Pemberton Day 2: My Morning Jacket Call to the Mountain Spirits
Maybe it’s the Kentucky in them, but My Morning Jacket slipped into the opening slot on day two of Pemberton’s mainstage like they’d been hanging out among the mountains and trees for days waiting to begin. It was under a slight sprinkling of summer rain that Jim James emerged, complete with blanket poncho and a sprig of juniper, which the bearded singer held aloft shamanistically through much of the band’s set. Leaning heavily on Z tracks (“Off the Record,” “Gideon,” “Anytime”), MMJ’s noodling jams and James’ soaring vocals were the perfect remedy to a night spent in the cold, dusty outdoors. Newcomers like Evil Urges‘ “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Part 2” were welcome additions. “I’d like to dedicate this song to all the bull moose, grizzly bear and black bear that are roaming in this hemisphere,” James said, and My Morning Jacket played “Golden” for the animals.
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