Greensky Bluegrass Welcome the New Year in Hometown with Holly Bowling

Photo Credit: Tobin Voggesser via GB’s Facebook

Greensky Bluegrass returned to their hometown on Sunday for New Year’s Eve. For the occasion, they brought with them Holly Bowling, who assisted across three sets of music at the band’s hometown venue, the State Theater in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Dec. 31, and previously during the group’s warm-ups in Saginaw, Mich., and Detroit. 

Set one commenced by pairing “A Letter to Seymour” and “In Control.” To cap the married tunes, the band continued with a take on Joshua Davis’ “Last Winter in the Copper Country,” a setlist staple since entering their live repertoire in 2010. Original “All for Money” preluded a segue of “Just to Lie” with “Room Without a Roof” and, ultimately, frame-ender, “Run or Die.”

The evening’s midsection, which functioned as the second set, started with “Past My Prime,” followed by the title track off Greensky Bluegrass’ 2022 LP, Stress Dreams. Next, the band kicked it back to their 2011 drop “Lose My Way.” After another original, the band covered The Allman Brothers Band’s “One Way Out.”

 Next, Greensky picked up a newer tune, the self-penned “Distracted,” which debuted on June 5, 2023, and was performed only for the fourth time during Sunday’s presentation. After another trickle of originals, the band presumed a nonstop take on “Reasons to Stay,” “Time,” and “Breathe Reprise.” 

The third and final set started “The Four” into “Who Is Frederico?” The band and their guest continued into the final moments of 2023 with “Courage for the Road.” They welcomed the New Year with the holiday traditional “Auld Lang Syne,” accompanied by balloons, streamers, and a general festive flair akin to the tradition. 

The aforementioned tune ran into “Kerosene,” and more originals before the band dusted off the Grateful Dead’s “Jack Straw” for the first time since Oct. 29, 2022, at The Warfield in San Francisco. “Living Over” represented the final song of the third frame. For the night’s extended encore, Greensky started with “Wings for Wheels” and capped the night with “Burn Them,” sandwiching either side of “Courage for the Road.”

Scroll down to view Greensky Bluegrass’ setlist via phantasytour.com.

Greensky Bluegrass

State Theater – Kalamazoo, Mich. 

Dec. 31, 2023

Set I: A Letter to Seymour > In Control, Last Winter in the Copper Country, All for Money, Just to Lie > Room Without a Roof, Run or Die

Set II: Past My Prime, Stress Dreams, Lose My Way, Absence of Reason, One Way Out, Distracted, I’d Probably Kill You, Reasons to Stay > Time > Breathe Reprise

Set III: The Four > Who Is Frederico?, Courage for the Road > Auld Lang Syne > Kerosene, Worry for You, Jack Straw, Living Over

Enc.: Wings for Wheels, Burn Them > Courage for the Road > Burn Them

Notes:

Full show with Holly Bowling