As the music world on Tuesday came to terms with the news that Ozzy Osbourne had passed away at age 76, Dave Matthews opened his band’s curtain call at Gilford, NH’s BankNH Pavilion with an emotional solo acoustic cover of Black Sabbath power ballad “Changes”.
Following the all-around strong performance with his namesake septet, Dave Matthews took the stage on his own for the encore. After conveying some pleasantries to the crowd and the venue staff, his thoughts drifted to his childhood, when he learned to be captivated by music: “When I was a kid,” he mused, “all I wanted to do was listen to records. That’s all I did, you know? I’d draw pictures and listen to records. And then they’d say, ‘You got to do your homework.’ I’d say, ‘Okay,’ and I’d just listen to records and draw pictures. And then exam time would come and they’d say, ‘You got to study for your exams.’ And I’d say, ‘Okay,’ and I was going to, but then all I did was listen to records and draw pictures.”
“So then, as you know… you can fall in love with music, and this is…” he trailed off, recalling memories of Sabbath’s wistful rumination on impermanence against a backdrop of childhood fascination. “I guess just ’cause time passes, we always end up losing some of our heroes. Anyway, I’m gonna do my best on this tune.”
With that, he eased into a weighty take on “Changes”, the Black Sabbath Vol. IV track that came to be known as one of Osbourne’s signature vocal showcases. “We will miss you, Ozzy,” Matthews said as his band returned to the stage to join him for a show-closing “All Along The Watchtower”.
Related: Find Tickets to Upcoming Dave Matthews Band 2025 Summer Tour Dates
While the original version of “Changes” delivers a gut-wrenching howl from Osbourne, the simple and sincere arrangement that Matthews delivered served the song’s bittersweet sentiment surprisingly well while maintaining his famously mellow aesthetic.
…and if we’re talking about surprising synergy between Dave Matthews and Ozzy Osbourne already, we may as well direct your attention to this 2009 Saturday Night Live sketch, “The Mellow Show,” in which Dave Matthews stars as a formerly wild, recently mellowed Ozzy Osbourne and sings a parody version of “Iron Man” about napping alongside Andy Samberg (as Jack Johnson), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (as Jason Mraz), and Bill Hader (as Dave Matthews).
Related: Ozzy Osbourne, Party Menace: Outrageous Tour Stories As Told By His Peers [Videos]
Below, watch videos of Dave Matthews covering “Changes” in New Hampshire and revisit the SNL sketch featuring Dave Matthews as Ozzy Osbourne. Scroll down to view the full setlist from the night.
Dave Matthews Band returns to Gilford, NH on Wednesday night as the group’s lengthy summer 2025 tour continues rolling across the country. Find a list of upcoming DMB tour dates and ticketing information here.
Dave Matthews Band – “Changes” (Black Sabbath), “All Along The Watchtower” (Bob Dylan) – 7/22/25
[Video: Concertvids34]
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“The Mellow Show” ft/ Dave Matthews as Ozzy Osbourne – Saturday Night Live (2009)
Setlist [via dmbalmanac.com]: Dave Matthews Band | BankNH Pavilion | Gilford, NH | 7/22/25
Set: Lie in Our Graves, So Right, Crash Into Me, You Might Die Trying, The Ocean and the Butterfly, Bartender, Grace Is Gone, Granny, Rooftop, Jimi Thing, The Dreaming Tree, Too Much, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), One Sweet World, Peace on Earth, Dancing Nancies, Shake Me Like a Monkey
Encore: Changes [1], All Along the Watchtower [2]
Notes: [1] Ozzy Osbourne cover, first time played, Dave Matthews solo acoustic. [2] with Stairway to Heaven interpolation.