Sofia Isella headlined at the Showbox in Seattle near the end of her current You’ll Understand More, Dick tour. The intimate performance was just Sofia and the engaged audience – no backing band – while she supplemented her prerecorded songs with guitar, violin, bass, and piano. The connection with the crowd was further underscored as she walked among them while singing “All of Human Knowledge Made Us Dumb“ and later crowd surfed during “Sex Concept”. Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Ayleen Valentine opened.
I don’t believe I’ve ever quoted Sir Bob Geldof before and I’ll likely not do so again but the aging rockstar/activist got it right years ago when he said “Rock music in the seventies was changed by three bands: the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and the Saints.” It’s entirely possible that some fans out there might find the inclusion of Brisbane, Australia’s Saints as an occasion to cock an eyebrow or make haste to cite their favorite early punk combo as an alternative (Clash, the Damned, Buzzcocks, whohaveyou) but a quick look at the numbers and a passing familiarity with punk rock history argue otherwise. The original version of the Saints formed (as ‘Kid Galahad & the Eternals) in 1973, changed their handle to ‘The Saints’ in ’74, and recorded their first two tracks (including the classic ‘(I’m) Stranded’) in 1976. While the Pistols and the Ramones became more widely known over time (especially in the US), the Saints were there first and their impact on music (and perhaps more importantly) and their impact on MUSICIANS, is undeniable. The first proper incarnation of the band produced three LP’s: 1977’s (I’m) Stranded, followed shortly by the equally excellent Eternally Yours and the criminally underrated Prehistoric Sounds. Singer Chris Bailey parted ways with his bandmates in 1978, effectively bringing the era of Saints V.1. to a close. Bailey subsequently passed away in 2022. The version of the Saints touring now under the moniker ‘The Saints ’73 – ’78’ celebrates the music from these first 3 albums and includes original members Ed Kuepper on guitar and Ivor Hay on drums. Keupper and Hay are joined by multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, the Birthday Party), bass player Peter Oxley (Sunnyboys), vocalist Mark Arm (Mudhoney, the Monkeywrench), and a three-piece horn section.
The passage of time was evident as the Saints took the stage at the Neptune (in all fairness, their heyday WAS 50 years ago!) but the decades melted away as the launched into their opening tune. Keupper’s churning, propulsive rhythm guitar (every bit as essential to the Saints’ early acclaim as Chris Bailey’s vocals) has lost none of its razor edge and Hay’s solid drumming pushes the band along at a brisk clip. Mick Harvey’s tasteful leads added a nice bite and Mark Arm’s vocals were just what the punk rock doctor ordered. Arm has wisely chosen to avoid anything approaching a Chris Bailey imitation, singing instead in a manner not at all unlike what he does in Mudhoney. The sum total of these parts manages to pay tribute to the early days of the Saints without devolving into a rote recitation or straight up copy. The pacing of the set Sunday was spot on, with the band picking up momentum all along the way, peaking with a final, set closing one two punch of ‘I’m Stranded’ and ‘Know Your Product’. The band was enthusiastically called back for a three-song encore, ending with a truly epic version of ‘Nights in Venice.’
Lukas Nelson brought his current tour in support of his new release, American Romance, to Seattle’s Moore Theater Monday evening. The album and tour are Nelson’s first outing in some time without his established band, Promise of the Real.
Nelson (son of beloved country music icon Willie Nelson) is a true triple threat with exceptionally strong vocals, fleet fingered acoustic and electric guitar picking, and songwriting skills that acknowledge C&W traditions (and his iconic father) while incorporating contemporary themes and a healthy dose of rock and roll. Many years of recording and playing with Promise of the Real, both as his own vehicle and as Neil Young’s touring band, have honed Nelson’s chops to a fine edge. He is as at home belting out a last call barroom weeper as he is laying down stinging blues licks on his guitar. Nelson’s 5 piece backing band Monday evening was every bit his equal with each musician getting their moment in the spotlight.
Monday’s show drew heavily from Nelson’s most recent release with a healthy sprinkling of Promise of the Real favorites and a couple of well-chosen curve balls. He delighted the crowd with a heartfelt version of Pearl Jam’s ‘Breathe’ (a song that he helped cover on one of his father’s albums) and a spirited nod to Willie himself on ‘Bloody Mary Morning’. Additionally, Olivia Vedder joined Nelson for a duet during his encores.
Nashville based singer/songwriter Brooke Lee opened the show with a breezy set of pleasant originals. She dedicated a song to her recently deceased grandfather, informing the audience that her mother and grandmother were in attendance at the show.
I do the bulk of my concert going and music photography in and around Seattle but had the opportunity to attend Jason Isbell’s ‘Shoalsfest’ in Florence, Alabama in mid October. This year’s festival included performances by Jackson Browne, Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman, Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham, Garrison Starr, Patterson Hood, Chris Tompkins, and Isbell, both solo and with his band, the 400 Unit.
Shoalsfest is held in McFarland Park on the shores of the Tennessee River and this year’s event took place under blue skies and in ideal fall weather. Saturday’s show began with a lively set from Mississippi resident Garrison Starr. Starr and her band were well received by the large and appreciative audience. I was previously unfamiliar with her work but enjoyed her performance. Her music would fit in perfectly on a mixtape (does anyone still make mixtapes?) featuring acts such as Melissa Etheridge, the Indigo Girls, and Sheryl Crow.
Starr was followed by local legends Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham. Penn and Oldham were instrumental in the writing and production of R&B staples such as ‘The Dark End of the Street,’ ‘Sweet Inspiration,’ ‘I’m Your Puppet,’ ‘You Left the Water Running,’ ‘Do Right Woman’ and more. Both of these R&B elder statesmen are now in their 80’s and move at a more deliberate and considered pace than they did in their ’60s heyday but their ability to deliver this iconic material remains undiminished. Their set was pure pleasure and an absolute thrill to anyone with an appreciation for the history of American pop music.
Jason Isbell, Patterson Hood (Drive By Truckers), and songwriter Chris Tompkins took the stage next for a round robin selection of tunes delivered on acoustic guitars. Highlights included Hood and Isball dueting on several Drive By Truckers songs and a lovely set closing cover of Neil Young’s ‘Unknown Legend’.
Jackson Browne and his outstanding band closed out the first evening of the festival with a satisfying set mined from all era’s of the popular singer/songwriter’s career. Day one of Shoalsfest ended with Isbell joining Browne on an extended pairing of ‘Take It Easy’ and ‘Our Lady of the Well.’ It would be hard to imagine a more diverse, expansive, and enjoyable day of music.
The second day of the festival began with the guitar centric sounds of MJ Lenderman & the Wind. It was impossible to not think of Neil Young & Crazy Horse while listening to Lenderman. The raucous and messy (in a good way) interplay of the guitars, the oddly specific yet somehow oblique poetry of the songwriting, and, perhaps most of all, Lenderman’s vocals all bring to mind ‘Tonight’s the Night,’ ‘Zuma’ and other peak Young efforts. Lenderman and his band played a healthy portion of his excellent 2024 release Manning Fireworks and were joined by Katie Crutchfield for a wonderful version of ‘She’s Leaving You.’
Waxahatchee (i.e. Katie Crutchfiled and her top-notch touring band) took the stage for the festival’s penultimate performance to much applause and anticipation from the capacity crowd. I enjoyed Katie’s most recent release, 2024’s Tiger’s Blood but it took seeing her live for me to really appreciate her craft and capabilities. Her songwriting, inviting voice, and her assured stage presence were all on clear display during her winning performance. She was joined in return by MJ Lenderman, who added his guitar and vocals to 4 songs.
Jason Isbell & 400 Unit then delivered the festival’s closing performance. Isbell grew up in and around the Muscle Shoals area and was received by the adoring audience as something of a hometown hero. He made reference to his well chronicled ‘complex past’ by joking that, as he’s now received the key to the city in Florence, were he to get taken to jail later in the evening he could just let himself back out again. I’ve had the good fortune to have seen Isbell perform 8 times previously and his set at Shoalsfest may have been the best of the bunch. The song selection was inspired, the band was razor sharp, and Isbell clearly relished the opportunity to play for friends and family in the audience, addressing crowd members by name and smiling throughout the thrilling and generous set.
