Dave Matthews Band Welcomes Warren Haynes & Béla Fleck At MSG

Dave Matthews Band took up residency at Madison Square Garden this past weekend with shows of their own on Friday and Saturday leading into the star-studded “Soulshine” benefit on Sunday. The septet brought out a pair of old friends over the first two nights of the run, as guitarist Warren Haynes joined DMB on Friday and banjoist Béla Fleck sat-in on Saturday.

After opening the run with “Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back)” and “Tripping Billies,” Dave Matthews Band offered the tour debut of “The Dreaming Tree.” Other tour debuts played by DMB on Friday besides the collaborations with Warren Haynes were “Dancing Nancies,” “Rooftop,” “Here On Out” and “Crush.” Dave Matthews went solo for “Here On Out” to start an encore that also included “Crush.”

Haynes, who co-hosted “Soulshine” with Dave Matthews, previewed the benefit with his Friday night guest appearance. The Gov’t Mule frontman emerged in the middle of the set for two Neil Young covers.

“We’re gonna have a friend come up and join us and he’s the person that inspired [us] to have an extra show,” Dave told the sold-out crowd. “I want to say how grateful we are and how happy we are to invite this weekend Mr. Warren Haynes!”

Warren Haynes’ history with DMB dates back to 1993. The Asheville native played guitar and shared vocal duties on extended versions of “Down By The River” and “Cortez The Killer” on Friday. The former hadn’t been performed by the full band since September 9, 2015.

Watch Warren Haynes’ Friday night collaborations with DMB via fan-shot video below:

Dave Matthews Band treated fans on Saturday to a 20-song performance. The setlist was filled with oldies including “The Stone,” “Grace Is Gone,” “Minarets,” “Grey Street” and “You Might Die Trying.” Saturday’s main set also featured covers of Daniel Lanois’ “The Maker” and David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.”

Béla Fleck initially took the stage with DMB towards the end of their main set. Fleck, who first sat-in with the group way back in 1996, added his banjo to fan-favorites “Ants Marching” and “#41” before Matthews & Co. went it alone to end the frame.

Dave Matthews returned for Saturday’s encore joined by bandmates drummer Carter Beauford, trumpeter Rashawn Ross and guitarist Tim Reynolds for a performance of the unreleased “Sister.” Béla Fleck then re-emerged to let it rip on a +15-minute “The Last Stop” finale.

Watch audience-captured footage of Dave Matthews Band performing with Béla Fleck:

Dave Matthews Band are off for the remainder of 2024. The lone 2025 date currently confirmed is an appearance at Charlotte's Lovin' Life Festival in May.

Setlists (via DMB Almanac)

Friday, November 22

Set: Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back), Tripping Billies, The Dreaming Tree, When the World Ends, Madman’s Eyes, Looking for a Vein, What Would You Say, Dancing Nancies, Spaceman, Down by the River*, Cortez the Killer*, I’ll Back You Up, Don’t Drink the Water, Kill the Preacher, Why I Am, Digging a Ditch, Rooftop » Warehouse

Encore: Here On Out**, Crush

• * – w/ Warren Haynes on guitar and vocals
• ** – Dave solo

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Saturday, November 23

Set: Squirm, The Maker, The Stone, Sweet, Walk Around the Moon, Grace Is Gone, The Only Thing, Black and Blue Bird, Funny the Way It Is, #27, Let’s Dance, The Ocean and the Butterfly, Ants Marching*, #41*, You Might Die Trying, Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd, Minarets, Grey Street

Encore: Sister, The Last Stop*

* – w/ Béla Fleck on banjo