Welcome back to North Carolina and another Christmas Jam, a uniquely Asheville holiday tradition in its 32nd year, kicked off at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. This year’s offering served up  a heaping plateful of old school rock and roll. You know the kind.

In the meat of the Appalachian Mountains, the party returned to Asheville, home to Warren Haynes and the Biltmore Estate. A gathering place for bourgeoisie artists and craft brew snobs, hipsters and hippies.

They were with the world’s smallest harmonica player. He wasn’t small, the harmonica was. The night before they’d ended up on the roof of his condo. Nice place. The gas fireplace exploded in flame as Shane spit a mouthful of moonshine into it, testing the alcohol content. It was the second test, after the taste test and this lighting was definitely on point. Don’t mind the smell of burnt hair and ozone.

Jack of the Wood

Where the rubber meets the road. The Songwriters in the Round showcased Juan Holiday, Christina Chandler, Nic Mac, Melissa NcKinney, Katheryn O’Shea, Whitney Monge, Morgan Geer, Ashley Heath, Keven Fuller, Ray Sisk, Laura Blackley, Aaron Woody Wood, Kevin Smith, Paul Edelman, Leigh Glass and Justin Clyde Williams.

The highlight of the night came when Lucienda Rosalita proceeded to dip her finger in a shot of 151 and light it on fire. She then poured the shot in her gaping maw, light her finger on fire and blew the flames across the bar. In classic Lucy fashion, she bowed proudly to the crowd, all the while forgetting that her finger was still on fire. No more fingerprints, all problems solved.

The Asheville Music Hall

This afternoon party was hosted by Sneeky, Mike Barnes and Friends, Joe Marcinek’s Dead Funk Summit with Jason Hahn, Sam Brouse, Josh Clark and Melody Trucks, The Snozzberries and The Empire Strikes Brass.

Lucy was glad to be photographing the show. She had no money left after two months of vacation and preparation for Christmas. She and Baitbucket had been celebrating “Mexican Monday” three times a week, give or take and now the Buick’s oil pump had gone out at the same time the price tag had come in from the luthier fixing her grandfather’s Martin. She considered it just might be time to return to “private dances” behind the KFC dumpster.

One Stop

This party lineup starred Andrew Scotchie, Paper Crowns, Red Clay Revival, Cody Jasper and  Colby T. Helms. The Girth had been seeing double since the end of the Bloody Mary marathon but the last hour had seen him drinking Pedialyte and a coffee and whiskey. The slurring had stopped and he could see straight(ish).

Lucy was playing with house money. It was a great life and she knew it would be over in about five minutes, so better to enjoy the moment and give it her genuine best effort.

Visit the Christmas Jam website and like their social media sites on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter. AI hasn’t yet taken over rock and roll and furthermore, anyone using robot vacuum cleaners still live with piles of dog hair. The world is yours.

Thanks for making the wranglers your one-stop festival shoppe for all things fluffy. Keep up with the Jonses as we survive the high country winter and brainstorm faster ways to join the Florida festival season already in progress. High country, low bar.                                                   namaste y’all…

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In-Person Local Pre-Sale Tickets Available Saturday, October 21st at 9am ET with Nationwide Pre-Sales (including VIP & Travel Packages) Available Tuesday, October 24th at 10am ET. Public On-Sale Begins Friday October 27th at 10am ET.

Warren Haynes Presents also announces The Benefit Concert Volume 20 Live Performance CD/DVD/Vinyl Collection Sets from 2018’s 30th Annual Christmas Jam to be released Friday, December 8th.

PRESS HERE To Pre-Order

As something new this year, in-person local pre-sale tickets will be available first at the Arena Box Office on Saturday, October 21st at 9am ET, based on feedback from the local community who are an integral part of the event’s continued success. Nationwide pre-sale tickets, including VIP & Travel Packages and access to the pre-Jam, will be available on Tuesday, October 24th at 10am ET and the public on-sale will commence on Friday, October 27th at 10am ET. Visit www.xmasjam.com for ticketing details and to purchase.

“Christmas Jam is such a special event for me and my family and more than 30 years later, it’s still so exciting to see the dynamic talent that comes together for the community in my beloved home of Asheville,” shares Haynes. “After a few years off, following an extraordinary 2-night 30th Anniversary event, it felt great to return last year to continue the cause, which has and will always be: to have fun, play music, and celebrate being together while raising money for a local charity. This year is no exception. We’ve got longtime friends and collaborators, as well as new ones, on hand for a rockin’ and memorable evening, benefiting the housing needs of many in the region.”

Adding to the excitement leading into this year’s Christmas Jam, Haynes has also announced The Benefit Concert Volume 20, due out Friday, December 8th via Evil Teen Records/Mascot Label Group. The multi-CD/DVD/vinyl collection sets from the 30th annual Jam, recorded live December 7 and 8, 2018, features electrifying performances from Dave Grohl, Eric Church, Joe Bonamassa, Jim James, Gov’t Mule, Grace Potter, and Mike Gordon, among many others, painting a vivid tapestry of live music, characterized by spontaneous collaborations, raw energy, and a palpable mutual respect among the artists. Other featured musicians on the set include Marco Benevento, Jamey Johnson, Edwin McCain, Kevn Kinney, Tyler Ramsey, Scott Murawski, and Ron Holloway, along with Machan Taylor, Mini Carlsson, Mike Barnes, and Ray Sisk sitting in with Gov’t Mule and solo performances from Haynes.

The Benefit Concert Volume 20 is enriched with iconic performances, such as the hypnotic “Gold Dust Woman,” originally by Fleetwood Mac, now reimagined in a stirring collaboration featuring Warren Haynes, the versatile Grace Potter, and My Morning Jacket‘s Jim James. Fans of the Foo Fighters will find themselves enthralled by Dave Grohl and Haynes’ acoustic jam-infused renditions of massive hits “Times Like These” and “Everlong,” along with the only live recording of Grohl’s epic instrumental song “Play,” which made its 45-minute live debut at the Jam that night. Country music enthusiasts will revel in Eric Church‘s evocative performances of the Allman Brothers‘ “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” and his own hit, “Record Year.” Meanwhile, the electrifying “Spanish Boots” showcases the unparalleled guitar prowess of Joe Bonamassa, a 26x #1 selling blues guitar sensation.

The Benefit Concert Volume 20 will be available physically on four different double vinyl volume sets (in different colors: purple, orange, blue, red), 2-CD + DVD set, and 3-CD + 2 Blu-ray set, along with a digital-only format. Full track listings below. PRESS HERE to pre-order and PRESS HERE for bundles. PRESS HERE for album teaser.

Curated by Grammy Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, producer and guitar legend Warren Haynes, the Christmas Jam is one of the most celebrated and longest-running live concerts in the U.S. Held each year in Asheville, performing artists, volunteers, and friends from all over the country come together to raise funds for longtime partner Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity as well as last year’s new partner, BeLoved Asheville. Over the last 30 years, Christmas Jam has raised more than $2.8 million for Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, constructing over 50 homes and helping to pay infrastructure and development costs of entire Habitat neighborhoods. On the other end of the spectrum working to help with the region’s housing needs is BeLoved Asheville, which assists those struggling with housing insecurity to create innovative solutions. Together, these local housing organizations are ensuring more neighbors have a decent place to live.

More info on “Xmas Jam By Day” events and concerts, the annual “Before The Jam, Lend A Hand” event, and more happenings taking place that weekend to follow. For the latest details on Christmas Jam, visit www.xmasjam.com or follow their social media pages on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram.

Thanks for keeping up with the wranglers as we head south for Hulaween before settling into the high country holiday season. Follow the online magazine and keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter. Visit our coverage of last year’s show and all the silliness and went along it.

Namaste y’all. Believe what you want.

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Who showed up for the hottest ticket in town? Are you kidding? These babies were gone like hotcakes and everyone who’s anyone in the Tarheel state made an appearance. There was FloydFest machine, The Girth and his paramour, Ms.Girth…Ms.Girth? She was never one for self monikers and they, as of the latest reports, were still engaged to be wed. Well I”ll be. Wonders never cease. Everyone agreed it was especial to have this Navidadiest, fiesto grandiesto back on the dance card. It had been a minute since these folks had been together and the magic was in the air.

Soapy from two days in downtown Asheville, they were all there, ready to shred. Hard fun to be sure and folks who hadn’t come together for this party for three years were ready for the certain amalgamation. Following the hiatus, the annual holiday event, also presented by the W&S Charitable Foundation and Stefani Scamardo, once again descended upon Haynes’ hometown of Asheville on Saturday, December 10th for a special evening at Harrah’s Cherokee Center to benefit the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity along with BeLoved Asheville. There was plenty of time to get to all the music and all the people and the Girth was still able to find his way to the smoker’s patio every once and awhile. Can a man get a Turkish Camel for a table dance?

W&S Foundation is particularly excited to bring the Christmas Jam back to Asheville this year with such an amazing and exciting lineup,” said Scamardo. “The long-awaited return of Christmas Jam is sure to be a special moment for all.”

Curated by Grammy Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, producer and guitar legend Warren Haynes, the Christmas Jam is one of the most celebrated and longest-running live concerts in the U.S. Held each year in Asheville, performing artists, volunteers, and friends from all over the country come together to raise funds for the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. To date, the Jam has raised more than $2.7 million for Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, constructing over 40 homes. This year’s Christmas Jam has expanded to also assist BeLoved Asheville. From emergency shelter to rental and ownership units, the Asheville region’s housing needs are greater than ever. Many local agencies work along the housing services spectrum and anchoring the ends of that spectrum are Asheville Area Habitat, providing affordable homeownership and home repairs, and BeLoved Asheville, working with those struggling with housing insecurity.

“BeLoved Asheville is honored to be a part of the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam this year!,” adds Ponkho Bermejo, BeLoved Asheville Co-Director. “This powerful event lifts local people and warms the hearts of many through music. Now more than ever, we need to make the music that brings us together to support our neighbors and connect deeply with each other. Warren Haynes and friends are so gifted at that and we look forward to jamming with them to lift up elders, essential workers, children and families who are struggling, and those who long for a warm and safe place to call home.”

After a three-year wait, the annual rock n roll Christmas pageant had returned to the source. The line up was heat lightning and holiday cheer bubbled over the packed room like a nineties foam party. There was Brothers Osborne with their country/folk get down slather and of course, God forbid! But there was no way Tenderfoot was going to miss a Phil Lesh show. A novice tarot reader at best, he would say, “It’s just not in the damned cards”. Like many, he and his posse of derelict hippies steered straight for the nexus of the party sans tickets. Wouldn’t matter. They were lot monkeys from way back and usually ended up being backstage, this year being no exception and no one even ended up in love cuffs. Pura Vida.

Dinosaur Jr.: Those screwdrivers were not done with her by a long shot. This was the moment Lucienda Rosalita knew with absolute certitude that she was going to purge in exactly seventy-four adult seconds. She slithered out of the crowd and found it to take exactly that long to navigate the floor and find her way to the water closet on the far side of the auditorium. For once, her timing was impeccable although it may have been a waste of twenty dollars worth of chicken strips, most of which ended up in the curls of her hair. Considering everything, that was all academic. She was where she needed to be and friends were waiting.
Setlist: The Lung-Garden-Been There All the Time-Get Me-Start Choppin

One non-negotiable was the venture out to an Asheville cornerstone, the Orange Peel Friday night. It was the Travers Brothership opening up for Gov’t Mule pre-party. Never miss a Friday show. Lucy was still taking it easy since the weekend of the Cats Under the Stars festival. It was the season to be small dog. Until she wrangled in the tequila during George Porter Jr. Last seen she already had a black eye and was pushing toward the rail hoping to start a mosh pit. She hadn’t seen Kyle Travers since the last time they were at FloydFest. year before last. It was a reminder that Christmas Jam is a local jam with old and new guys coming together in the funkiest ways possible. Tenderfoot apparently bought a shower cap that had been worn by John Scofield. Those are the kinds of things happening. Lucy was glad to be back in the North Carolina-Virginia pocket.

Gov’t Mule
Setlist: Mule-Temporary Saint-Banks of the Deep End-Sometimes Salvation-Ain’t No Love In the Heart of the City-Sailin’ Shoes-Hey Pocky A-Way-I Almost Cut My Hair-Blue Sky
Christmas Jam is about local music and collaborations. Tenderfoot showed up right around Dinosaur Jr. and fell right into the Nestea plunge that was the heavy bass.

Linda Joy and Shrimphead would have loved the C,S,N&Y “Almost Cut My Hair” but Lucy was always waiting for the Allman songs. She was a Buttscratcher and the Brothers is where her bread was buttered. Phil and Friends kicked things off with Wilson Picket and even covered “I am the Walrus” before it was  all said and done. It was plenty to wrap your head hole around.

Brothers Osborne
Setlist: Skeleton-Headstone-Shoot Me Straight-I’m Not For Everyone-Weed, Whiskey, Willie-Dead Man’s Curve-Stay A Little Longer-It Ain’t My Fault

Phil Lesh and Friends
Setlist: In the Midnight Hour-Mason’s Children- Brown-Eyed Women- Shakedown Street- I Am the Walrus- Morning Dew- Eyes of the World- So What- Help on the Way- Slipknot!- Terrapin Station- Box of Rain

Tyler Childers: The Girth lived in Asheville so he already knew, these mountain folk went bonkers for the Tyler Childers’ show. They can’t help it. Something about honeysuckle wine, pills and trucks. Appalachian heaven to be sure.
Setlist:  Country Squire-Tom Turkey- Honkey Tonk Flame- Tulsa Turnaround- House Fire-Universal Sound- Way of the Triune God- Heart You Been Tendin’- Rustlin’ in the Rain

It was exactly the night everyone had been waiting for. Asheville was the place last Saturday night and Christmas was jingling through the streets. Along with some blistering bass guitar. Don’t be fooled, Christmas Jam is one of the special nights in this place. See you next year.

Be sure to visit the Christmas Jam website and like their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Welcome to the machine. The future is nigh.

Continue to make the wook wranglers your number one source for music news and keep up with us as we bounce back and forth to Florida for spring festivals too many to count. Just hold on. This is going to be a busy year and you should be smack dab in the nexus of the rainbow? The eye of the storm? Kamp with the hobos if you want. It takes all the wooks to keep the hotel open all day and night.

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