My Morning Jacket And Guests Headline CBGB Fest In Times Square

After a break of over two months from the end of this summer’s AmericanaramA festival, JamBase favorites My Morning Jacket made their triumphant return to the stage yesterday as the headliners for a free event open to the public held in NYC’s Times Square put on as part of the second annual CBGB Festival. Jim James and Co. kicked out a powerful eight-song set at an event that also saw sets from James Murphy, Divine Fits, Grizzly Bear, The Wallflowers and more.

[Photo by Jeremy Gordon]

Introduced by DJ Matt Pinfield as perhaps “the best band to ever come out of Kentucky,” My Morning Jacket opened up with the title track off 2011’s Circuital. Despite the long layoff, there was no sign of rust in MMJ’s performance as they moved through classics “It Beats 4 U” and “I’m Amazed.” With little fanfare Alabama Shakes front woman Brittany Howard, tUnE-yArDs mastermind Merrill Garbus and the Antibalas horns came on to the stage to help the Louisville rockers cover “Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Em” by Fela Kuti, which they had all played the previous night on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

Jim James showed off the stage presence that separates MMJ from their peers during “Wordless Chorus” as he engaged members of the crowd including a young girl sporting a My Morning Jacket t-shirt who turned bright red when the singer waved at her. James then donned a cape for a masterful performance of “Victory Dance” before bringing the Antibalas horns back out as well as Jakob Dylan for a raucous take on “Don’t Do It” played in the style of The Band. The horns remained on stage as MMJ brought the set to a close with “One Big Holiday.”

Watch video of MMJ, Jakob Dylan and the Antibalas horns covering “Don’t Do It”: