The weather gods must’ve been in on the joke to make Los Angeles feel less like the desert coast and more like a sticky Virginia summer. This particular August Friday brought thick, humid air clinging to skin and soaked shirts. It was the kind of atmosphere in which Dave Matthews came of age, and sure enough, he was sweating clear through his button-down just a few minutes into the Dave Matthews Band’s long-awaited return to the Kia Forum, after a 27-year absence from the historic venue.
But if the humidity was heavy, the vibes were even heavier. After nearly three weeks off from its winding summer tour, DMB came out firing, delivering nearly three hours of fluid, fearless jams that reminded everyone in the room why the group is still one of the premier live bands on the planet.
Dave and company didn’t waste any time giving their fans what they came for. They opened the evening with “You and Me”, as if acknowledging just how long-awaited their return to Inglewood actually was. The band then slammed into “So Right”, with Stefan Lessard’s bass anchoring a jam that immediately locked the Forum into full dance mode.
The lineup of Matthews (vocals/guitar), Carter Beauford (drums), Tim Reynolds (guitar), Rashawn Ross (trumpet), Jeff Coffin (sax/flute/clarinet), Buddy Strong (keys), and Lessard on bass was in peak form throughout the set. “Recently” featured an around-the-horn solo clinic from the horns and Tim’s guitar, setting the tone for a night where everyone got their turn in the spotlight.
At one point Dave joked, “I’m sweating like it’s the end of the show… I’ve got to start drinking water.” Judging by the puddles forming under his guitar stand, he wasn’t kidding.
The middle stretch of the show was a buffet for deep-cut diehards. “Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd” shimmered with Rashawn’s trumpet solo before Jeff’s sax slid in. Jeff switched to flute for a nimble “Raven”, then back to sax for a sprawling “Crush”, which spiraled from jazzy trumpet fills to slinky guitar interplay to a Carter-led rhythmic explosion.
“Squirm” bled into a full-on Carter drum solo that melted seamlessly into “Say Goodbye”, flute fluttering like bird wings over the groove. Later, a dark clarinet passage gave way to “Madman’s Eyes”, which stomped across the Forum like an ancient beast.
Midway through, Dave got political, thanking California for “standing up to D.C.” before declaring, “Trump and everybody in his White House can kiss my ass.” The Forum roared with defiance. A few songs later, he softened the edge with a bit of humor. “If I offended anybody with what I said, it’s just a difference of opinion,” Dave added. “I’m right and you’re wrong.”
The tension gave way to joy. “Grace Is Gone” turned into a keys-heavy groove. When the opening notes of “Ants Marching” rang out, with clarinet leading the charge, the room exploded. Clarinet, trumpet, more clarinet, then a full-on horn battle had the Forum buzzing like a New Orleans street parade as DMB played the part of second line.
The night had already been special, but the surprise appearance of Cory Henry pushed it over the top. He joined for “Lying in the Hands of God”, delivering a mind-bending keys solo that drew howls from the crowd. “Now I’ve sweat so much on this shirt that it kinda looks like leather,” Dave quipped before they dove into “Tripping Billies”, wherein Cory unleashed a funky solo that had Carter grinning ear to ear.
From there, it was a masterclass: “You Might Die Trying” built to a blistering guitar climax; “So Much to Say” morphed into Carter’s drum solo, then Stefan’s bass solo, then the traditional “Anyone Seen the Bridge” → “Too Much” one-two punch.
After a brief break, Dave walked back out solo for the encore, musing about war, greed, and wasted futures before playing “Take All Day” with raw tenderness. The band rejoined for “Warehouse”, which stretched into a jubilant Latin jam, complete with a cheeky “Louie Louie” tease.
With this year’s California stops behind them, Dave Matthews Band will head north to Lake Tahoe on August 26th before its legendary three-night Gorge run over Labor Day Weekend, featuring support from Goose, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, and Southern Avenue.
It had been nearly three decades since DMB last played the Forum. After Friday night’s marathon sweat-fest of jams, joy, and political jabs, let’s hope the next visit comes a whole lot sooner.
Dave Matthews Band With Cory Henry – “Lying In The Hands Of God” – 8/22/25
[Video: Todd Norris]
Dave Matthews Band With Cory Henry – “Tripping Billies” – 8/22/25
[Video: Todd Norris]
Setlist [via DaveMatthewsBand.com]: Dave Matthews Band | Kia Forum | Inglewood, CA | 8/22/25
Set: You and Me, So Right, Recently, Stolen Away On 55th & 3rd, Raven, Crush, Do You Remember, Squirm, Say Goodbye, Madman’s Eyes, Grace Is Gone, Ants Marching, Lying In the Hands of God [1], Tripping Billies [1], You Might Die Trying, So Much To Say -> Anyone Seen The Bridge -> Too Much
Encore: Take All Day [2], Warehouse
[1] With Cory Henry.
[2] Dave solo.
