I was not familiar with Adeem the Artist prior to catching a pair of their shows in support of Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit at the Ste Michelle Winery in mid-July. Adeem (who alternately goes by ‘Adeem Marie’) has been receiving a fair bit of recognition for their last couple of albums, and these shows made it abundantly clear why they’ve struck a chord with fans of country, rock, and Americana.
Live, Adeem Marie and band drew heavily from their two most recent releases, 2022’s White Trash Revelry and this year’s Anniversary. The pairing of Adeem with Isbell made perfect sense, as both artists are uniquely sensitive and accomplished songwriters, they each front bands made up of virtuosic players, and they both tap into a similar country vibe. Both Adeem and Isbell present bold and progressive ideas and concerns (at least within the context of the sometimes rather stodgy and conservative world of country music) neatly baked into songs that sound immediately familiar to anyone who’s been paying attention to recent C&W and Americana offerings. They also share the ability to hit the listener dead center in the heart with lyrics that seem at once effortless and profound.
Toward the end of their set on the second evening of the two-show run, Adeem sang a simple line that felt like a very humble self-assessment, but it’s a line that’s been rolling around in my mind in the days since these shows took place: “… a coward called courageous, by virtue of my trade.” I look forward to more music in the years to come from this talented and courageous coward.
