On a picturesque summer evening by the lake, Dillon Amphitheater was packed with fans eagerly awaiting a sold-out performance by the renowned singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and his band, the 400 Unit. With Deer Tick as the opening act, the stage was set for an unforgettable night of music.
On the evening of May 3rd 2023, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado played host to a breathtaking performance by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. The band is on tour to support the upcoming release of their new album Weathervanes, and they opened the show with a fiery take on “24 Frames” that set the tone for the evening. The crowd was immediately captivated by Isbell’s raw energy and the band’s tight instrumentation, which proved to be a constant throughout the night.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit have become an institution at the greatest venue on earth, even requiring two nights this year at Red Rocks to satisfy the ticket demand. This year’s Wednesday night show was a spectacle from start to finish with hail that blended into rain before yielding to a double rainbow and finally perfect weather during the show. It was meant to be!
The Ride Festival presented a very Rock and Roll heavy line-up this year in Telluride Town Park. Anchored by two nights of Widespread Panic, the festival also offered up sets from Jason Isbell, Big Something, Thunderpussy, Rose Hill Drive and more all while the sun shined down on the picturesque town for most of the weekend.
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit rolled into Red Rocks for what was to be a great Labor Day celebration. The tour is supported by Isbell’s wife, Amanda Shires, and Aimee Mann, who both made note worthy marks on the night. Despite the crowd looking like they had had an exhausting holiday weekend, they were full of energy and extremely responsive; often times the only thing you could hear during the performance was the sound of people singing along like a chorus in church.
The rocks filled in quickly last Thursday with a wide variety of fans; there were Country leaning cowboy types, hipsters, buttoned up 9 to 5ers, and more than a small contingent of Punk fans waiting on the second opener Frank Turner to soothe their souls. All in all it was about the perfect night in Morrison and the diverse line-up pleased the masses.
Over the last several years Jason Isbell has been a busy man, touring regularly and releasing a pair of albums. Despite the departure of his lead guitarist Browan Lollar, all that writing effort and saddle time was evident last Tuesday when the band came out as a tight cohesive unit from the first lick and didn’t back off until they finished the show that featured a nice mix of his new material and tunes he wrote with the the Drive-By Truckers. Simply put, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are the real deal.
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit took a crowd of Southern Boys and Hipsters on a real roller-coaster ride of pretty epic proportions as they thrilled us with amazing, high energy rock and lulled us gently with tender country flavored ballads that tugged at heart strings. The setlist cherry picked many of the gifted songwriters best tunes and reached all the way back to some of the first ones he wrote during his days with The Drive-By Truckers.
The last few times Isbell has come through town he’s stopped at The Bluebird, so the intimacy of The Larimer will be a welcome change for fans. The gritty feel of room pairs well with Isbell’s country tinged barroom rock. It’s sure to a packed house so even if his music isn’t necessarily your thing, it’s sure to be a good time at a great little club.