Dave Matthews Band Plays May 25-26 in Hartford

Dave Matthews performs at Comcast Theatre in May 2010, the last time his band was in Hartford. (Photo by John Woike/jwoike@courant.com)

Dave Matthews Band returns to Hartford this spring for a pair of dates May 25-26 at Comcast Theatre, the group announced Wednesday morning. The band took a break for most of 2011, performing only a handful of mini-festival dates.

Mariachi El Bronx opens the show May 25, Carolina Chocolate Drops opens May 26.

An online presale for members of Matthews’ Warehouse Fan Club begins Thursday, Feb. 16, at 10 a.m. Eastern. There’s a subsequent pre-sale for Citi card holders beginning Monday, March 5. Finally, the actual ticket-buying public gets a crack at whatever is left starting March 9.

This year also marks Dave Matthews Band’s reunion with producer Steve Lillywhite, who worked on the band’s first three albums, for a new release expected this summer.