The Dave Matthews Band returned to Chicago over the weekend for its biennial shows at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island. The band came to the Windy City on a streak of hot shows, and the energy among fans was palpable as they walked into Friday’s concert. Little did they know, Dave Matthews Band would play its first “Loving Wings” in a decade on the first of two nights.
Night one kicked off with the fan favorite “#41” as the pavilion roared in excitement and fans sang along with the titular frontman for the entire song. Following it up with fellow heavy hitter “Minarets” got the crowd fired up and portended an energetic evening to come.
From there, the band wove through its discography, performing songs from its early days to its most recent album, 2023’s Walk Around the Moon. The pace ebbed and flowed, captivating the entire venue. Halfway through, the band brought out its latest cover—Cameo‘s “Word Up!”—featuring Rashawn Ross on vocals, giving the fans a different perspective on what this band can bring to the table. Other highlights included “Say Goodbye”, “Dreaming Tree”, “American Baby Intro”, and “Loving Wings”, liberated by the full Dave Matthews Band for the first time since October 17th, 2015, per DMBAlmanac.
Dave Matthews Band — “Loving Wings” — 6/27/25
[Video: Brett Bergen]
To close out the show, Matthews offered up a heartfelt rendition of “Baby Blue” before DMB served up a nightcap with the first “Bartender” encore in 25 years. Fans left Huntington Bank Pavilion in awe, with the excitement from the first night quickly evolving into what they’d see and hear the following night.
Night two kicked off even bigger than the first, as “The Stone” worked the crowd into a frenzy and was immediately followed by “So Right”. The band leaned more into its newer material on Saturday, but still brought plenty of staples like “What You Are”, “You Might Die Trying”, “Blackjack”, and “Fool To Think”, as well as radio hits “Satellite”, “Crush” and “Crash Into Me”.
The biggest surprise of the night was closing the set with a perennial favorite, “The Last Stop”. Wonder circulated among the crowd about how the Dave Matthews Band could possibly cap off such a blissful two-night run. The answer came as Matthews took the stage solo to start the three-song encore with Tex Ritter‘s “Rye Whiskey” before the rest of his bandmates came out to join him on “Pantala” and finally a weekend-closing “Pig”.
Dave Matthews Band — “The Last Stop” — 6/28/25
[Video: Brett Bergen]
Seeing Dave Matthews Band in summertime, outdoors, with the backdrop of the Chicago Skyline made for an idyll setting. The band made that setting even more wonderful with two stellar shows, leaving fans ecstatic and proving once again why DMB fills the venue every time it visits. It may not be Alpine Valley or Deer Creek, but Dave and the rest of the band make sure you don’t want to miss seeing shows on the edge of Chicago’s beautiful city.
Check out a gallery of photos from Dave Matthews Band in Chicago courtesy of photographer Brett Bergen, along with setlists and fan-shot videos. Dave Matthews Band’s summer tour—its only tour of the year—continues next month with stops in Toronto, Michigan, and Indiana. Find tickets and tour dates here.
Dave Matthews Band — “#41” — 6/27/25
[Video: Joseph Patrick Sheehan]
Setlist: Dave Matthews Band | Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island | Chicago, IL | 6/27/25
Set: #41, Minarets, One Sweet World, The Only Thing, Say Goodbye, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Dancing Nancies, Loving Wings [1], So Much to Say > Anyone Seen the Bridge, Word Up! (Cameo) [2] [3], Peace on Earth, Kill the Preacher, Why I Am, The Dreaming Tree, You & Me > Drunken Soldier, American Baby Intro, Everyday, Tripping Billies
Encore: Baby Blue [1], Bartender [5]
[1] First full band performance since 10/17/15
[2] “Too Much” fake into
[3] Rashawn on vocals
[4] Dave solo
[5] Last “Bartender” encore 6/20/00
Setlist: Dave Matthews Band | Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island | Chicago, IL | 6/28/25
Set: The Stone, So Right, Proudest Monkey > Satellite, What You Are, You Might Die Trying, Madman’s Eyes, Again and Again, Crush, Blackjack, Grace Is Gone, Fool to Think, Crash Into Me, Hunger for the Great Light, Gravedigger, Too Much, The Last Stop
Encore: Rye Whiskey (Tex Ritter), Pantala Naga Pampa > Pig
[1] Dave solo