The 25th annual Christmas Jam to benefit Habitat for Humanity was a milestone event, and as such, was extended to two nights and featured an array of amazing musicians. I, of course, had to go both nights.
The first night featured a solid list of headliners:
- Warren Haynes & Ray Sisk
- Gov’t Mule
- Love Canon
- Keb’ Mo’
- John Scofield and the Uberjam Band
- Gregg Allman
- Phil Lesh Quintet
- Widespread Panic
In addition to the headline acts, the show also included the following special guests: Ike Stubblefield, Randall Bramblett, Birdland, Jay Bowman, Ron Holloway, Ron Johnson, Casey Driessen, and Jeff Sipe.
As a die-hard Grateful Dead fan, I was most excited to see Phil Lesh. And while he played a great set, I felt somewhat sad at the end. Basically, whenever Phil sang, he just seemed weary, like the years were finally catching up with him. It did not come as a surprise that he essentially stopped touring after this, only playing an occasional show on the East Coast and basically playing at Terrapin Crossroads, a club he owns in San Raphael. I guess that seeing Phil looking old made me feel old too.
I’m pretty sure that Gregg Allman played a short acoustic set with Warren during this first night, but I could not find a setlist to confirm that.
On to Widespread Panic. They are one of those bands who, like Primus, I feel that I should like, but I really am just not crazy about. And as the clock was nearing 2:00 am, my tolerance for them plummeted real fast. I ended up leaving the show about halfway through their set. I knew I would have another long night of music the next day, so I wasn’t going to wear myself out staying up for a band that I just wasn’t that interested in.
Anyway, here are the setlists that I was able to find online. Check back soon for my memories from the second night.
Setlists:
Warren Haynes & Ray Sisk
- Glory Road
Keb’ Mo’
- France
- More Than One Way Home
- Government Cheese
- Every Morning (with John Scofield)
- Perpetual Blues Machine (with John Scofield)
- Shave Yo’ Legs
Phil Lesh Quintet
- Celebration >
- Playing in the Band >
- China Cat Sunflower >
- I Know You Rider
- Night of 1000 Stars
- Mountains of the Moon >
- St. Stephen >
- The Other One >
- Over the Rainbow >
- The Other One
- Terrapin Station
Widespread Panic
- Disco >
- Papa’s Home (with Count M’Butu) >
- Up All Night
- Worry
- None of Us Are Free
- Surprise Valley >
- Ride Me High (with Randall Bramblett) >
- Drums >
- Surprise Valley
- Expiration Day
- Angels on High (with Warren Haynes and Randall Bramblett)
- Jesus Just Left Chicago (with Warren Haynes)
- Ain’t Life Grand
Gov’t Mule
- World Boss
- Mother Earth
- Opium (with Bill Evans and Ike Stubblefield)
- Scared to Live
- Game Face (with ‘Mountain Jam’ snippet)
- Captured
- Funny Little Tragedy (with ‘Message in a Bottle’ quote) >
- Thorazine Shuffle (reprise)
You must be on a first-name basis with Haynes and the artists that he rolls with!
You should check out Big Sugar whose guitar player Gordie Johnson is a good pal of Haynes. GJ is a phenomenal six-stringer!
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Hah. Used to see him every year.
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This year you guys will be sending Xmas Cards to each other!
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Unless Neil Young plays (the dream of every Christmas Jammer). Then I might have to fly out there.
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Neil Young in the The Last Waltz is classic
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Yeah. Love me some Neil. Seen him a bunch of times.
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[…] a long night of music on the first night of the Jam, I rested up and felt ready for the second night’s festivities. The headliners for the second […]
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