Robert Glasper & String Section Join Dave Matthews Band At Hollywood Bowl

Dave Matthews Band closed their summer tour on Tuesday with their second of two guest-filled concerts at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Once again, DMB was augmented by a string section for a portion of a show that also featured acclaimed keyboardist Robert Glasper sitting in for a song and violinist Ann Marie Simpson adding to the final tune of the main set.

The septet kicked off the evening with their first “Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)” opener. “Rooftop” came next ahead of a take on Daniel Lanois “The Maker,” Stand Up gem “Louisiana Bayou” and “Fool To Think” off 2001’s Everyday. Oldies “Crush” and “What Would You Say” were then split by the year-old original “The Ocean And The Butterfly.”

Robert Glasper was the band’s first guest of the evening. Glasper joined Buddy Strong in keyboard world for a +20-minute “Seek Up.” The renowned jazz musician/producer took an impressive piano solo before guitarist Tim Reynolds delivered a wild solo of his own to end the song. DMB then went it alone for a cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” and classics “Dancing Nancies” and “Warehouse.”

Last night’s tour closer continued with a segment featuring a string section conducted by Dave Campbell. The 11-piece ensemble consisted of Simpson (violin), Adrienne Woods (cello), Joel Derouin (violin), Joel Pargman (violin), Kathleen Robertson (violin), Mark Cargill (violin), Michele Richards (violin), Oliver Kraus (cello), Peggy Baldwin (cello), Rodney Wirtz (viola) and Tom Lea (viola) as per DMB Almanac. Dave Matthews was joined by the strings for his recently debuted song “Something To Tell My Baby.” The rest of DMB then came back for a partial “What You Are” interlude that gave way to a string-fueled “Drive In Drive Out.”

Dave Matthews Band and the strings looked to 2012’s Away From The World next for “If Only.” The strings stuck around for tour staple “MadMan’s Eyes.” From there, the septet offered “So Damn Lucky” without any guests. Then, Ann Marie Simpson from the string section came back out for the set-closing “Tripping Billies.” Simpson, a friend from DMB’s formative days in Virginia, played a number of the fiddle licks originally performed on the song by Boyd Tinsley.

A paired-down DMB lineup consisting of Matthews, Reynolds, drummer Carter Beauford and trumpeter Rashawn Ross began Tuesday’s encore with “Sister.” The rest of the band then returned for “Two Step” to close the show and tour. Dave Matthews Band launches a fall tour in Vancouver on November 2.

Watch a series of fan-shot videos from last night’s concert below:

Setlist (via DMB Almanac)

S: Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Rooftop, The Maker, Louisiana Bayou, Fool to Think, Crush, The Ocean and the Butterfly, What Would You Say, Seek Up*, Sledgehammer, Dancing Nancies » Warehouse, Something to Tell My Baby**, What You Are [partial]** » Drive In Drive Out**, If Only**, Madman’s Eyes**, So Damn Lucky, Tripping Billies^

Encore: Sister, Two Step

• * – w/ Robert Glasper
• ** – w/ String Section
• ^ – w/ Ann Marie Simpson