Nicole Atkins, Chad Smith & G.E. Smith Guest With The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers had a busy weekend as the full band played Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia on Saturday night and then the core band took part in and performed at G.E. Smith’s Portraits series in Southampton, New York on Sunday. Old friend Nicole Atkins sat-in on Saturday, while G.E. Smith and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith sat-in last night.

Nicole Atkins and her band opened for The Avett Brothers on Saturday at Wolf Trap. Atkins has a long history with The Avetts dating back to her days at UNC Charlotte with Seth Avett and Avetts’ bassist Bob Crawford. The Avett Brothers delivered a career-spanning, 22-song performance at the scenic Vienna, Virginia amphitheater. Nicole emerged towards the end of The Avetts’ set sporting an “Avett Sister” t-shirt to sing “Pretend Love.” Saturday’s “Pretend Love” was the first performed by The Avett Brothers since 2013.

Watch video captured by DCRANGERFAN featuring “Pretend Love” from Saturday night:

Last night’s performance at Guild Hall in Southampton was billed as G.E. Smith’s Portraits: Music & Conversation With Scott & Seth Avett. Scott and Seth were joined on stage by Bob Crawford as well as cellist Joe Kwon. Host G.E. Smith also took the stage with the quartet as he both asked the band questions and performed with the group.

While The Avett Brothers were without regular drummer Mike Marsh, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith sat-in on a number of songs. Chad Smith added to “Ain’t No Man” and “Roses & Sacrifice” towards the beginning of the set. He later returned at the end of the evening for a run of “Talk On Indolence,” “Down With The Shine,” “True Sadness” and “No Hard Feelings.” G.E. Smith was on stage throughout The Avett Brothers’ 16-song performance with the exception of “C-Sections & Railway Trestles.”

Check out a series of fan-shot videos from last night:

[True Sadness | Captured by Dale Martin]

[Hand Me Down Tune | Captured by Dale Martin]

[A Father’s First Spring | Captured by Bill Lawton]

Setlists (via Avett Setlist Database)

Saturday, August 18

Set: Shame, True Sadness, Orion’s Belt, Die Die Die, Satan Pulls The Strings, Laundry Room, Old Joe Clark, The Ballad Of Love & Hate, Backwards With Time, Le Reel Du Pendu, Live & Die, February Seven, The Fall, I Wish I Was, Pretend Love (w/ Nicole Atkins), Ain’t No Man, The Clearness Is Gone, Down With The Shine, Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise

Encore: Murder In The City, Morning Song, No Hard Feelings

Sunday, August 19

Set: Laundry Room, Ain’t No Man (w/ Chad Smith), Roses & Sacrifice (w/ Chad Smith), A Father’s First Spring, Operator, I Wish I Was, Neapolitan Sky, C-Sections & Railway Trestles (Only Song w/o G.E. Smith), Murder In The City, Black Mountain Rag, Lucky Stranger, Hand-Me-Down Tune, Talk On Indolence (w/ Chad Smith), Down With The Shine (w/ Chad Smith), True Sadness (w/ Chad Smith), No Hard Feelings (w/ Chad Smith)