Dave Matthews leads his band at Cruzan Amphitheatre. (Allen Eyestone / The Post) | More photos

For faithful, Dave Matthews Band is a must-see

Much like the album that has recently preceded it, Friday’s show by Dave Matthews Band was as much a tribute to late saxophonist LeRoi Moore as it was a celebration of the band’s music.

Moore died nearly one year ago from complications from an ATV accident as the band was making its latest album. The album’s title, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, turned into a salute to Moore as evidenced by the cover — showing Moore as a parade float and using his nickname “Grux” — and the music.

One of the more obvious tributes, “Why I Am”, was also one of the highlights of the show — in the song Matthews sings how he is “Still here dancing with the GrooGrux King” and points out the importance of living in the moment. He surrounded the sentiment with a punchy, horn-driven arrangement.

But the entire show’s emphasis on powerful musicianship and how well each band member worked with the others was the greatest tribute of all.

Dave Matthews Band’s members aren’t so much simply playing together as much as each taking an individual strand of music and putting together a rope. The result could be best seen on songs like “Jimi Thing”, a track from the band’s LP Under The Table And Dreaming. Matthews’ joyous paeon to the music of Jimi Hendrix, highlighted by violin solos from Boyd Tinsley, flowed into a powerful horn piece — led by new saxophonist Jeff Coffin and trumpeter Rashawn Ross — which in turn became a cover somewhat of Prince’s “Sexy MF”.

That wasn’t the only cover the band weaved into their set. There was also an extremely tight version of Talking Heads’ “Burning Down The House”. But there were also snippets here and there of familiar music — for example, “You Might Die Trying” from the band’s 2005 album Stand Up seemed to include the horn charts to Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke”.

Much of the reason behind’s the band’s strong unison was Carter Beauford’s assured drumming, around which the band could build almost anything it wanted.

The band plays its second show tonight at Cruzan Amphitheatre.

DAVE’S FANS SPEAK

Mike MacDonell, Miami

Favorite Dave Matthews Band song: “41″

Times he’s seen DMB: “Between 15 and 20″

What did he think? “I loved the respect that the band showed LeRoi. I think the songs off the new album were superb.”

Markey Bakas, Miami

Favorite Dave Matthews Band song: “You and Me”

Times she’s seen DMB: 3

What did she think: “It was amazing. It was as if everything I wanted to hear I heard tonight.”

Set list:

Funny The Way It Is

So Damn Lucky

Why I Am

You Might Die Trying

Crash

Typical Situation

Spaceman

Burning Down The House

Seven

Squirm

Jimi Thing/Sexy MF

Shake Me Like a Monkey

Alligator Pie

41

Dancing Nancies

You And Me

Time Bomb

Encore:
Sister

Grey Street

(A request for those of you who go out Saturday night — Please leave a set list of that show as well. We’d love to see what they played…)