Photos by Nick King / www.theloudestcamera.com
A festive musical spirit reigned last night as Christmas Jam stretched into the wee hours, with Widespread Panic closing things down at around 4 a.m.
Clocking in at about nine hours, the musical marathon at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville was full of magical moments. Exploratory sets from the Phil Lesh Quintet and Widespread Panic capped a bill that also included strong performances by Gov’t Mule, Keb’ Mo’, John Scofield and Gregg Allman. A full set list is online here.
The festivities begin anew tonight, Dec. 14, with a schedule that includes Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Michael Franti, O.A.R. Aquarium Rescue Unit and more.
Tickets are sold out, but you can still opt to enjoy the shows from the comfort of your couch through a live video stream. All proceeds from the concerts go to the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.
Check out a slide show of photos from night one by Nick King (or view the photo set on Flickr here):