Watch Dave Matthews Band’s Debut Cover Of Paul Simon’s ‘Late In The Evening’

Dave Matthews Band returned to Chicago this past weekend for two nights at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island. Matthews & Company were joined by saxophonist Ron Blake on Friday in the Windy City for two songs, including their first-ever take on Paul Simon‘s “Late In The Evening.”

“Late In The Evening” fittingly came late on Friday during the septet’s first of two shows at Northerly Island. Ron Blake emerged to augment the DMB horn section of trumpeter Rashawn Ross and saxophonist Jeff Coffin. “Ron Blake is here, we gotta do something [special] if [he’s] here,” Matthews told the crowd. Then drummer Carter Beauford played Steve Gadd‘s drum part from Paul Simon’s 1980 hit “Late In The Evening.”

Matthews quickly followed along with the main melody on guitar which was echoed by bassist Stefan Lessard. Dave then sang the first few verses as guitarist Tim Reynolds threw in a few angular riffs before the full band connected on the rest of the song. While “Late In The Evening” was a Dave Matthews Band debut, the group covered “Slip Slidin’ Away” six times in 2014. Additionally, Dave Matthews contributed to “You Can Call Me Al” and “Under African Skies” at the April 2022 Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute To Paul Simon special. Plus, Simon’s “American Tune” was a staple at Matthews’ Dave & Friends concerts.

Ron Blake stuck around on Friday to add to the evening’s “Ants Marching” finale. Earlier in the night, DMB offered tour debuts of “Recently,” “Home Again,” “Idea Of You” and “Digging A Ditch.” Friday’s setlist also featured the title track, “Monsters” and “It Could Happen” off the recently released Walk Around The Moon along with such classics as “Granny,” “Lie In Our Graves,” “Grey Street” and “So Much To Say.”

Dave Matthews took the stage alone to kick off Friday’s encore with the tour’s second cover of “Funny How Time Slips Away” by Willie Nelson. The rest of the band then returned to put an exclamation on the night in pairing “Virginia In The Rain” and “So Damn Lucky.” Next up for DMB are shows in Gilford, New Hampshire on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Watch fan-shot video of Dave Matthews Band performing “Late In The Evening” below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUBzf6AJIxk&ab_channel=RonTowles

Setlist (via DMB Almanac)

Set: Granny, Pantala Naga Pampa » Rapunzel, Recently, Sweet, Hello Again, Monsters, Lie in Our Graves, Walk Around the Moon, Too Much [fake] » Brick House, It Could Happen » Madman’s Eyes [fake] » Squirm, Idea of You, Grey Street, Digging a Ditch, Late in the Evening*, So Much to Say » Ants Marching

Encore: Funny How Time Slips Away, Virginia in the Rain » So Damn Lucky

* – First Time Played (Paul Simon)