Returning to Asheville, NC for its 27th installment, Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam has been a staple in the local community as well as the jam band scene for many years, always producing some of the most outstanding collaborations all year. This year, Haynes put together an electric lineup with some familiar faces as well as some new comers. The results were substantial.

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The night began with Charlottesville, VA natives Love Canon (who would serve as the set break band all evening), a five-piece bluegrass group that specializes in 1980s cover tunes. Asheville was in full holiday spirit, attendees lining up at the doors hours before the show to get a spot on the floor. During their first interaction with the crowd, Love Cannon spit out engaging covers of Dire Straits’ “Money For Nothing,” the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop, and Waylon Jennings’ “Gold Ole’ Boys.”

After a brief introduction and solo song by host Warren Haynes (“Give Me Love”), the first set got underway with Electric Hot Tuna. The trio comprised of Jefferson Airplane members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, and drummer Justin Guip electrified the audience with one of the heaviest sets of the night, bordering on metal and even punk sometimes. Bass player Jack Cassady exuded energy all set, jumping up and down, showing off to the crowd that a 71-year old can still get down, and as for Jorma who will celebrate his 75th birthday later this month, he is as fluid as ever on the guitar, spurning out some of the nastiest licks all evening with the quietest of confidences. This set would emphasize the “Jam” in Christmas Jam.

Love Canon took to the stage again after Hot Tuna’s set, indulging in Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” The J. Geils Band’s “Centerfold,” and a surprise cover of Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way It Is.” As luck would have it, Hornsby was in fact the next performer of the night, coming on to sing some lyrics to one of his biggest hits. Hornsby, who wouldn’t touch a single key on a piano during his set, played instead the dulcimer, focusing in on the string music and bluegrass  that the region is so well known for. A sophisticated set of music to say the least, Hornsby and company would play several tracks from Hornsby’s upcoming album Rehab Reunion as well as “The Valley Road” and a pristine cover of Ralph Stanley’s “Pretty Polly.”

One of the most anticipated bands at Christmas Jam was undoubtedly the Tedeschi Trucks Band. As per usual, TTB would lay down an inspired and soulful performance, dialing up versions of “Don’t Know What It Means,” “The Letter,” “I Want More,” “The Storm,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” and were joined onstage by Haynes for a raging version of “Keep On Growing.” To see the two former Allman Brothers Band guitarists standing side-by-side again trading licks was one of the best gifts Christmas Jam handed out.

One of the rookies to Christmas Jam, Dawes, followed Tedeschi Trucks Band and did not disappoint. Bringing their folk-rock, Laurel Canyon sound to the East Coast, Dawes played one of the most exceptional sets of the night. Co-founding member Taylor Goldsmith was a spark plug all night long, moving all over the stage with a hop in his step, hooking up with his brother Griffin Goldsmith on drums and Duane Betts regularly. Their set was highlighted by tunes “From The Right Angle,” “Peace in the Valley,” and a sparkling rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Shine On Your Crazy Diamond I – V” that emerged out of left field. The execution was superb.

For as excellent as all the headlining bands were, it cannot go unsaid how outstanding Love Canon was all night, especially during their cover of Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” with Warren Haynes or their renditions of The Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta)Fight For Your Right (To Party)” and a clever mash up of Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” and George Michael’s “Careless Whisper.”

Atlanta product Blackberry Smoke made their Christmas Jam debut performance, too. These southern rockers are the Real McCoy. Blending elements of southern rock and country, Blackberry Smoke ran through high-energy songs like “Six Ways To Sunday,” “Rock and Roll Again,” and “Ain’t Much Left of Me,” and were even joined on stage by, you guessed it, Mr. Warren Haynes for a sassy take on “Deep Elem Blues.”

For as much anticipation that there was for bands like Tedeschi Trucks and Haynes’ Ashes & Dust Band, there was a general consensus in the building that The Doobie Brothers’ set was not to be missed. The band that has sold more than 40 million records worldwide were as pristine sounding as ever. Their set included several of their most highly acclaimed songs – “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Rockin’ Down The Highway,” “Black Water,” “Listen To The Music” – and a romp through “Don’t Start Me Talkin'” and “Long Train Runnin'” with Haynes.

With the evening winding down and the time pushing 2 AM, Love Canon capped off their yeomen’s work with memorable covers of Men At Work’s “Down Under,” a-ha’s “Take On Me” and Flatt & Scruggs’ “Doin My Time.” Do not sleep on Love Canon if you get the opportunity to see them. You’ll be in for a treat.

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For Christmas Jam’s final performance, Asheville-born-and-raised guitar god Warren Haynes took to the stage for his performance with his Ashes & Dust Band made up of Chessboxer and drummer Jeff Sipe. Though the hour was late, it did not keep the U.S. Cellular Center from rockin’ until the very last notes. Versions of the Allman Brothers’ “Jessica” and “Soulshine” were played, but the most notable tune during the set (and of the night) was arguably Duane Betts’ sit in on “Blue Sky,” the very song his father wrote some four decades earlier with the Allman Brothers. It’s uncanny how much Betts looks and plays like his father.

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Haynes’ set was encored with a piping hot “Two of a Kind, Workin’ On A Full House” with Craig Sorrels, Mike Barnes and Marcus King all sitting in. Though not a “changing of the guard” per se when King joined Haynes’ on stage, one could make a pretty safe wager that under the guide of Haynes, Marcus King will do great things in years to come at Christmas Jam.

Up and down no matter how one chalks it up, Christmas Jam is a must-see event. The town of Asheville is as warm and inviting of a place as any concert goer could ever hope for with good vibes just boiling over, lending itself to one of the most enjoyable nights of the jam band calendar. Thank you, Mr. Haynes, Thank You.

Setlist: Warren Haynes’ 27th Christmas Jam, U.S. Celluar Center, Asheville, NC – 12/12/15

Love Cannon: Money For Nothing, Axel F, Good Ole Boys, She Blinded Me With Science

Warren Haynes: Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)

Electric Hot Tuna: Been So Long, Watch The North Wind Rise, 99 Year Blues, Come Back Baby, Hit Single #1

Love Canon: Sledgehammer, Centerfold, The Way It Is with Bruce Hornsby

Bruce Hornsby & Friends (Gibb Droll, Ross Holmes, & JT Thomas): Love Canon Medley > Black Rats Of London > MIA in Miami > with Royal Masat, Over The Rise, Pretty Polly > Linin Track Interlude > Valley Road

Love Canon: Legs, Physical, Africa

Tedeschi Trucks Band: Don’t Know What It Means >The Letter, I Want More, Bird On A Wire, Keep On Growing with Warren Haynes, The Storm, With A Little Help From My Friends

Dawes: From The Right Angel, Now That It’s Too Late, Maria, Peace In The Valley, Shine On You Crazy Diamond I-V

Love Canon: Everybody Wants To Rule The World with Warren Haynes, (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party), Manger Zone > Careless Whisper Jam > Danger Zone

Blackberry Smoke: Six Ways To Sunday, Rock N’ Roll Again, Good One Comin’ On, Sleeping Dog, Ain’t Got The Blues, Deep Elem Blues with Warren Haynes, One Horse Town, Ain’t Much Left Of Me

Love Canon: Running Down a Dream with Mike Barnes, Crazy Train, Don’t You Want Me, Boys Of Summer

The Doobie Brothers: Jesus Is Just Alright, Rockin’ Down The Highway, Dependin’ On You, Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While), Don’t Start Me, Talkin’ with Warren Haynes, Black Water, Long Train Running with Warren Haynes, China Grove, Listen To The Music

Love Canon: Symphony No. 40, Down Under with Justin Johnson & Dean Mitchell, Take On Me, Doin My Time

Warren Haynes feat. The Ashes & Dust Band (Jeff Sipe & ChessBoxer): Jessica, Is It Me Or You, Patchwork Quilt, Skin It Back with Mike Barnes, Instrumental Illness, Drums, Angel Band >Soulshine, Karma Police > Paranoid Android Jam >Karma Police Reprise > Blue Sky with Duane Betts

Encore: Two Of A Kind Blues with Mike Barnes, Craig Sorrells & Marcus King

[Setlists H/T Jambands.com/Photo via Matt Jackson]