Dave Matthews Band playing in ‘alternate format’ at Gorge

Hundreds of Dave Matthews Band fans were expecting the whole band to play at their annual Labor Day Weekend shows at The Gorge in Eastern Washington.

Instead, Dave came out with an acoustic guitar and explained the band’s bass player, Stefan Lessard, and drummer, Carter Beauford, had to go into quarantine at the last minute.

“My good friends, Carter and Stefan, have run into the Covid, and because they’re both vaccinated, they’re both perfectly fine,” Dave announced to the crowd.

The band reconfigured their set and got help from opening act Dumpstaphunk.

Just a few hours before Friday’s show began, the band tweeted they would be playing this weekend’s shows in an “alternative format.”

Despite thorough safety protocols, a potential exposure to the Covid-19 virus within the organization has taken place. In the best interest of everyone’s health and safety, @davematthewsbnd will perform this weekend’s shows in an alternate format.#DMB2021 #SeeYouOnTheRoad pic.twitter.com/csH6jPxAAr

— dave matthews band (@davematthewsbnd) September 3, 2021

Dave Matthews Band has one more show on Sunday night, and if the tweets from Saturday night are any indication, fans are just fine with the alternate format.

Thank you for all the support!

Photography highlights of @davematthewsbnd @GorgeAmphitheat night 1 by Sanjay Suchak.#DMB2021 #SeeYouOnTheRoad pic.twitter.com/IiFcNM1dvd

— dave matthews band (@davematthewsbnd) September 4, 2021