Musical Gumbo: Ivan Neville & Anders Osborne Join Greensky Bluegrass In New Orleans

Greensky Bluegrass returned to New Orleans last night for their first concert at Tipitina’s in nearly a decade. The band brought out Big Easy-based musicians Ivan Neville and Anders Osborne for separate collaborations at the famed venue on Tuesday.

Ivan Neville and Anders Osborne each emerged for two-song guest appearances. In both cases, the musicians supported the band on the first tune and then led Greensky Bluegrass on the other.

Legendary keyboardist Ivan Neville came out at the end of the first set. Neville utilized piano tones on a Nord keyboard as he augmented GSBG on the original “Lose My Way.” He then fronted the band on their debut cover of the classic New Orleans song “Iko Iko.” Both Neville and Greensky dobroist Anders Beck took furious solos.

The jamgrass quintet looked to their 2019 album, All For Money, to launch the second set with the pairing of “It’s Not Mine Anymore” and “Courage For The Road.” Mandolinist Paul Hoffman then helmed “Jaywalking” before Anders Osborne took the stage with band.

Osborne, making his first GSBG appearance, shredded on electric guitar during a powerful cover of The Allman Brothers Band’s “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More.” Greensky fans were treated to double Anders action as the guitarist (Osborne) and dobroist (Beck) interlaced soaring licks.

Anders Osborne finished his time on stage with Greensky Bluegrass by leading the band through a rollicking rendition of his song, “Pleasing You.” The bluesy track was originally released as the opening track on Osborne’s 1995 studio album, Which Way To Here. Hoffman, Beck and GSBG banjoist Michael Arlen Bont each let it rip before Osborne took the song home.

Greensky Bluegrass finished the show sans guests. The rest of the second set featured a run of beloved favorites “Windshield,” “I’d Probably Kill You” and “Don’t Lie.” A “Demons” encore was tacked on for good measure.

Watch audience-shot video of Greensky’s NOLA collaborations below:

Setlist (via Camp Greensky)

Set One: Fixin To Ruin, Just To Lie > E.M.D., The Old Home Place, Murder of Crows, Absence of Reason, Solstice, Lose My Way [1], Iko Iko [1][2]

Set Two: It’s Not Mine Anymore, Courage For the Road, Jaywalking, Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More [3], Pleasin’ You [3][4], Windshield, I’d Probably Kill You, Don’t Lie

Encore: Demons

• [1] – with Ivan Neville on keyboard
• [2] – Ivan Neville lead vocals
• [3] – with Anders Osborne on electric guitar
• [4] – Anders Osborne lead vocals