Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Powerstation March 27, 2018

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In 2014 Jason Isbell and his band put on one of the finest shows I’ve seen when they sold out The Tuning Fork. Four years later and Isbell and his 400 Unit returned, this time to The Powerstation, to prove that their previous show was no fluke.

The show had been moved from the Auckland Town Hall to The Powerstation, and I, for one, am glad that it was. The 400 Unit ios a formidable rock and roll band, and their sound suits the rock and roll vibe of The Powerstation perfectly.

Up first was Nadia Reid, who is just about to head South to begin writing her next album. Unfortunately previous commitments kept me from catching her set, but I have it on good authority (thanks Michael) that she and her band were excellent.

Isbell and his band ambled on stage shortly after 9:30. This is the same group that toured with him in 2014…guitarist Sadler Vaden, bass player Jimbo Hart, keyboard & accordion player Derry deBorja and drummer Chad Gamble. The only person missing was Isbell’s wife and fiddle player Amanda Shires, who was, no doubt, home taking care of their daughter.

While Shire was absent, her presence was felt in songs such as Stockholm and Cover Me Up, tunes inspired by Shires’ and Isbell’s relationship.

After greeting the crowd with a hearty, “Howdy folks” and informing those who may not know that “we’re from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, for the most part”, Isbell got things started with Hope In The High Road, from their latest album, The Nashville Sound.

When Isbell isn’t writing about his love live, he is observing, considering and commenting on life in rural Southern America. Songs such as Hope The High Road,  White Man’s World and Cumberland Gap address the trials and tribulations of the working class, blue collar American who is dealing with a world that is changing into something he or she barely recognizes.

While many folks react to this change by digging in their heels and longing for the “good ol’ days”, Isbell is more thoughtful and more open minded.

Songs such as 24 Frames and Last Of My Kind almost make me proud to be an American…and that’s a tough call in these times.

Musically, without Shire’s fiddle and backing vocals and feminine presence, the band takes on a harder rocking edge.

Isbell’s rousing guitar solo on the opening song let us know right away that this was going to be a rocking good show. The guitar lines during 24 Frames reminded me of The Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell, and indeed, I felt that Isbell and his crew had taken up where Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers left off.

There were moments of sadness, loneliness and intimacy as well, particularly with the heart-breaking Traveling Along and the evening’s final song, If We Were Vampires, which addresses mortality and love.

But the overall feeling I left with was one of uplifting hope, not only because of the content of Isbell’s songs, but from the sheer joy of hearing the duelling guitars during Never Gonna Change’ the perky accordion during Codeine and the drawn-out coda of Last Of My Kind.

Four years ago The 13th Floor named Jason Isbell’s Tuning Fork show as the best of the year. He’s definitely in contention for 2018.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Michael Flynn:

Jason Isbell set list:

  1. Hope The High Road
  2. 24 Frames
  3. White Man’s World
  4. Something More Than Free
  5. Decoration Day
  6. Traveling Alone
  7. Chaos And Clothes
  8. Codeine
  9. Molotov
  10. Cumberland Gap
  11. Tupelo
  12. Last Of My Kind
  13. Stockholm
  14. Flying Over Water
  15. Cover Me Up
  16. Super 8
  17. Never Gonna Change
  18. If We Were Vampires
Marty Duda
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