Dave Matthews Band Opens Fall Tour in Madison
Fiddler Jake Simpson joined the band for eight songs at the Kohl Center on Wednesday, the band's first Madison show since 2005.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Folk
Dave Matthews Band opened its fall tour at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, with fiddler Jake Simpson joining for eight songs. The show was the band's first in Madison since November 29, 2005.
Why it matters
The return after 21 years marks a rare local stop for the band and its touring schedule. Simpson's appearance also reflects his growing role with the group after sitting in on several 2025 shows.
Simpson joined for eight songs at the Kohl Center, with seven played in the final part of the main set, compared with nine songs at Saratoga in July and six at Bourbon & Beyond. The stub does not include attendance or ticket sales for the Madison show.
The players
Dave Matthews Band
A rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991, known for extended live performances and a large touring following.
Jake Simpson
A fiddler and member of Lukas Nelson's band who has performed as a guest with Dave Matthews Band since 2025.
The details
The band opened with the first Madison performance of "The Riff" since November 18, 2022, a song co-written by Dave Matthews and trumpeter Rashawn Ross. The encore paired "American Baby" with "Don't Drink The Water," which included an interpolation of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." Matthews also spoke about the midterm election results before performing the encore alone.
Timeline
November 29, 2005: Previous Dave Matthews Band show at the Kohl Center in Madison.
August 2025: Jake Simpson's solo shows with Matthews at Montana's Wildlands Festival and his full-band debut.
November 4, 2026: Kohl Center show in Madison, the night after the midterm elections.
November 6, 2026: Tour continues at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Season Trajectory
The show marks the start of a seven-date fall tour that runs through Madison Square Garden on November 12 and 13. Its return to Madison after 21 years places it among the band's sporadic touring stops in the Upper Midwest.
Fans in the Midwest and Northeast can see the band on the remaining fall dates, including Nashville and the two Madison Square Garden shows. The stub does not list ticket prices or on-sale information.
The takeaway
The Madison show shows how a band's guest musicians can reshape a familiar setlist. For fans, following guest appearances can reveal songs and arrangements that rarely appear in standard tour sets.
What happens next
The tour continues Friday, November 6, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and wraps with two nights at Madison Square Garden on November 12 and 13.
Further reading
For more on acts like this, browse our Folk coverage.
