Watch: Dave Matthews Sits In With Dinosaur Jr. For “Cortez the Killer”

Photo via screenshot.

Yesterday, Jan. 17, Dave Matthews sat in with Dinosaur Jr.’s during the band’s performance at Seattle’s Neptune Theatre. This unexpected chance meeting is only the latest in a tour loaded with twists and turns in tribute to the band’s acclaimed fifth album.

Since July of last year, Dinosaur Jr. has been stomping around the country to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Where You Been and rousing the support of some stunning special guests along the way. During the group’s seven-night residency at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, N.Y., fans saw appearances from Hamilton Leithauser and Isaac Brock on Dec. 1 and Kurt Vile and Warren Haynes on Dec. 2. Then, for a show at Portland, Ore.’s Revolution Hall earlier this week, the band welcomed Stephen Malkmus, Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock, and The Dandy Warhol’s Peter Holmström for treatments of “Kracked,” “Freak Scene,” and The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.”

For the penultimate show in Dinosaur Jr.’s West Coast tour, the group opened with “Out There” before proceeding through the entirety of the Where You Been tracklist in order. After the electrifying final chords of “I Ain’t Sayin,” the group skipped around in their vast discography with “Garden” and “Little Furry Things,” accelerating into the anthemic “Yeah We Know” with the help of Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron. Next to join the band was Mark Arm for ripping renditions of The Stooges’ “Real Cool Time” and “TV Eye,” the latter bringing the Mudhoney frontman to jerks, flails, and shouts.

Finally, to close out the show, the band brought Dave Matthews to the stage to cover Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s “Cortez the Killer,” a long-time touring favorite for the roots rock troubadour recorded on 2003’s The Central Park Concert. After a slow and stirring start, the combo exploded into a high-voltage jam that faded back to square one with Matthews’ chilling vocals. Experience the magic for yourself with the fan-recorded video below.

Dinosaur Jr. ends their west coast run tonight with a second show at Seattle’s Neptune Theatre before moving on to The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J. on Jan. 24. Tickets and details on upcoming engagements are available at dinosaurjr.com/tour.