Garden State Party: Robert Randolph Joins Dave Matthews Band In New Jersey

Dave Matthews Band welcomed many guests over the years but one of their most frequent collaborators has been Robert Randolph. The sacred steel specialist sat in with the septet for the 48th time last night during DMB’s concert at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New York.

Randolph’s Dave Matthews Band history dates back to May 29, 2002, when Randolph joined the group for “All Along The Watchtower” at Madison Square Garden. DMB went on to recruit Robert Randolph & The Family Band to open multiple shows from 2005 – 2007 leading to a bevy of collaborations each of those years. The most recent Dave Matthews Band/Robert Randolph summits before Wednesday night took place at DMB's Gorge run in 2021.

Last night marked Dave Matthews Band’s 13th show at PNC Bank Arts Center. The Charlottesville-birthed ensemble showed just how much they blew up between August of 1994 and August of 1995 as their venue debut came as part of the undercard at the Holmdel H.O.R.D.E. Festival stop on August 16, 1994. DMB returned to headline the large amphitheater just over a year later on August 26, 1995.

Dave Matthews and his bandmates kept those hitting both NYC area gigs in mind as they only repeated one song between Tuesday's show at Jones Beach and their return to Holmdel. That song was the opener, “What Would You Say.”

Fellow classics “Recently,” “Granny,” “Pantala Naga Pampa” and “Crash Into Me” followed. The latter was one of a whopping six songs from 1995’s Crash played in Holmdel. Another surprise came right ahead of Randolph’s appearance as DMB paired fan favorites “Bartender” and “Say Goodbye” for the first time since 2011. Plus, Away From The World standout “Rooftop” made its tour debut.

“Louisiana Bayou” and “Watchtower” have been the songs Randolph has played the most with the pending Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees as Robert added his pedal steel to 21 and 14 versions of each tune respectively. In Holmdel, DMB recruited Randolph to shred on two songs they had never performed together. The collaboration took place towards the end of the group’s main set at the Central Jersey shed located approximately 40 miles south of New York City.

Robert Randolph took the stage to huge cheers from the audience following “Say Goodbye.” Randolph was first featured on “Grace Is Gone,” a song featured on the band’s 2002 record, Busted Stuff. The New Jersey native took a furious solo within the tender ballad.

Randolph wasn’t done yet as he also contributed to the rollicking Stand Up (2005) cut “Hello Again.” The musician, who recently collaborated with Beyoncé, showed off his energetic stage presence by putting his foot up on his instrument as he ripped it up.

Watch Dave Matthews Band perform “Hello Again” with Randolph via fan-shot video below:

Dave Matthews went solo on “Here On Out” at the start of the encore. It was a particularly emotional version as it followed a picture of late DMB fan Chris Joy, who died in 2021, displayed on the venue screens with the caption “In Memory Of.” The rest of DMB returned after the solo performance. Dave Matthews Band lit into “So Much To Say,” which was the first full-band encore performance of the song since 2018. “So Much To Say” gave way to an “Anyone Seen The Bridge” that bled into the “Too Much” closer.

It’s now off to the Boston area for Dave Matthews Band, who will play Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts tomorrow, July 12. A gig in Bristow, Virginia follows on July 13 before two-night stands in Gilford, New Hampshire and Camden, New Jersey bring the second leg of the seven-piece’s summer tour to an end.

Setlist (via DMBAlmanac.com)

Set: What Would You Say, Recently, Granny, Pantala Naga Pampa » Crash Into Me, Madman’s Eyes, Lie in Our Graves » Drunken Soldier, Rooftop, Idea of You, Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd, Bartender, Say Goodbye, Grace Is Gone*, Hello Again*, Typical Situation, Tripping Billies, You Might Die Trying

Encore: Here On Out, So Much to Say » Anyone Seen the Bridge » Too Much

* – with Robert Randolph