Fans in attendance at Dave Mason’s concert in Plainfield, Indiana on Aug. 18, 2024, had no way of knowing they were watching what would become the final performance of the rocker’s illustrious career.
Mason died April 19, 2026 at the age of 79, 20 months after his last concert. A statement from his family noted the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer “passed away peacefully” and went out “on his own terms.”
Between his time with Traffic, his work as a session musician, his successful solo career and his brief tenure in Fleetwood Mac, Mason covered a lot of musical ground. His career spanned over 50 years, and he brought a distinctive blend of material to the stage that night in Indiana.
What Did Dave Mason Play in His Final Concert?
Mason was in the midst of his Traffic Jam 2024 tour when he took the stage for the final time. The night started with “Share Your Love,” a track from his 1978 solo album Mariposa de Oro. From there he launched into a run of Traffic tunes, including “Pearly Queen,” “Rock and Roll Stew” and “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.”
READ MORE: Top 10 Traffic Songs
Traffic material would dominate much of the set list that evening, with classics like “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and “Medicated Goo” among the other highlights. Still, Mason was sure to mix in a few other non-Traffic gems. Among them, covers of Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” and the Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” He also delivered a rendition of “All Along the Watchtower” (he famously contributed to Jimi Hendrix’s version, recorded in 1967).
Mason closed what would become his final concert with one of his most loved songs, “Feelin’ Alright?” Traffic’s classic single from 1968. The full set list from his last show can be found below.
Why Dd Dave Mason Retire From Touring?
Mason had a scheduled break following his show in Indiana, but the Traffic Jam 2024 tour was supposed to continue in September. Sadly, fate had other plans. Just days before Mason was scheduled to get back on the road, “doctors detected a serious heart condition” that forced him to cancel all of his remaining shows.
He vowed to return in 2025, but health problems again got in the way. That March, a “serious infection” that “developed quickly” forced him to scrap all of his touring plans, including scheduled dates alongside Kansas and 38 Special. In September 2025, he officially announced his retirement from touring.
“For those who have attended a Dave Mason concert, you know the standard of excellence he demanded of himself and his band,” noted a statement announcing Mason’s retirement. “One of Mason’s proudest achievements was keeping his performances entirely live and authentic—no backing loops, no overdubbed vocals, none of the ‘smoke and mirrors’ often used to dilute the truth of a performance. Onstage, he was the real deal. Offstage, he embodied the consummate road dog, fully devoted to the work and the life he loved.”
Dave Mason’s Final Concert Set List, Aug. 18, 2024
1. “Share Your Love”2. “Pearly Queen “3. “Rock and Roll Stew”4. “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys”5. “The Words”6. “Can’t Find My Way Home”7. “Every Woman”8. “We Just Disagree”9. “Forty Thousand Headmen”10. “Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave”11. “I’m a Man”12. “Medicated Goo”13. “Dear Mr. Fantasy”14. “All Along the Watchtower”15. “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”16. “Feelin’ Alright?”
Final Songs Performed Live by Rock’s Biggest Artists
Some knew it was goodbye, some didn’t.
Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin
