Christmas Jam Night One: Widespread Panic, Phil Lesh Quintet, Gov't Mule, Gregg Allman and More

Photo by Dino Perrucci

Widespread Panic, Phil Lesh Quintet, Gregg Allman & Warren Haynes, John Scofield & The Uberjam Band, Keb’ Mo’ and Gov’t Mule tore it up during the first night of the 25th annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam at the US Cellular Center in Asheville, NC. Much like past Christmas Jams, the show featured plenty of sit ins and the music kept going until the wee hours of the night.

The festivities began when Haynes took the stage with singer-songwriter Ray Sisk for a take on Sisk’s “Glory Road.” The opening tune was followed by a set from Gov’t Mule, a band that has closed out many past Christmas Jams. Mule’s set saw keyboardist Ike Stubbliefield and saxophonist Blll Evans join the band for “Opium,” a moe. song that the band has covered in the past. Mule also fit some “Message in a Bottle” lyrics into “Funny Little Tragedy” toward the end of the set.

Keb’ Mo’ came out next for a six-song performance that featured a guest appearance by John Scofield for “Every Morning” and “Perpetual Blues Machine.” Scofield and his Uberjam Band were next up with a five-song set.

Gregg Allman and Warren Haynes took the stage for seven songs, most of which—“These Days,” “Midnight Rider,” “Long Black Veil”, “All My Friends” and “Melissa”—were performed by the duo at the previous nights Pre-Jam party. In addition to those tunes, the set also featured a take on Neil Young’s “The Needle & The Damage Done” and a Keb’ Mo’ sit in for “I Can’t Be Satisfied.”

Allman and Haynes were followed by the reunited Phil Lesh Quintet—Lesh, Haynes, Jimmy Herring, John Molo and Rob Barraco—for a full set that included a number of Grateful Dead staples such as “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know Your Rider,” “St. Stephen,” “The Other One,” “Lady with a Fan” and “Terrapin “Station,” as well as a couple of tunes—“Celebration” and “Night of a Thousand Stars”—from Lesh’s 2002 release There and Back Again, which he recorded with the Quintet.

Widespread Panic closed out the night with an extended set that featured a number of Panic standards, as well as guest appearances by Haynes and Randall Bramblett. Bramblett joined the group in the middle of the set for a rendition of JJ Cale’s “Ride Me High,” and he and Haynes took the stage toward the end for “Angels on High.” Haynes then stuck around to help Panic with a cover of ZZ Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” before the band wrapped up their set with “Ain’t Life Grand” at close to 4 in the morning.

Christmas Jam will continue tonight with performances by a reunited Aquarium Rescue Unit, Gov’t Mule, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Gregg Allman, Michael Franti, OAR and John Scofield with Gov’t Mule (Sco-Mule). You can check some of Dino Perrucci’s photos from last night below, and a full gallery of photos here.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlists

Friday, December 13, 2013, Warren Haynes Christmas Jam, US Cellular Center, Asheville, NC

Warren Haynes & Ray Sisk

Glory Road

Gov’t Mule

World Boss >
Mother Earth
Opium with Bill Evans & Ike Stubblefield
Scared To Live
Gameface with Birdland & Mountain Jam Teases
Captured
Funny Little Tragedy > with Message In A Bottle Lyrics
Thorazine Shuffle Reprise

Keb’ Mo’

France
More Than One Way Home
Government Cheese
Every Morning with John Scofield
Perpetual Blues Machine with John Scofield
Shave Yo’ Legs

John Scofield & The Uberjam Band

Snake Dance
Boogie Stupid
Jungle Fiction
Dub Dub
Endless Summer

Gregg Allman & Warren Haynes

These Days
Midnight Rider
I Can’t Be Satisfied with Keb’ Mo’
Long Black Veil
All My Friends
The Needle & The Damage Done
Melissa

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 >
Somewhere Over The Rainbow >
The Other One
Lady With A Fan >
Terrapin Station

Widespread Panic

Disco >
Pigeons >
Papa’s Home
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 Randall Bramblett & Warren Haynes
Jesus Just Left Chicago with Warren Haynes
Ain’t Life Grand