Breakdown

Come January, a beach’s worth of fans of Dave Matthews and his longtime collaborator/guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds will be dancing on Mexico’s Caribbean shores  — eating, drinking, and being merry. Why? Well, we’re glad you asked: Dave & Tim Riviera Maya, the duo’s annual destination festival.

Going down from January 21st through January 24th at the beautiful Moon Palace Cancún resort, Dave & Tim Riviera Maya 2026 will mark the ninth edition of the sandy event. More than a simple music festival, the multi-night jubilee offers an all-inclusive experience complete with luxury accommodations, food and drink, access to world-class resort amenities, off-site excursions, and more. It’s a musical vacation set to Matthews’s life-affirming tunes.

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While the setting offers heaps of eye-catching opportunities and adventures, it’s all brought together by the music. Dave and Tim will perform three headlining sets, each acoustic, intimate, and under the stars. They have also seen fit to bring a host of other great artists to round out the fest, including Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, Joy Oladokun, and Say She She.

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Die-hard Dave Matthews Band fan, but unfamiliar with one or more of these additional acts? Fear not — we’ve got your back. Here’s a complete breakdown of all of the artists performing at Dave & Tim Riviera Maya 2026, including what to expect from their respective sets, which songs to start out with, and their overall vibes.

Check out all of our recommendations below. You can also enter to win a festival package for two (2) here, or ensure your trip by exploring packages here.

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

Vibes: Folky, soulful in a Southern way, gruff but with swagger

Pull Track for DMB Heads: “Still Out There Running,” which features carefree guitar lines, sweet as honey melodies, a soft but shuffling rhythm, and a sprinkle of woodwinds — all things DMB fans should be well familiar with.

What to Expect: Nathaniel Rateliff and his band The Night Sweats might have a little more Southern twang to them, as well as a little more swaggering soul baked into their full-band folk, but their core sound should be more than appealing to a majority of Dave Matthews fans. Rateliff’s songwriting often derives from a similarly tender place, and while he frequently takes his compositions in different directions, his sonic interests and timeless sensibilities ring similar to Matthews’. Expect a soulful performance that features both moments of quiet, folky introspection and dance-worthy, country-tinged jams.

Trampled by Turtles

Trample by Turtles, photo by Zoe Prinds

Vibes: Bluegrass-ish, awesome mandolin playing, twangy vocals, crazy musical chops

Pull Track for DMB Heads: Even though it is kind of cheating to pick a cover, we’re going with Trampled by Turtles’ wonderful rendition of the Radiohead classic “Fake Plastic Trees.” Dave Matthews fans, especially those who like to catch the band in person or who have explored their extensive catalog of live recordings, know that nailing a cover is a thing of beauty, and TbT’s stripped-down, string-backed take is well worth a listen. Plus, call us crazy, but the soft wails of falsetto almost, almost sound Dave-esque.

What to Expect: Trampled by Turtles’ set is bound to paradoxically be both one of the more unique sets of the festival and one that makes complete and utter sense. Their bluegrass sensibilities and lineup of musicians make them stand out among the rest of the bill, but their approach to the style is heartfelt, fun, and squarely of the 21st century. So, get ready for flurries of mandolin solos, banjo breakdowns, and fiddle frenzies. For anyone who will be missing the rest of Matthews’ band during his acoustic performances, Trampled by Turtles’ set is not one to miss.