Farm Aid celebrated their 30th show on Saturday at FirstMerit Bank Pavilion in Chicago with their original lineup of the four main artists in the organization and a smattering of veteran and new musicians and bands, all for the benefit of the family farmer.
While there were numerous modern artists, the vast majority, other than Imagine Dragons, had a throwback sound whether it be country (Old Crow Medicine Show, Jamey Johnson, Kacey Musgraves) or a bit of Jimmy Buffett (Jack Johnson).
Word from the show was that Musgraves had one of the standout performances for the day with her retro-country sound and up-to-date lyrics. She finished with her cover of Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots Are Made For Walkin’.
While Mavis Staples did reach back to the music of the Staples Singers from the 60’s and 70’s, it was John Mellencamp that may have put on the most retro set. Concentrating on his heyday in the 80’s, John played many of his hits from the decade only twice reaching into this century for material.
The following are the set lists of most of the acts that played Farm Aid:
Old Crow Medicine Show
Shack #9 (from Eutaw, 2001)
Alabama High-Test (from Tennessee Pusher, 2008)
Take ’em Away (from Old Crow Medicine Show, 2004)
I Hear Them All (from Big Iron World, 2006) / This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie cover)
City of New Orleans (Steve Goodman cover)
Wagon Wheel (from O.C.M.S., 2004)
8 Dogs 8 Banjos (from Remedy, 2014)
Jamey Johnson
Write Your Own Songs (Willie Nelson cover)
In Color (from That Lonesome Song, 2008)
We Go Good in Bad Weather
That Lonesome Song (from That Lonesome Song, 2008)
Wild and Blue (John Anderson cover)
Can’t Cash My Checks (from The Guitar Song, 2010)
Kacey Musgraves
High Time (from Pageant Material, 2015)
Pageant Material (from Pageant Material, 2015)
This Town (from Pageant Material, 2015)
Dime Store Cowgirl (from Pageant Material, 2015)
Blowin’ Smoke (from Same Trailer Different Park, 2013)
Merry Go ‘Round (from Same Trailer Different Park, 2013)
Follow Your Arrow (from Same Trailer Different Park, 2013)
These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ (Nancy Sinatra cover)
Jack Johnson
Taylor (from On and On, 2003)
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing (from In Between Dreams, 2005)
If I Had Eyes (from Sleep Through the Static, 2008)
Bubble Toes (from Brushfire Fairytales, 2001) / Not Fade Away
Banana Pancakes (from In Between Dreams, 2005)
Wasting Time (from On and On, 2003)
Flake (from Brushfire Fairytales, 2001)
Willie Got Me Stoned and Stole All My Money (New)
Mavis Staples
If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me) (from the Staple Singers’ Be What You Are, 1973)
Slippery People (from the Staple Singers’ Turning Point, 1984)
Can You Get to That (from One True Vine, 2013)
You Are Not Alone (from You Are Not Alone, 2010)
Freedom Highway (from the Staple Singers’ Freedom Highway, 1965)
I’ll Take You There (from the Staple Singers’ Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, 1972)
Imagine Dragons
It’s Time (from Night Visions, 2012)
Shots (from Smoke + Mirrors, 2015)
I Won’t Back Down (Tom Petty cover)
I’m So Sorry (from Smoke + Mirrors, 2015)
Gold (from Smoke + Mirrors, 2015)
Demons (from Night Visions, 2012)
On Top of the World (from Night Visions, 2012)
Roots (single, 2015)
Radioactive (from Night Visions, 2012)
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
What Would You Say (from Under the Table & Dreaming, 1994)
Satellite (from Under the Table & Dreaming, 1994)
The Space Between (from Everyday, 2001)
So Damn Lucky (from Some Devil, 2003)
#41 (from Crash, 1996)
Corn Bread (from the European bonus CD for Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King, 2009)
Crush (from Before These Crowded Streets, 1998)
John Mellencamp
Lawless Times (from Plain Spoken, 2014)
Small Town (from Scarecrow, 1985)
Stones in My Passway (from Trouble No More, 2003)
Check It Out (from The Lonesome Jubilee, 1987)
Rain on the Scarecrow (from Scarecrow, 1985)
Paper in Fire (from The Lonesome Jubilee, 1987)
Crumblin’ Down (from Uh-Huh, 1983)
Authority Song (from Uh-Huh, 1983)
Pink Houses (from Uh-Huh, 1983)
Neil Young & Promise of the Real
Workin’ Man (from The Monsanto Years, 2015)
A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop (from The Monsanto Years, 2015)
Big Box (from The Monsanto Years, 2015)
Alabama (from Harvest, 1972)
Western Hero (from Sleeps With Angels, 1994)
I Won’t Quit (new)
Love and Only Love (from Ragged Glory, 1990)
Willie Nelson
Whiskey River (from Honeysuckle Rose, 1980)
Still Is Still Moving to Me (from Across the Borderline, 1993)
Beer for My Horses (from Toby Keith’s Unleashed, 2002)
Good Hearted Woman (from Wanted! The Outlaws, 1975)
Funny How Time Slips Away (from And Then I Wrote, 1962)
Crazy (from And Then I Wrote, 1962)
Night Life (demo, 1960)
Texas Flood (Lukas Nelson on vocals) (from Milk Cow Blues, 2000)
Will You Remember Mine (from To All the Girls…, 2013)
Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (from The Troublemaker, 1976)
It’s All Going to Pot (from Django & Jimmie, 2015)
Family Bible (from Family Bible, 1960)
Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die (from Heroes, 2012)
I Saw the Light (from One For the Road, 1979)
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