Dave Matthews Band brought their 2026 Summer Tour to Darien Lake Amphitheater in Darien Center on Wednesday, July 22, part of the third year of their “On The Road To Zero Waste Tour” in partnership with environmental nonprofit REVERB. For most of the crowd, it was one more stop on a summer run. For me, it was something else entirely — this was my hometown show, and one my friends and I haven’t missed since 2002.

Dave Matthews Band has been the soundtrack to my life for over two decades. I came upon this band through my formative 20s, and the same group of friends I ran with back then has made it a point, every single year, to be at this show together. 23 years running now. Getting to shoot this one, surrounded by so many of the people who matter most to me, was an honor I don’t take for granted.

This year’s set felt like it was built for us. Dave and the band leaned deep into the catalog, and a few of the choices landed harder than most fans in the building probably realized. They pulled out “Long Black Veil” for the first time in 1,053 days — a song that’s been absent from setlists long enough that hearing the opening notes hit like a gut punch. And “American Baby” made its return to this venue for the first time in 20 years. For my group, both songs carried extra weight this year, feeling like they were played in memory of a friend we lost — the kind of moment that turns a great show into something closer to a gift.

The other story of the night was Jake Simpson. The newest addition to the band’s touring lineup has been all over this run, and Darien Lake was no exception — his fiddle work threaded through the set all night, adding a texture the band hasn’t had in years. He’s not just filling a slot; he’s playing like he belongs there. If this tour is any indication, don’t be surprised if Jake Simpson becomes a permanent fixture in this band for years to come.

The band closed out the night with “The Last Stop,” Dave Matthews stepping to the mic solo before the full band brought it home. Walking out of Darien Lake with the same people I’ve been walking out with since 2002, camera in hand, it’s hard to put into words what nights like this mean. Some shows are just shows. This one wasn’t.

Setlist: Stay (Wasting Time), What Would You Say, Typical Situation, Grace Is Gone, Recently, Monsters, You Might Die Trying, Gravedigger, Long Black Veil, Can’t Stop, Everyday*, American Baby*, Jimi Thing*, Satellite*, Pantala Naga Pampa* → Rapunzel*, Tripping Billies*, Don’t Drink the Water*

Encore: Paper Town*, The Last Stop+

*with Jake Simpson | +Dave Matthews solo | → segue into next song