KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Summer Wildcat Dave Mathews and violinist Boyd Tinsley perform at the Cricket Pavilion in Pheonix. The Dave Matthews Band played to more than 20,000 people at the sold out concert.

It's hard to tell what was hotter ÷ the midsummer heat of a Phoenix evening or the blistering set delivered by the seasoned and smooth Dave Matthews Band as they swaggered through Cricket Pavilion Thursday.

The heat did not deter the band or its more than 20,000 fans from bouncing and dancing their way through an incredible two-and-a-half-hour set.

Fans were brought to their feet when Dave opened with "The Stone" and moved quickly into "When the World Ends."

Long known for revamping favorites and grooving through a set, Dave Matthews Band proved their uncanny musicianship by rolling out funked-up versions of "Crush" and "#41."

"Crush" featured the talents of violinist Boyd Tinsley as he worked through a lengthy and pleasing rendition of the classic. The song rolled up and down, finally exploding, sending fans jumping and screaming.

Fans got a special treat as tour mate Gov't Mule's guitarist Warren Haynes joined the band to electrify "Jimi Thing" and a cover of Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer."

Haynes' screaming guitar left concertgoers with versions of both songs that would be seared in their ears for a long time.

With lighters in the air, fans stood through an epic encore that featured "Long Black Veil" and "What You Are."

The concert proved that Dave Matthews Band is still the band to beat in terms of live performances, as well as giving Arizona its best performance in three years.