My Morning Jacket is at Brooklyn Paramount for a three-night run this weekend. After playing Z in full for its 20th anniversary and debuting new original “The Devil’s Peanut Butter,” on Thursday, My Morning Jacket welcomed bassist Karina Rykman to debut a partial Metallica cover on Friday.

Rykman appeared toward the end of Friday’s main set, joining in for a live run through MMJ’s 24-minute studio epic, “Cobra”. The Louisville, KY, psych-pop band would split up the composition, as Patrick Hallahan‘s kick drum ushered in a jarring change of mood from the blissful first part of “Cobras”.

Avowed metal-head Rykman and MMJ bassist Tom Blankenship handled the intro of Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” on their buzzing dual basses. As guitarists Jim James and Carl Broemel headbanged in approval, Rykman took the Ride the Lightning track’s iconic main riff, which naturally dissolved into the heavier latter parts of “Cobra”. During a jubilant transition to “Dancefloors” that followed, Rykman casually dance-walked back to the wings as MMJ finished the set.

Though stylistically opposed, MMJ and Metallica previously crossed paths at Bonnaroo 2008 when Kirk Hammett sat in on “One Big Holiday” during a driving rainstorm. My Morning Jacket would later return the favor in 2021 by covering “Nothing Else Matters” for the Metallica Blacklist compilation.

“For Whom the Bell Tolls” wasn’t the only cover debuted on night two of the thusfar no-repeat trio of shows. Coming out of “Slow Slow Tune”, Jim James kept the mood soft with MMJ’s first-ever take on The Velvet Underground & Nico‘s “I’ll Be Your Mirror”. The band previously covered the Underground’s “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’”—debuting it at that same 2008 Bonnaroo show with Kirk Hammett—though the Loaded track hasn’t appeared at an MMJ show since 2015, per Setlist.fm.

Friday’s sit-in added to an already star-crossed weekend for Rykman, who on Thursday played DJ sets on a Brooklyn Bowl bill that included Guerilla Toss, GODCASTER, and Lottie Malkmus. But there was more, as Phish’s Trey Anastasio made a surprise appearance with Guerilla Toss, performing—among other things—”All Tomorrow’s Parties” by The Velvet Underground. Fifty-five years on from 1970’s Loaded, and that New York station is still pumping out fine, fine rock and roll.

Check out videos of Karina Rykman covering Metallica with My Morning Jacket and the band’s debut of “I’ll Be Your Mirror”. MMJ returns to the Brooklyn Paramount tonight, October 18th, to finish off the series. Find tickets here.

My Morning Jacket, Karina Rykman — “Cobra” > “For Whom The Bell Tolls” (Metallica) > “Cobra” — 10/17/25
[Video: mfc172]

My Morning Jacket — “I’ll Be Your Mirror” (The Velvet Underground & Nico) — 10/17/25
[Video: dillsnufus]

Setlist: My Morning Jacket | Brooklyn Paramount | New York, NY | 10/17/25

Set: At Dawn, Circuital, Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 1, It’s About Twilight Now, Golden, Least Expected, Lemme Know, First Light, River Road, Out in the Open, Outta My System, Remnants, Nashville to Kentucky, Slow Slow Tune, I’ll Be Your Mirror (The Velvet Underground & Nico) [1], I’m Amazed [2], Never in the Real World, Steam Engine, Cobra [3] > For Whom The Bell Tolls (Metallica) [4] > Cobra [5] > Dancefloors
Encore: State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.), The Way That He Sings, One Big Holiday

[1] FTP
[2] w/ “I’ll Be Your Mirror” outro
[3] w/ Karina Rykman. Part one only
[4] FTP. Partial. Instrumental only. w/ Karina Rykman
[5] w/ Karin Rykman. Parts two and three