After having to perform in an “alternate format” at his annual Labor Day 3-day appearance, at the Gorge Amphitheater outside Seattle, Washington, upon learning his longtime rhythm section (bassist Stefan Lessard and drummer Carter Beauford) had to be sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19 (despite being vaccinated), Dave Matthews and his band of friends responded with epic aplomb.
For one, the band called on legendary singer, Mavis Staples. Not bad! Here Mavis and Matthews sing, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” here:
Videos by American Songwriter
DMB saxophonist, Jeff Coffin, posted a photo of Dave and Mavis on Instagram when the two met to chat: “Unreal” he wrote.
Matthews and company were also graced by the masterful table slide guitarist, Robert Randolph to play the Stevie Wonder hit, “Superstition”:
On Saturday (September 4), The Seattle Times reported that Matthews addressed the crowd on hand after learning the news about Lessard and Beauford, saying, “I hope you’ll bear with us tonight because due to COVID-19, Carter Beauford and Stefan Lessard are not able to be here. And so we are gonna do our best with our friends to make tonight a beautiful experience for all of you, and I only hope that it can be. But thank you, and I hope that you can understand.”
Seems like everyone understood just fine. Check out other songs from the weekend, including “Hey Bulldog” and “If You Want Me To Stay”:
More Latest Music News & Stories
-
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic -
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14: Reba McEntire performs onstage during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chloe Kern/WireImage) -
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 02: Morgan Wallen performs onstage for the 16th Annual Darius and Friends St. Jude Benefit at Ryman Auditorium on June 02, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ABA) -
TOPSHOT – US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift attends the MTV Video Music Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California on September 27, 2026. (Photo by Lisa O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty Images) -
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 16: Chris Stapleton performs onstage during the 25th Annual Americana Honors & Awards at Ryman Auditorium on September 16, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Americana Music Association) -
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 13: Zach Top performs onstage during C2C Country to Country day one at The O2 Arena on March 13, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: Kelly Hansen of Foreigner performs onstage during The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis 39th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on September 29, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown raised millions of dollars to support the pioneering work of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and the world’s premier research center targeting spinal cord and brain injury and other neurological disorders and diseases. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis) -
(NO SUB AGENCIES IN UK, FRANCE, GERMANY, HOLLAND, SWEDEN, FINLAND, JAPAN.) Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant) 1969 during Led Zeppelin File Photos at the Led Zeppelin File Photos in Various, United Kingdom. (Photo by