Jason Isbell – Lyric Opera House with Palehound
When Jason Isbell introduces himself and The 400 Unit at the top of his shows, he no longer says, “We’re from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, for the most part.”
That reality sunk in Tuesday night as Isbell and his band stopped at the Lyric Performing Arts Center in Baltimore on the second night of their latest tour behind Weathervanes, the 2023 album that won two Grammy Awards last month. But the changes in the band, which come amid a period of professional acclaim and personal upheaval for Isbell, have also provided a sense of grounding for the artist.
Isbell, who self-produced Weathervanes following a productive nine-year run with Dave Cobb, added Will Johnson — a prolific singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who fronted Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel— to The 400 Unit last summer to further beef up the band’s sound. Johnson’s work as a second drummer, additional guitar player and background vocalist has done just that.
Bass player Jimbo Hart, a beloved charter member of The 400 Unit who still lives in the Muscle Shoals area, took a leave of absence last summer and opted not to return to the band. Hart’s departure led to the hiring of Anna Butterss, known for her work with the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Bright Eyes, for the tour.
Like Johnson, Butterss has settled into a nice groove, seamlessly integrating into the now six-piece band that still includes longtime members Sadler Vaden, Chad Gamble and Derry Deborja. And on a night when Isbell’s voice was not in great shape — he had to cancel several dates last month and still seems to be fighting a cold — the band’s cohesiveness and joy in searching for new ways to enliven the songs was evident.
This was especially true on the tracks from Weathervanes, seven of which were among the 19 songs performed at the Lyric, a 2,500-seat venue in Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon neighborhood.
Palehound, an indie rock band from Boston touring behind 2023’s “Eye on the Bat,” opened with an energetic 40-minute set marred by a poor sound mix that fortunately was fixed by the time The 400 Unit hit the stage. The group, whose sound had echoes of groups like Concrete Blonde, showed Isbell’s approach to openers continues to reflect his personal and political values. As lead singer El Kempner pointed out, all four of the group’s members are queer or trans. https://www.palehound.com
Isbell opened with three of the best tracks from Weathervanes — “Save the World,” “King of California,” and “Strawberry Woman” — before digging more deeply into his catalog. He then started introducing members of the group between songs, shining the spotlight first on Deborja, a Baltimore native.
Deborja’s introduction came with a story, with Isbell telling of how he was high on acid when he found the keyboard player at a 120,000-person music festival and asked him to join the group 16 years ago. Isbell also talked of his pre-rehab trips to Baltimore when he would go to a dive bar to play pool and take cocaine. “I don’t even play pool anymore,” he said to a laugh from the sold-out audience.
Throughout the show, Isbell’s songs gave each member of The 400 Unit moments to shine. Sadler Vaden’s slide guitar work on “Speed Trap Town” and lead vocals on “Honeysuckle Blue” stood out, and Gamble’s outstanding drum work on “Hope the High Road” received a “That’s good, I liked it,” nod from Isbell. Butterss’ bass lines elevated “Overseas,” and they drew praise from Isbell as well.
“The truth is if I mess up you might not notice it. If Sadler messes up, you might not notice it. But if Anna messes up, you’ll know it,” Isbell said. “That’s why it’s hard to play the bass.”
Throughout the show, Isbell remained in a good mood even as he pulled away from the mic on notes that would further strain his voice. At one point, during “Alabama Pines,” the audience joined in on the chorus.
That song, a highlight from Isbell’s last pre-rehab album, led into a trio of cuts from “Southeastern,” which marked its 10th anniversary with the release of a box set last fall. “Elephant,” a duo between Isbell on guitar and Deborja on keys, retains its devastation a decade later, as evidenced by the audience members in front who stood up and held each other close. “Stockholm” and “Flying Over Water” led into a lovely “White Beretta” from “Weathervanes.”
The rest of the show combined songs from the new album with time-tested classics that Isbell performs at every (or almost every) show. In a shoutout to his Drive-by Truckers days, he played “Decoration Day,” followed by “Cast Iron Skillet” and “Death Wish,” then “24 Frames” and set closer “Cover Me Up.” The two-song encore featured “If We Were Vampires” and the finale, “This Ain’t It.”
If “Cover Me Up” and “If Were Vampires” — two very personal and devastatingly beautiful songs — brought down the audience in the wake of the tumultuous times Isbell has faced recently, “This Ain’t It” served as a perfect palate cleanser. And on a night when the lead singer struggled at times with his vocals, The 400 Unit was there to ensure the audience left with a smile. Keep track of Jason Isbell’s schedule on his website here: https://www.jasonisbell.com/home
Nice piece, Glenn. Interestingly, Dave Cobb also produced the new record by Brigitte Calls Me Baby….