as they head to Holmdel, New Jersey, on Tuesday. My recommendation: Get out and see the band! Whether you’re a fan who hasn’t seen them in years, you’ve seen them dozens of times, or you only recently learned of them through Dave’s goofy antics during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony last October, they are a show you do not want to miss — definitely a “catch it before it’s gone” scenario.
See Dave Matthews Band on tour!
Here are some photos of Dave Matthews Band performing live at Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 31, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Luke Waldner.
