On Saturday night, Dave Matthews Band made a triumphant return after a yearlong hiatus. While the band played A Concert For Charlottesville–organized by bandleader Dave Matthews to raise funds for the victims killed and injured during the Unite the Right rally–the September 24, 2017 performance marked their first since the September 2-4 weekend at The Gorge Amphitheatre in 2016. While the Dave Matthews Band will resume full touring operations this May, the band started 2018 with a concert held at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota to celebrate The Night Before Super Bowl LII last night. Since the news broke on Friday that longtime fiddler Boyd Tinsley would be taking a break from the newly-reunited band to focus on his family and health, speculation ran deep in wondering what the timing of the announcement meant. The band responded with support, and took the stage on Saturday night without Tinsley.

The sold-out show went on with an impressive 21-song setlist, honoring two of the biggest performers that stole the Super Bowl Halftime show in previous years, Prince (2006) and Tom Petty (2008). The concert also included several bust-out originals, including “You Never Know”, which was last played on 7/26/14, “Alligator Pie”, which was last played on 7/13/13, “Time Bomb”, which was last played on 7/6/13, and their cover of Petty’s “Runnin Down A Dream”, which was last played on 9/7/13. About halfway through the set, Dave Matthews Band invited pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph to join the band for their original tune “Jimi Thing”, followed by Prince’s “Sexy M.F.” With the shock of Boyd Tinsley’s announcement the night before the show still tingling, Dave Matthews Band pulled through with an exciting set of music. Check out some fan-shot videos from Saturday night’s performance below…

Jimi Thing with Robert Randolph

[Video: Parker Harrington]

Sexy M.F. with Robert Randolph

[Video: DMoir5150]

Runnin Down A Dream

[Video: DMoir5150]

You Never Know

[Video: DMoir5150]

Ants Marching

[Video: Gregory Frank]

Boyd Tinsley has been a Dave Matthews Band mainstay for more than a quarter of a century, first joining the band as a featured guest on an early demo for “Tripping Billies” in 1991 before signing on full-time in April of 1992 ahead of their 1993 debut, Remember Two Things. In addition to violin and some backup vocals, Tinsley has been a key contributor to the band’s songwriting process and has co-writing credits for several of the band’s songs, including “So Much To Say”, the band’s only GRAMMY-winner. We join the Dave Matthews Band in offering our support in Tinsley’s undoubtedly difficult decision.

Setlist: Dave Matthews Band | Xcel Energy Center | St. Paul, MN | 2/3/18

Don’t Drink the Water, So Much to Say, Satellite, Why I Am, You Never Know, #41, Granny, The Space Between, Alligator Pie, Jimi Thing*, Sexy M.F (Prince)*, Runnin’ Down a Dream (Tom Petty), Samurai Cop, When the World Ends, Time Bomb, What Would You Say, You & Me, Pantala Naga Pampa > Rapunzel

E: Grey Street, Ants Marching