Concert Review: Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires 8/9/13

When you think "concert" you think hundreds of fans huddled together around the stage screaming and yelling and trying to get as close to the band as possible. This was not really like that (until the encore) but still was one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. Due in part to the fact that it was in the small city of Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania and it was an intimate theatre setting, the crowd size was decent but after watching the show I can tell you the room should have been way more full. At first I was disappointed no one got out of their seats to crowd the stage but I realized that really didn't matter. It wasn't a happy sing-along show. It was more like a sit at the edge of your seat in awe because these people are incredible musicians kind of show.

Opening first was a local artist named Mike (MiZ) Mizwinski. He sang folk rock songs on acoustic guitar with no band. His songwriting wasn't groundbreaking but he is literally one of the greatest guitar players I have ever seen live. Look him up if you get a chance. Next was Jason's wife Amanda Shires. She came out and sang one of my favorite songs of hers, "Kudzu" completely acapella beautifully. Then with just a ukulele sang everything from her great murder ballad "I Kept Watch Like Doves" to songs like "When You Need A Train It Never Comes" and "Swimmer" off her 2011 album Carrying Lightening. Jason and his band The 400 Unit joined her for songs off her new record Down Fell The Doves which was released last week. The band backed her up while she sang and played fiddle. She always kept the audience engaged in her music and the stories she stopped to tell, which were always hilarious. Musically speaking, she is one of the most unique artists in Americana music. Her gothic like songwriting combined with her distinct raspy voice and her soft Texas accent and her crazy good fiddle playing equals some pretty incredible music.

I knew I had to see Jason Isbell live after I heard his new album Southeastern. Newly married and newly sober you could tell that he discovered the right path, not only in his music but in his own life as well. To be able to hear a singer/songwriter evolve after each album is pretty amazing, and that's exactly what happened. With Amanda back on fiddle throughout the whole show and the rest of the extremely talented band those songs come to life like I never could have imagined. He sang songs he wrote from when he was a member of the Drive-By Truckers like "Decoration Day," "Never Gonna Change," "Goddamn Lonely Love," and "Outfit." One of my favorite performances was of one of his most popular songs "Codeine." He switched to acoustic guitar and sang almost all of the songs off Southeastern. His personal love ballad "Cover Me Up" was also a standout of the night. One of the coolest things that happened would have to be the near dead silence in the audience when it was appropriate. Any big show there's always people that scream and cheer the whole time. Slow songs are often ruined by some drunk annoying person that has to be obnoxious during the whole show. That wasn't the case for this show, you could just tell the people that were there were there because they wanted to be fully immersed in the music surrounding them. Once he asked if we were having a good time and everyone cheered then he jokingly replied with "Well I can change that." With just an acoustic guitar and keyboard he performed one of the best songs he has ever written "Elephant." It went from just a silent crowd to a crowd that was completely still. I got chills, it was incredible. He closed the show with the 2012 Americana Awards Song of the Year winner "Alabama Pines." People finally got out of their seats and made lots of noise for the encore. He came back and ended the night with "Super 8" and a cover of The Rolling Stones "Can't You Hear Me Knocking." Now I've been to my fair share of concerts but there was just something about this show that stood higher than most others I've seen. This leg of the tour is almost over, but if he ever has a show date near you don't hesitate to go, and if you don't know him learn him now. Trust me.