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Drive-By Truckers Welcome Booker T and Alabama Shakes

Drive-By Truckers closed 2011 with three shows at Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club. Each night of the run featured a different opening act: Lucero supported the band on December 29 while J Roddy Walston & The Business opened on December 30. The southern rock group’s December 31 performance not only featured an opening set by rising soul-rock band Alabama Shakes but also an extended sit in from Booker T. Jones.

Jones—who used the Truckers as his backing band on 2009’s Potato Hole album and supporting tour—emerged a few songs into Drive-By Truckers’ headlining set and remained onstage for the rest of their set. The legendary STAX keyboardist performed with the group on a range of material, including “Potato Hole,” “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” “Pretty Woman,” “Born Under a Bad Sign” and “Checkout Time in Vegas.” After the latter song, the group led a countdown to Midnight and, as the clock turned over, busted into Booker T & the MGs classic “Green Onions” as their first song in 2012. Alabama Shakes frontman Brittany Howard also emerged for a few songs during the set, including “Everybody Needs Love” and “Angels and Fuselage.”

Though Drive-By Truckers will tour less frequently in 2012, the group has a few gigs on the horizon, including their annual homecoming shows at Athens, GA’s 40 Watt from January 12-14. For more on the Truckers’ New Year’s show, please visit the blog section of Relix.com.

Here’s a look at the Truckers’ setlist

Something Heavy Intro
Lookout Mountain
Gravity’s Gone
Potato Hole (Booker T enters)
Everybody Needs Love (with Brittany Howard)
Ghost To Most
Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay
Oh Pretty Woman
Born Under A Bad Sign
Sinkhole
Check Out Time In Vegas
NYE Countdown
Green Onions
World Of Hurt
Women Without Whiskey
Hell No I Ain’t Happy
3DD
Ronnie And Neil
Where The Devil Don’t Stay
Putting People On The Moon
Marry Me
Time Is Tight

E:Space City
Let There Be Rock
Get Downtown
The Righteous Path
Zip City
Butholeville
Shut Up And Get On The Plane
Angels And Fueslage (with Brittany Howard)