Dave Matthews Brings Out Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle & More At Montana’s Wildlands Festival

Dave Matthews took the stage in Montana on Friday (August 1) and Saturday (August 2) for his first public performances in the state in over 30 years. Matthews headlined Wildlands at Big Sky Arena, where he was joined at points of both nights by fellow festival performers Lukas Nelson and Molly Tuttle as well as members of their respective new bands.

Molly Tuttle opened the 2025 Wildlands festival on Friday and Saturday accompanied by her recently installed touring band of multi-instrumentalists Ellen Angelico and Mary “Mair” Meyer, bassist Vanessa McGowan and drummer Megan Jane. Then, Lukas Nelson showcased his new ensemble, dubbed the “Shadow Band,” which features bassist Corey McCormick, pedal steel guitarist Dakota Holden, fiddler Jake Simpson, drummer Max Flanders and multi-instrumentalist Eli Salus-Kleiner.

Dave Matthews treated fans at Wildlands to rare solo performances. The DMB frontman welcomed several guests each night. On Friday, Matthews mixed classics such as “Bartender,” “Crush,” “Satellite” and “Grey Street” with more recent fare including “Walk Around The Moon,” “Monsters” and “Madman’s Eyes.”

Molly Tuttle was the first guest to accompany Dave on Friday, as she emerged after “Grey Street” to cover Bob Dylan’s “Oh, Sister” with Matthews. McGowan and Meyer joined the pair for the Molly Tuttle original “Yosemite” and DMB oldie “Tripping Billies.” Mary Meyer played mandolin on the former before using fiddle on the latter.

Matthews went without guests for the “Dancing Nancies” that followed before Lukas Nelson & The Shadow Band came out for a poignant take on Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe” and Some Devil gem “Save Me.” Molly Tuttle returned to perform “Ants Marching” with Matthews, Nelson & The Shadow Band to wrap the main set. Dave Matthews delivered a solo “Gravedigger” as his lone encore.

Dave Matthews kicked off his set on Saturday with “Pig,” but aborted the performance when he spotted a fight in the crowd. “Hey, dudes, stop,” Matthews told the feuding audience members. “Hey, you guys, what are you doing, man? What are you, out of your minds? Good Lord, if you want to do that, go outside. Don’t do it in the crowd.”

Matthews alerted security about the situation and said he wouldn’t move forward unless those fighting were ejected. “I won’t play one note if you guys are in here. Not one note, I don’t care if you came from Timbuktu to go to this show, get the fuck out,” Dave exclaimed. He then apologized to the rest of the crowd and eventually played the rest of “Pig.”

Fiddler Jake Simpson came out towards the middle of Matthews’ set to add fiddle to fan-favorites “Lie In Our Graves” and “Warehouse.” Then, after a solo “Singing From The Windows” performance, Dave recruited Molly Tuttle, Mary Meyer and Vanessa McGowan to assist on covers of John Prine’s “Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness” and “Angel From Montgomery” as well as the original “Spoon.”

Next came a solo “Crash Into Me” ahead of Lukas and his band contributing to “Grace Is Gone,” “Dodo” and a take on Daniel Lanois’ “The Maker.” Matthews enlisted Molly Tuttle to join the fray for a set-closing cover of Neil Young’s “Cortez The Killer.” Dave ended the festival with a solo performance of “Some Devil” as his encore.

The 2025 Wildlands festival raised $1.3 million for beneficiaries American Rivers and Center for Large Landscape Conservation. The sum includes proceeds from the event’s charity auction, ticket sales and individual donations along with $650,000 contributed from Matthews’ Bama Works foundation.

Watch more videos of Dave Matthews’ collab-heavy appearances at Wildlands below:

Setlists (via DMBAlmanac.com) & Photos

Friday, August 1

Set: Bartender, Stay or Leave, Walk Around the Moon, Rye Whiskey, Little Thing, Crush, Monsters, Satellite, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), The Ocean and the Butterfly, So Damn Lucky, Peace on Earth, Virginia in the Rain, Madman’s Eyes, You & Me, Grey Street, Oh, Sister*, Yosemite**, Tripping Billies**, Dancing Nancies, Just Breathe^, Save Me^, Ants Marching^^

Encore: Gravedigger

• * – w/ Molly Tuttle
• ** – w/ Molly Tuttle, Mary Meyer and Vanessa McGowan
• ^ – w/ Lukas Nelson, Corey McCormick, Dakota Holden, Eli Salus-Kleiner, Jake Simpson and Max Flanders
• ^^ – w/ Molly Tuttle, Lukas Nelson, Corey McCormick, Dakota Holden, Eli Salus-Kleiner, Jake Simpson and Max Flanders

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Saturday, August 2

Set: Pig [aborted*], Pig [reprise], Kill the Preacher, Don’t Drink the Water, Too Much, Everyday, Sweet, Two Step, Oh, #41, Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back), #40 [partial], All Along the Watchtower, When the World Ends, Lie in Our Graves*, Warehouse*, Singing From the Windows, Speed of the Sound of Loneliness [aborted]**, Speed of the Sound of Loneliness**, Angel From Montgomery**, Spoon**, Crash Into Me, Grace Is Gone^, Dodo^, The Maker^, Cortez the Killer^^

Encore: Some Devil

• * – w/ Jake Simpson
• ** – w/ Molly Tuttle, Mary Meyer and Vanessa McGowan
• ^ – w/ Lukas Nelson, Corey McCormick, Dakota Holden, Eli Salus-Kleiner, Jake Simpson and Max Flanders
• ^^ – w/ Molly Tuttle, Lukas Nelson, Corey McCormick, Dakota Holden, Eli Salus-Kleiner, Jake Simpson and Max Flanders