Orange Peel Hosts The Pre-Jam for Warren Haynes Presents: Christmas Jam

Photos by David Simchock

Last night, Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam kicked off with the Pre-Jam at the Orange Peel in Asheville, N.C., in what has become a tradition. The celebration of music, charity and community saw an incredible array of sounds from an eclectic collection of artists, including the Gov’t Mule frontman himself, American Babies, Karina Rykman, George Porter Jr., John Medeski, Bill Evans, Joe Russo, Clutch and Gov’t Mule.

The Pre-Jam began with Haynes’ ripping rendition of The Allman Brothers’ “Melissa,” setting the tone for what will be the 32nd-ever iteration of the holiday event. After shredding through the iconic riffs of the song, Haynes gave the mic over to American Babies, one of Tom Hamilton and Joe Russo’s many collaborative projects. The old friends showcased a camaraderie and skill that could only be developed over a lifetime with eight songs, all pristine and flowing.

Next, Rykman stepped on stage with her band of misfits and golden bass guitar. She showcased an array of material, starting with the title track of her debut LP Joyride. After the effervescent number, she followed with the ever-fresh “Plants” before Haynes joined on stage to add his style to “Dirty South.” Rykman rounded out her segment with “City Kids,” followed by “Elevator.”

Porter Jr., Medeski, Evans and Russo then walked on stage, making for a quartet with a staggering amount of experience. The level of comfort and readiness on stage was a sight to behold, and that atmosphere lent itself to welcoming Datrian Johnson, who assisted them on “Check Out Your Mind,” “Hard Times,” “If I Could Help Somebody,” and “In the Year 2525.” Notably, “If I Could Help Somebody” was handled by just Medeski and Johnson.

Maryland’s own Clutch then stepped on stage to dish out the most prolific number of songs of the evening. They moved through 10 songs, including “Boogeyman Blues,” “Jackhammer,” “Dragonfly,” “Cyborg,” and more. For their final song, “Lord of This World,” Haynes once again stepped on stage to make some fretboard fireworks.

The master guitarist didn’t take long to return to the stage and swiftly stepped back up, this time with Gov’t Mule in tow. After opening with The Talking Heads’ “Same As It Ever Was,” they moved into their own discography with “Gone Too Long.” With the heart of collaboration still at the center of the evening, they welcomed Evans back on stage for “Dreaming Out Loud” and “Devil Likes It Slow.” He remained as they further expanded the lineup welcoming Mike Barns for the final song of the evening, “Dreams.”

Like the main event, which is set to take place tonight (Dec. 9) at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena, the Pre-Jam was in benefit of Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and BeLoved Asheville. Be sure to donate and tune in this evening to enjoy performances by Slash & Myles Kennedy, Gov’t Mule, Billy F. Gibbons, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening and more.