Tom Hamilton Joins Greensky Bluegrass For Motown Classic & More In Philadelphia

Greensky Bluegrass’ 2025 Winter Tour brought the string band to the Fillmore Philadelphia on Thursday. GSBG welcomed Philly’s own Tom Hamilton on electric guitar for a pair of tunes to wrap the first set.

Greensky Bluegrass — mandolinist Paul Hoffman, guitarist Dave Bruzza, banjo player Michael Bont, bassist Mike Devol and dobro player Anders Beck — kicked off the concert with a pair of staples, “Old Barns” and “Leap Year.” After “Cold Feet,” the band delivered Rufus Thomas’ rhythm and blues classic “Walking the Dog.”

A pair of Greensky’s best songs, “Past My Prime” and “Burn Them,” followed ahead of the relatively new tune, “Born Again,” which appears on the band’s 2024 EP, The Iceland Sessions, featuring keyboardist Holly Bowling. GSBG then welcomed Hamilton for a two-song sit-in beginning with Greensky original “Lose My Way.” Hamilton took over during the vibey jam with a typically expressive run, which he brought to a boil with the help of Beck on dobro. Watch below:

Tom stuck around for set-closer, a cover of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ Motown classic “I Second That Emotion,” GSBG’s first since August 8, 2023, for a 122-show gap as per Phantasy Tour. The groovy tune was also covered by the Grateful Dead and one Hamilton is familiar with as a member of Dead tribute act Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. See Tommy shred on “Second That Emotion” below:

Greensky had some more surprises in store during the second set, which began with the “Before Bring Out Your Dead” > “Bring Out Your Dead” pairing, including the first “Less Than Supper” in 50 shows, followed by a cover of Traffic’s “Light Up or Leave Me Alone.” Following the set closer, “Living Over,” GSBG broke out their cover of Sting’s “Driven to Tears” for the first time in nearly two years to seal the show.

Greensky Bluegrass launches a two-night stand at The Anthem in Washington D.C. tonight (February 7). Scroll down for the band’s full tour routing and ticket info.

Photos

Setlist (via Phantasy Tour)

Set 1: Old Barns, Leap Year, Cold Feet, Walkin’ the Dog, Past My Prime, Burn Them, Born Again, Lose My Way[1], Second That Emotion[1]

Set 2: Before Bring Out Your Dead > Bring Out Your Dead, Less than Supper > Light Up or Leave Me Alone, Down the Road, While Waiting, Murder of Crows, Train Junkie, Do It Alone, Living Over

Encore: Driven to Tears

[1] w/ Tom Hamilton (electric guitar)