Asheville’s Orange Peel hosted the annual pre-party for Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam, which will commence tonight at the U.S. Cellular Center.

Among the highlights, an opening set from Haynes and an appearance from Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr. and Terence Higgins, who played a set with the help of Gov’t Mule’s Danny Louis.

When Mule took the stage, it was a rotating cast of drummers as Matt Abts was unable to attend due to a family emergency. The night started off with Rocky Lindsley leading the group through “Hammer & Nails” before Mike Barnes joined in on “Almost Cut My Hair” and “Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home,” the latter of which also included Ike Stubblefield.

Lindsley, Barnes, Stubblefield and The Levee Horns would emerge for “Soulshine” during the one-set performance before Duane Trucks relieved Lindsley on drums for “The Same Thing,” which also included Smokey Greenwell, Bob Margolin, Mark Mullins and The Levee Horns. The same lineup led the band through “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” and “Smokestack Lightning” before Trucks, Mullins and The Levee Horns brought the show to a close with “Going Out West.”

Elsewhere during the evening, American Babies played a four-song set with pianist Holly Bowling before Warren Haynes joined the funk quartet of George Porter Jr., Terence Higgins, Eric Krasno and Danny Louis for “It Ain’t No Use.”

Haynes would also later emerge with the Marcus King Band for takes on “Virginia” and “The Mystery of Mr. Eads.”

Christmas Jam kicks off tonight with performances from Mule, Bob Weir, Jamey Johnson and others.

Here’s a look at the setlist, as it appears in our Box scores section

***
Gov’t Mule
X-Mas Jam Pre-Jam, The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC

Hammer & Nails*, Almost Cut My Hair^, Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home^^, Soulshine%, The Same Thing%%, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Smokestack Lightning

Enc: Going Out West#

Notes:
*with Rocky Lindsley
^with Rocky Lindsley and Mike Barnes
^^with Rocky Lindsley, Mike Barnes and Ike Stubblefield
%with Rocky Lindsley, Mike Barnes, Ike Stubblefield, Mark Mullins & The Levee Horns
%%with Duane Trucks, Smokey Greenwell, Bob Margolin, Mark Mullins & The Levee Horns
#with Duane Trucks, Mark Mullins & Levee Horns