[PHOTOS] Dave Matthews Band Brings High-Energy Setlist and Nostalgia to Noblesville

Dave Matthews Band in concert is always great, but seeing them at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana, is the best — and July 11, 2025 (night one of a two-night stand) was no exception. Something magical is in the air when DMB is at Ruoff. I can’t explain it. I have seen DMB 27 times since 1998 and photographed them six times. Nothing compares to the high energy and good vibes all around at this Indianapolis area concert venue.

The show started off with “Idea of You,” a beautiful and powerful love song. This led to “Granny,” one of the original songs from the band. Looking around the amphitheater, I could spot the longtime fans – they knew every word to this classic track. In typical fashion, they played “Don’t Drink The Water,” an amazingly powerful song that I have heard at nearly every DMB concert ever. At this point, the crowd was really hyped, and you could see the band having a great time on stage.

When “Everyday” began, the crowd immediately jumped in singing “honey, honey” over and over again. While this song was from their least popular album by the same name, this song has grown into a crowd favorite singalong. Buddy Strong, the keyboardist for the band, sang several verses and had the crowd going wild. This was by far the best live version of the song I have ever heard.

Two highlights for me were “Pig” and “Two Step.” The former is a deep cut from Before These Crowded Streets, and is one of those songs that builds intensity from start to finish. The live version is so much better than the studio recording. “Two Step” from Crash is my original favorite DMB song. I first heard it at this venue 27 years ago at my first Dave concert. This song is long, intense and has a driving rhythm that can’t be beat. Hearing this took me back to that first show and gave me goosebumps.

The main set ended with their unbelievable version of “All Along The Watchtower,” the most intense song they perform. You may be familiar with Bob Dylan’s version of the song, which is tame in comparison. The crowd was out of control by the end of this song. I haven’t heard this in years, so I was thrilled to experience it again. It used to be common early on in their career, but as their catalog grew, it was only played occasionally. Welcome back, “Watchtower,” as it is referred to by true fans.

The encore included a sweet song, “Here On Out” and “The Best of What’s Around.”  In my experience, the encore starts with a slow song and ends with a banger. This show was no exception. Ending on “The Best of What’s Around,” a classic from Under The Table And Dreaming was both energetic and nostalgic. With a catalog as vast at theirs, it is always a highlight to end on a classic, energy-filled hit song.