This marked their first time performing at Irving Plaza since 1994. As Matthews took the stage, his presence was met with a raucous response. Matthews kicked off his set with a solo performance of “Do You Remember,” and he immediately broke into “Rye Whiskey” from his Double Down album.
Reynolds joined him on “Warehouse,” and they went on to deliver such noteworthy hits as “Grey Street,” “Trouble,” “Two Step,” “Samurai Cop,” as well as “Don’t Drink The Water,” which was the lead single of his Before These Crowded Streets album.
Matthews gave the spotlight to Tim Reynolds and his live, solo version of “Tangled Web We Weave” was an acoustic guitar masterpiece, as red lights dimmed from the stage. “Tangled Web We Weave” was easily one of the highlight moments of the show, where Reynolds proved that his ability as a guitar player is unparalleled.
Once Matthews returned to the stage, they continued with “Lying In The Hands of God,” as well as “Lie In Our Graves” and “Satellite.” With his superb solo rendition of “Manfood,” Reynolds proved yet again that he is one of the most underrated guitar players out there.
“The Space Between” is this journalist’s personal favorite Dave Matthews tune, and they did the soothing ballad justice! The same holds true for “#41,” where they collaborated with virtuoso saxophone player Ben Golder-Novick, who is affectionately known as “Ben The Sax Guy,” which was sheer perfection. They closed with Matthews’ debut single “What Would You Say” and “Dancing Nancies.”
For their encore, Matthews and Reynolds sang “Cornbread,” the perennial classic “Ants Marching,” “Crash Into Me,” and they concluded their lengthy set with “Some Devil,” where they left their fans yearning for more.
The Verdict
Overall, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds were terrific at Irving Plaza in New York City. They made the audience feel as if they were in their living rooms thanks to the intimate setting of the venue, where they had the audience with them every step of the way, as they were reciting the lyrics verbatim. They belted out hit after hit for well over two hours. Matthews’ songwriting is warm and his lyrics are pure poetry. Their live show garnered an A rating.
