Dave Matthews Band Breaks Out 1st ‘Loving Wings’ Since 2015 In Chicago

Dave Matthews Band began a two-night stand at Chicago’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on Friday. The concert saw DMB perform “Loving Wings” for the first time in nearly a decade.

While never released on a studio album, “Loving Wings” has appeared on six live releases. That distinction makes it the most released non-studio album song, as per DMBAlmanac.

“Loving Wings” is also among the DMB songs that came to fruition as an instrumental intro. The band began prefacing “Where Are You Going” with what would become “Loving Wings” on their 2002 Spring Tour. By the time summer tour began that year, “Loving Wings” had become a song of its own, with the lion’s share of the performances coming in 2002. It also saw fairly heavy rotation in 2006 and 2007 but has since become a rarity.

In Chicago on Friday, Dave Matthews Band performed “Loving Wings” for the first time since October 17, 2015. The latest rendition featured extended solos from saxophonist Dave Coffin and trumpeter Rawshawn Ross and concluded with a characteristically impressive trip around the kit for drummer Carter Beauford. Watch the performance below:

DMB launched the concert with the staple “#41,” followed by “Minarets” and the tour debut of “One Sweet World.” The concert also saw the tour debuts of “Kill The Preacher” and “The Dreaming Tree” alongside classics such as “Dancing Nancies,” “So Much To Say,” “Everyday” and set-closer “Tripping Billies.” The recently unveiled rendition of “Word Up!” from funk band Cameo marked the sole cover of the evening.

Dave Matthews emerged for the encore for a solo rendition of Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King cut “Baby Blue.” A rare bonus frame “Bartender” followed to seal the show, last time played during an encore on June 20, 2000.

Setlist (via DMBAlmanac)

Set: #41, Minarets, One Sweet World, The Only Thing, Say Goodbye, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Dancing Nancies, Loving Wings, So Much to Say, Anyone Seen the Bridge » Too Much [fake] » Word Up!, Peace on Earth, Kill the Preacher, Why I Am, The Dreaming Tree, You & Me » Drunken Soldier, American Baby Intro, Everyday, Tripping Billies

Encore: Baby Blue, Bartender

---

Dave Matthews Band’s summer tour continues in Toronto on Tuesday (July 1). Scroll down for DMB’s full itinerary and ticket info.