Dave Matthews Band has always had favorite venues, places where they come back to year after year, where they are known to play some of their best shows. Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY is near the top of that list. The band made their 2016 return to the venue last night, marking the 20th summer tour since their SPAC debut in ’94 that the band has played at least one show at the upstate shed.
The 20-song set was full of crowd-pleasers like “Warehouse”, “Satellite” (preceded by a “Proudest Monkey” tease), “One Sweet World”, “Crush”, and “Too Much”, as well as a “Grey Street” with a sit-in from saxophonist Dave Pietro and a three-song knockout punch of an encore (“Sister”, “Granny”, “Tripping Billies”). Also worth noting is the fact that the show did not include any material from any of the group’s last three studio albums: Away From The World (2012), Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King (2009), or Stand Up (2005), giving the show a relatively old school feel.
Despite its many highlights, perhaps the most impressive performance of the night was the nearly 20 minute “Seek Up”, featuring some of the most interesting improv we’ve seen from DMB this year. Dave Matthews Band continues their SPAC stand with their second of three shows this evening.
You can watch fan-shot video of the “Seek Up” jam below thanks to YouTube user aerofan2007:
Dave Matthews Band continues their SPAC stand with their second of three shows this evening.
Dave Matthews Band Setlist – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) – 7/15/16
So Right, Recently, Crash Into Me, Raven, Warehouse, Bob Law, Proudest Monkey (tease), Satellite, One Sweet World, Crush, Samurai Cop, Seek Up, The Idea of You, Grey Street, Death on the High Seas, Typical Situation, Too Much, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel
Encore: Sister, Granny, Tripping Billies
[via Setlist.fm]