First off, Mark drove, and did an awesome job parallel parking in North Philly. For free. (We evaded the parking captain a block east of The Met.) It ain’t easy.
Mark is an avowed “Isbell skeptic” who has made much fun of me over the years for my avowed devotion to JI. I was wondering if he accepted my invitation just to let me have it later. I am not sure he won’t.
And to feed that take, it was a good, not great, show.
Jason played without an opener, so we got going at 8:15 and finished up by 10:30.
The show included some real killer songs — “Streetlights,” “Relatively Easy,” “Chaos and Clothes,” a killer cover of the Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’” … but it also had a certain distance. Jason told the story he always does in Philly, that a hungover version of himself helped with the Mummers Parade early in the millennium, but he wasn’t especially chatty beyond that (he did mention that he is now 13 or 14 years sober, which is starting to challenge his sobriety from birth for longest stint ever). His introductions of the band members were spare. It was the day before guitarist Sadler Vaden’s birthday and it didn’t elicit a mention. They didn’t interact a whole lot lot on stage till the very end. It was a little chilly on stage. We’ll see if I’m just making that up.
That said, it was a mostly awesome setlist. His January sets on his new tour were amazing. This was not quite THAT good — no “Crimson and Clay,” for instance. And he started with “Miles,” which I usually love as a closer but was mis-placed at the top of the show.Here’s the list, according to Setlist, and my rankings.
Miles – 7 – Great song, weird to start with it.
24 Frames – 8 – A staple, always welcome.
It Gets Easier – 6 – A sobriety song. Not a great concert song, but a value statement.
Maybe It’s Time – 7 – A surprise, from the most recent “A Star Is Born” movie, sung by Brad Cooper, hence it’s Philly connection.
Traveling Alone – 9 – Great song, always.
Super 8 – 7 – Again, early for this too. Almost felt dyslexic to lead with the closers.
Vestavia Hills – 4 – Not a concert song. Ditch it, Jason.
Live Oak – 10 – Great to hear it, a white whale kind of song. So much story in one song.
Alabama Pines – 9 – Classic concert fare.
Relatively Easy – 9 – Yes! My all-time fave. I’d seen he had been doing it. Seems like maybe it cost us “Crimson and Clay”.
Flying Over Water – 8 – More Southeastern vibes. A concert staple.
Danko/Manuel – 9 – Happy to hear it.
Eileen – 4 – Not a concert song. Maybe “this” was where “C&C” shoulda been.
Chaos and Clothes – 9 – Another “C&C” — and a surprise. Not a great concert song, but a charmer, and I do love it.
Streetlights – 9 – Knew it’s been a regular part of the lineup. So glad to hear the line “Think I blocked just a park away …” Knowing it might come lessened its wow factor.
Decoration Day – 9 – Classic DBT, keep it coming.
True Believer – 8 – Having heard it live both ways, I actually like this better without the band. It hits harder. Still powerful.
Bury Me – 9 – Sadler on his mandolin is always a blessing.
If We Were Vampires – 7 – It’s a great song, and I’m over it.
King of Oklahoma – 9 – Loved it. The gang finally got all worked up on the gee-tars!
Cover Me Up – 8 – As he says in Eileen, its meaning has changed. I’m OK skipping it.
Encore:
Ride to Robert’s – 8 – Enjoyed JI and Sadler geeking out on their guitars.
Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ – 9 – It’s a super cover, and I know they love doing it, but I didn’t like closing with it. I spent the first half of it wondering what they would follow it up with to close. I was hoping for “Never Gonna Change.”
Overall grade: 8. Really strong. But the shows I saw in Red Bank, NJ, and at Shoalsfest in 2025 were both stronger — among the best I’d ever seen from the guy. Shoalsfest 2024 and Beacon Theater in 2019, I think, are the others in my pantheon. Maybe the first, at Union Transfer, in 2014, too, but I had nothing to compare to then.
That’s it. I had talked Virginia into going to Red Rocks this May to see JI&400U with Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, but that conflicts with my granddaughter’s first communion, so that plan is in jeopardy/on hold. Might see the band this summer with Patty Griffin (whom I adore) as the opener. We’ll see. For now, happy I could catch the show and curious if I can move Mark from “Isbell skeptic” to “Isbell curious.” He did say he’d be willing to see him again. We’ll see.
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