Dave Matthews Band performing at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 3, 2019
Summer vibes were in the air on Wednesday night (July 3) as Dave Matthews Band took over the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL on the latest stop of their 2019 Tour, which will see the group on the road through October. Likewise, thousands of Chicago-area DMB devotees descended upon the venue, kicking off their 4th of July holiday in style on the Eve of the Independence Day celebration.
Matthews and company opened the show with a rendition of Busted Stuff track “You Never Know,” filling the stage with a smoky haze, which multi-instrumentalist Jeff Coffin later cut through with an explorative solo on his soprano saxophone.
Dave Matthews Band performing at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 3, 2019
The 2002 album got a lot of love over the course of the evening, with live cuts of fan favorites “Grey Street” — complete with some colorful tag team brass work from the aforementioned Coffin and trumpeter Rashawn Ross — and “Bartender,” which found the group powering through unexpected sound issues before concluding with an epic extended jam outro. “Big Eyed Fish” saw the band swimming in a sea of purple, while the mellow sounds of “Where Are You Going” later washed over fans like a peaceful steady stream.
As with most DMB shows, there was a “mellow” thread weaved throughout Wednesday night’s performance. Matthews’ bandmates took a short breather as the frontman soothed fans’ ears, pairing soft acoustic strums with his trademark falsetto on a touching stripped-down take of “Here On Out,” from the group’s 2018 LP Come Tomorrow. The album’s slow-tempo lead single “Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)” also made a welcome appearance, as did the Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King track “Funny the Way It Is,” which saw the squad’s newest member, keyboardist Buddy Strong, hard at work on the Nord.
Dave Matthews Band performing at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 3, 2019
Strong’s skill set was on display a number of times throughout the show, most noticeably on the group’s twangy 12-minute rendition of Under the Table and Dreaming fan fav “Jimi Thing,” as he traded call-and-response solos, under the tight watch of drummer Carter Beauford, with lead guitarist Tim Reynolds. The keyboardist’s fast fingers also came in handy on tracks like “Why I Am,” as fans reveled in memory of the late LeRoi Moore, singing along with a spirited Matthews.
“Why I am,” sang the crowd. “Still here dancing with the GrooGrux King.”
Matthews and co. also gave the jam treatment to UTTAD tune “Dancing Nancies,” reimagining the track, while filling the void of former DMB violinist Boyd Tinsley, with the help of Ross’ trumpet as well as a bit of ripping electric guitar work from Reynolds.
Dave Matthews Band performing at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 3, 2019
Elsewhere, the band toyed with sound on the dark and ominous “Don’t Drink the Water,” particularly during the eerie intro, fusing shrieking horns with Stefan Lessard’s menacing bass notes. The group collectively packed one of the night’s more powerful punches on the track as Coffin defied the range of his sax while Matthews touted his vocal reach with a sinister grin.
“What’s this you say / You feel a right to remain / Then stay and I will bury you,” Matthews rhythmically chanted.
Dave Matthews Band performing at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 3, 2019
Other highlights from DMB’s performance included an extended interpretation of “Crush,” which featured fluttering trumpet solos from Ross as well as some keen slide guitar, courtesy of Reynolds. The tune not only prompted fancy footwork from frontman Matthews, but also managed to inspire one of the evening’s best venue-wide sing-alongs. A funky take on “Can’t Stop,” a spot-on rendition of “Stay (Wasting Time)” and a cover of Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle” helped round out the setlist, prior to the band’s wrapping things up with a tight two-track encore of crowd-pleasing gems, “You and Me” and “Warehouse.”
Dave Matthews Band’s July 3rd stop in Chicago is the latest in a series of jam-centric performances to hit The Windy City in recent weeks, following visits from fellow jam aficionados Dead & Company and Phil Lesh & Friends, the latter who played last weekend alongside Matthews’ Farm Aid cohort Willie Nelson at the Outlaw Music Festival.
Dave Matthews Band continues their 2019 tour with a pair of shows at Alpine Valley in Elkhorn, WI beginning tonight. Visit the official DMB website for a complete 2019 tour schedule and to pick up tickets.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
