This past weekend at the 2023 Mempho Music Festival, the spotlight shone brightly on My Morning Jacket as they headlined the Saturday night festivities at Memphis, Tenn.’s Radians Amphitheater, nestled within the lush surroundings of the Memphis Botanic Gardens.

My Morning Jacket, led by the enigmatic Jim James, treated the audience to a mesmerizing two-hour performance that featured special guest appearances by two rock luminaries: J Mascis, the frontman of Dinosaur Jr., and Ben Bridwell, the leader of Band of Horses.

Earlier in the day, both J Mascis and Ben Bridwell had graced the stage with their own bands, creating a buzz of excitement among festival-goers. Bridwell made an early appearance during My Morning Jacket’s 18-song set, joining James in a soul-stirring duet on “Wonderful (The Way I Feel),” a track from My Morning Jacket’s 2011 album Circuital.

The middle of My Morning Jacket’s set brought the eagerly anticipated moment when J Mascis made his entrance and the legendary guitarist/vocalist began to contribute his signature sound to “One Big Holiday,” a beloved MMJ classic.

As the night and set drew to a close, My Morning Jacket, with J Mascis in tow, delivered a stunning rendition of “Dancefloors,” which seamlessly transitioned into a cover of The Rolling Stones’ timeless hit, “Happy” back into “Dancefloors.” My Morning Jacket initially unveiled their take on this iconic Stones song back in 2015 during their One Big Holiday destination event.

The magical moments of this memorable performance were captured by fans who shared videos of J Mascis joining My Morning Jacket for “Happy.” Watch the fan-captured clip below.

My Morning Jacket
Mempho Music Festival – Radians Amphitheater – Memphis, Tenn.
Sept. 30, 2023

Set: Wordless Chorus, Gideo > Lucky To Be Alive, Evil Urges, Wonderful (The Way I Feel)*, Least Expected, Compound Fracture, Circuital > Holdin On To Black Metal > One Big Holiday**, I Think I’m Going To Hell, Lay Low, Steam Engine > Highly Suspicious > Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2, Anytime, Dancefloors** > Happy** > Dancefloors**

* – with Ben Bridwell

** – with J Mascis