My Morning Jacket Steals The Show At 2016 Lockn’ Festival

The 2017 Lockn’ Festival kicks off today at Infinity Downs Farm in Arrington, Virginia featuring Widespread Panic, Gov’t Mule, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, John Fogerty, Umphrey’s McGee, The String Cheese Incident and dozens more. Another act set to play Lockn’ 17 is Jim James. While James will perform a solo set this year, last year he led My Morning Jacket through one of the best sets in Lockn’ history.

Here’s what I wrote about the MMJ set as part of our coverage of Lockn’ 16:

My Morning Jacket took the stage for an 18-song, all-killer no-filler performance people will be talking about for years to come. Guitarist Carl Broemel showed the band knew what was up coming into Lockn’ during a chat with the Richmond Times-Dispatch when he said “You have to step it up because these people have been at it all day, hopefully drinking some water and God knows what else. And maybe they’re looking forward to seeing us at the end of the day. I think it’s more of a challenge to play at a festival in that respect. Everybody’s been hit over the head with so much music up to that point that you’ve really got to deliver.” Deliver is a huge understatement as they hit a grand slam to end the main stage action on Friday at Lockn’.

My Morning Jacket gave a relentless performance from the first anthemic notes of “Victory Dance” to the incredibly potent “One Big Holiday” closer. Included within were a selection of the best songs from their studio albums and a whopping four covers. After MMJ released The Waterfall last year, they barely played any covers. Jim James & Co. had plenty in store for Lockn’ as they debuted a passionate rendering of Burt Bacharach’s “What The World Needs Now Is Love” and a frenetic tribute to David Bowie in the form of “Rebel Rebel.” The quintet also dusted off a lively cover of Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved,” just the second time they’ve ever played it and first since the 2015 installment of their One Big Holiday destination festival. Then there was a breathtaking cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain” that had festivalgoers staring at the band in amazement with a sense of satisfaction that comes with seeing a set you know is a once-in-a-lifetime, special performance. Kudos to MMJ for stealing the show at Lockn’ and earning every penny they were paid.

Listen to audio of the set taped by opsopcopolis: