Xmas Jam: Something Something Soulshine

Special Guest MVP: Bernie Worrell
Everyone wanted to play with him…and why not? Bernie came out with Jackson Browne, Bruce Hornsby, G. Love, Frampton and Gov’t Mule. No P-Funk or Talking Heads, but such is life. Still, he tore it up. A close runner up went to tenor saxomophonist Ron Holloway, who put in a late effort to try and take home this year’s MVP with some nice call and answer jams with Warren.

Genius Idea of the Night: Bruce Hornsby teasing “Little Drummer Boy”
As my friend Alex pointed out to me, it’s a wonder more people don’t do this at the Xmas Jam every year. Hornsby was throwing teases all over the place, including Long Black Veil, Who Knows (his bassist played this), and I’d swear a Lovelight tease in the intro to Rainbows Cadillac.

Best cover: Comfortably Numb
Hornsby wins again, dropping a huge version of the Floyd tune in the middle of his song (not CCR’s) Fortunate Son. The place ate it up.

Boldest Move: Jackson Browne’s change-up
I’m not sure why he did it, but instead of playing any hits, Browne chose to perform a bunch of anti-war tunes. On Christmas! I dug it, but a lot of people hated on it. I thought it was way better for him to come out and play a set that keeps things current rather than bring the nostalgia. A nice choice to end the set with “I Am a Patriot” by Little Stevie Van Zandt.

Most random moment: Homeless No More
Kevn Kinney played some random song before G. Love’s set featuring a guy he found on the street — Fiddle Dave from Asheville. The guy spent half the song just goofing around on the stage. And then G. Love let Fiddle Dave stay out for the first song of his own set. Clutch. The crowd showed little love for Fiddle Dave, but I thought it was awesome.

Dumbest Crowd Comment: “Warren Haynes is God”
Some guy yelled this during Frampton’s set when Warren guested. Seriously? He’s up there with Frampton? I mean, I know it’s Warren’s night, it’s his show and it’s his town, but he was probably the third or fourth best guitarist in the house. Eric McFadden blew him away, and I’m a big fan of Audley Freed and would place him and Warren as equals.

Guy I’m Inviting to Every Jamband Supergroup: Jerry Joseph
This dude was The Man throughout the whole Stockholm Syndrome set, which was incredibly high energy. More importantly for you kids, he made smoking look so cool by smoking cigarettes while playing guitar — shit, I almost wanted to pick up the habit.

Best collaboration: Bruce Hornsby & Jackson Browne
Bruce came out for a song during Jackson’s set, and then Bruce brought Jackson out, introducing him as a great cookie maker after some random story about Jackson Browne sending him cookies and how good they were but he only got to eat one because his kids at all of them. Was that a run-on sentence? Perhaps that’s indicative of the caliber of the story. They played End of Innocence, which Jackson clearly didn’t know and needed the words to, but it was awesome.

So that’s the lowdown. This year’s installment was a great event as always, the perfect way to spend a weekend in December. Anyone else go? Thoughts?

• Check out these awesome Xmas Jam pictures from James Harrison
• 2007 Xmas Jam Downloads: Jackson Browne’s set; Bruce Hornsby’s set; Stockholm Syndrome’s set; Warren Haynes’ set; G. Love’s set; Kevn Kinney’s set; Grace Potter & the Nocturnals’ set; Gov’t Mule’s set; and Peter Frampton’s set

2007 SETLIST

WARREN HAYNES, DANNY LOUIS, BRUCE HORNSBY & THE HABITAT ENSEMBLE
Soulshine

MIKE FARRIS, WARREN HAYNES, DANNY LOUIS, BRUCE HORNSBY & THE HABITAT ENSEMBLE
Trouble of The World

GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS
Ain’t No Time
Stop The Bus
Nothing But The Water (Intro)
Watching You*
Big White Gate

* w/Mike Barnes on Guitar

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME
Tight
Empire One
Bouncing Very Well*
Couldn’t Get It Right**

* w/ Machan Taylor ** w/Warren Haynes & Machan Taylor

JACKSON BROWNE
The Rebel Jesus
Desolation Row*
Drums of War*
Next Voice You Hear**
Lives In The Balance***
Patriot***

* w/Wally Ingram & Bernie Worrell
** w/Wally Ingram & Bruce Hornsby
*** w/Wally Ingram & Warren Haynes

BRUCE HORNSBY & THE NOISEMAKERS
Long Valley Road
White Wheel Limo*
Fortunately Numb
End of Innocence**
Rainbow’s Cadillac***

* w/Warren Haynes & Ron Holloway
** w/Jackson Browne & Warren Haynes
*** w/Warren Haynes, Ron Holloway & Bernie Worrell

KEVN KINNEY
My Jesus

G. LOVE
Rainbow*
Superhero Brother**
Can’t Get Back To Jersey**
Cold Beverages***
X-Mas Blues***
Peace, Love & Happiness****

* w/Fiddle Dave Muhlethaler
** w/Jason Isbell
*** w/Bernie Worrell & Andy Hess
**** w/Warren Haynes, Bernie Worrell & Andy Hess

PETER FRAMPTON*
Four Day Creep
Shotgun
Blooze**
I Don’t Need To Doctor**
Do You Feel Like I Do
While My Guitar Gently Weeps

* w/Audley Freed, Danny Louis & Andy Hess
** w/Warren Haynes, Audley Freed, Danny Louis & Andy Hess

GOV’T MULE
Beautifully Broken
I’m A Ram
Streamline Woman
Mr. High & Mighty
Fixin To Die*
I Believe To My Soul**
32/20 Blues***
Goin Out West****

* w/Col. Bruce Hampton, Jason Isbell, Bernie Worrell & Ron Holloway
** w/Peter Frampton & Bernie Worrell
*** w/Ron Holloway & Mike Barnes
**** w/Audley Freed