LOUISVILLE, KY | It’d been six long years since a My Morning Jacket hometown show in Louisville, so the fellas pulled out all the stops for their arena-sized Halloween celebration at the KFC Yum Center. Following heartwarming opening local acts—Producing a Kind Generation and Louisville Leopards Percussionists—the costumed members of MMJ took the stage and rocked their faces off for three solid hours. Their set included heart-shaped paper confetti, a Halloween balloon drop, more confetti, and larger-than-life sized puppets courtesy of the Squallis Puppeteers.
Singer and guitarist Jim James was aptly dressed as a witch, a costume that perfectly suited him. Guitarist Carl Broemel jammed out as a skeleton; bassist Tom Blankenship’s Eddie Munson (from Stranger Things) mullet majestically flowed; and drummer Patrick Hallahan was an animated Beetlejuice. But it was keyboardist Bo Koster who got my vote for favorite costume—perhaps because it was the most surprising. Of all the fan speculation about what the band would dress as, did anyone guess that Bo would roll out as Mama from Mama’s Family?!
Speaking of speculation, there was much surrounding My Morning Jacket’s potential setlist. And while many hoped for rarities didn’t make the cut this time, the crowd did get the very seldom played “Friends Again,” as well as first time covers, “Spooky,” and Donovan’s “Season of the Witch.” At moments throughout the night, the collective joy in the Yum Center was truly palpable. I couldn’t have imagined a better Halloween or homecoming.
SETLIST
One Big Holiday
Holdin On to Black Metal
Evil Urges
Victory Dance (>)
Spooky (Classics IV cover) (1st time played)
Love Love Love
Friends Again (Last time played Oct 23rd, 2010)
Off the Record
Least Expected
Golden (Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin with Me outro)
Feel You
What a Wonderful Man
Circuital
Spring (Among the Living)
I Think I’m Going to Hell
Gideon
Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 1 (>)
Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2
Season of the Witch (Donovan cover) (1st time played)
Run Thru
Dancefloors
Lay Low
Mahgeetah
Wordless Chorus (w/ Squallis Puppeteers on stage)
