Greensky Bluegrass closed out their fall tour over the weekend. The band’s final multi-day autumn stretch yielded a plethora of sit-ins. The aforementioned shows started on Thursday, Nov. 16, at Minglewood Hall in Memphis, Tenn. Guests included Lindsay Lou, Fruition’s Mimi Naja, and Trey Anastasio Band member Jennifer Hartswick. After starting the show with a standard run-through of material, the billed performers brought out their initial guest for the original “Beauty and Pain,” which saw assistance from Lou and Naja on vocals. For the final song of the first frame, Hartwick added breath to “Leap Year,” utilizing her trusted trumpet. 

To follow, set two brought forth a mixture of originals and borrowed tunes sans guests. During the event’s final moments, the encore consisted of a cover of Bob Seger’s “Against the Wind,” with Lou to help end the night. On Friday, Nov. 17, Greeksky Bluegrass brought their blend of jammed-out bluegrass to Hattiesburg Saenger Theater in Hattiesburg, Miss., welcoming guests up throughout the night to assist on picked tunes. 

Following a selection of prudent numbers, “Better Off,” and its follow-up, “I’m Working on a Building,” with Lou, the guest stuck around for her host’s original “Lose My Way.” For the set’s final song, they landed on Lou’s song “Everything Changed,” performed with her hosts and Naja on guitar and vocals. The ensuing frame was an expected sampling of self-penned numbers and covers, including a take on the Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter classic, “China Cat Sunflower.”

Greensky Bluegrass added another guest to the mix during their final Saturday, November 18. Given the location, Joy Theater in New Orleans, the band tapped local talent Ivan Neville. On the heels of frame one, Greensky Bluegrass invited Lou and the aforementioned Neville to the stage to help out on “In Control” and its follow-up, a locationally fitting selection, Allen Tousaint’s “Yes We Can,” which also included Naja, Heather Gillis and Michelle Pietrafitta.

The second set included a cut of “Forget Everything” with vocal assistance from Lou, who also returned during the evening’s encore, adding to the Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.” With their fall tour in the books, Greeksky Bluegrass will step away from the road before reconvening in Mexico for the Strings and Sol festival in early December. For more on the band’s upcoming tour dates, visit their official website.

Greensky Bluegrass

Minglewood Hall – Memphis, Tenn. 

Nov. 16, 2023

Set I: Reasons to Stay, Señor, Blood Sucking F(r)iends, Give a Shit, Courage for the Road, Take Cover, Beauty and Pain#&, Leap Year*

Set II: Hit Parade of Love, What You Need, Worry for You, Kerosene, Ashes, Tarpology, Get Out, Gumboots

Enc.: Against the Wind#

Notes:

# With Lindsay Lou (vocals)

& With Mimi Naja (vocals)

* With Jen Hartswick (trumpet)

Greensky Bluegrass

Hattiesburg Saenger Theater – Hattiesburg, Miss.

Nov. 17, 2023

Set I: Old Barns, Murder of Crows, Absence of Reason, Train Junkie, Living Over, Better Off#, I’m Working on a Building#, Lose My Way#, Everything Changed#&

Set II: Where the Streets Have No Name, Monument, Bottle Dry, New & Improved, Past My Prime, All for Money, Worried About the Weather, China Cat Sunflower, Burn Them

Enc.: Drink Up and Go Home

Notes:

# With Lindsay Lou (vocals)

& With Mimi Naja (guitar, vocals)

Greensky Bluegrass

Joy Theater – New Orleans 

Nov. 18, 2023

Set I: Grow Together, Stress Dreams, Fixin To Ruin, Reuben’s Train, Handle With Care, Reasons to Stay, No Expectations, In Control#$ Yes We Can Can#$@

Set II: Windshield, Broke Mountain Breakdown, While Waiting, Don’t Lie, Demons, Forget Everything#, White Freight Liner Blues, Room Without a Roof, Run or Die

Enc.: (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life#

Notes:

# With Lindsay Lou (vocals)

$ With Ivan Neville (keys, vocals)

@ With Mimi Naja, Heather Gillis, Michelle Pietrafitta (vocals)

Setlist via www.phantasytour.com.