Photos by Andy Argyrakis

After skipping a summer due to the pandemic, Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island sprung back to life when Dave Matthews Band brought three decades of jams to a delighted Friday night crowd raring to groove along the Windy City skyline.

The superstar singer/songwriter/guitarist quickly remarked how incredible it felt to be back with his bandmates in front of a real audience and they wasted no time getting loose with “One Sweet World,” followed by the breathless double punch of “So Much To Say” and “Too Much.”

Given the fact that the guys recently began recording again on Zoom during quarantine, there wasn’t too much new material to promote (outside of the jazzy “The Ocean And The Butterfly”), which meant a deeper dive into the annals in honor of a 30th anniversary, alongside a smattering of smashes that found the exceptional players sounding more seasoned than ever.

Indeed, the intricacies and interplay between Matthews, guitarist Tim Reynolds, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer Carter Beauford, trumpet player Rashawn Ross, saxophonist Jeff Coffin and keyboardist Buddy Strong was astounding, especially considering they were forced to sit out so long.

That vibe contributed to on-the-fly, ever-evolving renditions of everything from DMB’s “Bartender,” “Can’t Stop” and “When The World Ends” to the fearless leader’s own “So Damn Lucky” and “Stay Or Leave,” all enhanced by a giant light and graphics display that intensified as the sun set.

The mighty “What Would You Say” sent everyone further into the stratosphere, while “Grey Street” in particular exploded with fiery expansions that may not have been the intended finale, but easily settled into that role as rapidly changing circumstances dictated.

Unfortunately, just as it ended, Matthews announced a storm with lightning was on the horizon, leading to a brisk conclusion without an encore to be on the safe side for the fans, performers and equipment.

It was definitely a bummer, but by no means did DMB shortchange the audience, who nonetheless scored two solid hours of tunes, plus a Sirius XM livestream that’s also available for subscribers to replay on demand.

And thankfully, there’s another opportunity to make up for lost time on Saturday, August 7 at the very same venue, which given the group’s commitment to never repeating a set list, makes this second round just as essential as the grand re-opening.

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For additional information on Dave Matthews Band, visit DaveMatthewsBand.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island include Dave Matthews Band (Aug. 7); Lindsey Stirling (Aug. 10); Jason Mraz (Aug. 11); Rise Against (Aug. 28); Greta Van Fleet (Sept. 3); 311 (Sept. 10); Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler (Sept. 11); Above & Beyond (Sept. 18) and Alice Cooper with Ace Frehley (Sept. 24). For additional details, visit LiveNation.com.

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