Live report: Dave Matthews Band inspire and delight in long-awaited return to Dublin 

It’s been nine years since Dave Matthews played Dublin with his band – that was the same night of the Bataclan Music Hall shooting in France. Much has happened in the world since that horrific night, which Dave reflects on at times in the show.

Opener ‘Pig’ is a fan favourite which lays the groundwork for an interesting night of music. DMB doesn’t follow the trends of today's Spotify plays and YouTube clicks. They single-mindedly fuse every music genre under the sun, and make it captivating, drawing the audience in like a magnet.

Dave introduces the night's first new song, ‘Walk Around the Moon’ – it came about after a mushroom-induced reflection on life! It’s a trippy, funked-up tune that shows off the band's newest member, Buddy Strong, on keys. ‘Big Eyed Fish’ segues into one of the night's biggest moments, ‘Bartender’. The band have brought their ‘A Game’ and the crowd are up for it. As Dave cathartically sings his heart out on a near gospel-inspired outro, it twists and turns into a gorgeous whistle solo from saxophonist Jeff Coffin, into a far-out ‘Wizard Of Oz’ solo from Rashawn Ross on trumpet. There probably aren’t many bands in the world who could get away with all this, but DMB pulls it off, and majestically so!

Dave Matthews Band at 3Arena. April 2024. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Dave tells tonight's audience how he feels at home in Ireland – it’s a heartfelt sentiment – as they launch into ‘So Much To Say’, ‘Anyone Seen The Bridge’, and ‘Too Much’. There’s a moving moment of courage as Dave talks about his government's stance on the war in Gaza, and the shame that should be felt, particularly about the deaths of innocent children. His call for a ceasefire is received with an emotional applause.

Dave Matthews Band at 3Arena. April 2024. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Next they play new songs ‘Looking For A Vein’ and ‘Madman’s Eye’s’ with bassist Stefan Lessard and drummer Carter Beauford hypnotically locked together, as guitarist Tim Reynolds’ eastern-inspired licks add a sense of wonder to the rhythm.

While Dave's lyrics very often reference death, it’s in a way that always feels uplifting, as he reminds us that life is precious. He’s on a mission to uplift our souls with a band that’s here to play – and the 3 Arena crowd listens hard to the gospel according to Dave.

Now in full swing, the band blast out ‘Why I Am’, with Dave singing he’ll still be “Dancing with the GrooGrux King’ – referring to original DMB sax player LeRoi Moore, who sadly has passed on nearly 16 years ago. The audience saves their loudest cheer for LeRoi’s image lighting up  the on-stage screen.

‘Stay (Wasting Time)’ ends the night, the band utterly in sync, jamming out the classic from their album Before These Crowded Streets, which was released the next day, exactly 26 years ago. In a world of pop music sounding ever more the same, Dave Matthews Band breaks the rules and raises the Arena roof with music that just wants to be played.

• Catch all the photos from the evening via our gallery. 

Dave Matthews Band at 3Arena. April 2024. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.