Dave Matthews’ Return To Folsom Field With Dead & Company Was 22 Years In The Making

When Dead & Company played Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado in July 2016, the two performances marked the first concerts held at the stadium home to the University Of Colorado’s football team, since a notorious show took place in 2001. Dead & Company capped their recent three-night run at Folsom Field as part of their Final Tour, ending the third concert with the help of special guest Dave Matthews, which was particularly noteworthy given his history at the venue.

A curfew-breaking Dave Matthews Band show held on July 11, 2001, would lead to a 15-year moratorium on concerts at Folsom Field that was broken by Dead & Company’s July 2, 2016 performance. According to reports, the rainy evening in Boulder began with opening sets by Wyclef Jean and Angélique Kidjo before DMB’s prolonged headlining set.

Docked $1,000 for every minute they played past curfew, Dave Matthews Band’s decision to perform until 10:45 p.m. cost the group a $15,000 fine for not finishing before 10:30 p.m. At the time, the associate director of CU’s University Memorial Center JC Ancell confirmed the fine would help go toward costs associated with paying hourly employees overtime. Some reports stated that DMB would have been fined $10,000 per minute had they continued beyond 10:46 p.m.

“They tend not to go over curfew that frequently,” then DMB publicist Ambrosia Healy stated. “But they were just having a great time and wanted to keep playing a little longer.”

Both times Dave Matthews performed at Folsom Field he covered Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower.” The nine-minute version played in 2001 was included on the Live at Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado live album released the following year. Compare the “All Along The Watchtower” performances played by Dave Matthews at Folsom Field in 2001 and again 22 years later with Dead & Company (plus DMB’s opener “Don’t Drink The Water” featuring scenes of Folsom Field):