It’s a disgrace you’ll be able to’t get away from all of the political polarization in america in the intervening time, and that it’s much more tough for some to separate the politically polarizing side of Jason Isbell’s social media presence from the landmark legacy he’s assembling in music. Why this man and his backing band The 400 Unit are opening reveals for the Turnpike Troubadours is past confounding when he performs one of the jaw-dropping progressive Southern rock reveals ever positioned on stage, besides whenever you issue within the parsing of his fan base as a consequence of that polarization.
However as he proved headlining the Telluride Bluegrass Pageant in lovely Colorado Thursday night time, anybody recusing themselves from Jason Isbell’s music—both in album type, however particularly within the reside enviornment—are doing a dramatic disservice to their life’s musical expertise and the success they might be receiving from it. And that evaluation comes from somebody who’s been dragged by Isbell on social media straight.
Jason Isbell’s set on the Telluride Bluegrass Pageant felt uncommonly impressed, which Telluride tends to do with the unimaginable views and expanse it afford to performers. Isbell first performed Telluride as a member of the Drive-By Truckers, and he instructed the story of being somewhat frightened a few Southern rock band taking the stage at a bluegrass pageant. What he discovered was one of the open-hearted audiences in music that so long as your music and intent is trustworthy, they embrace you with open arms.
Then Isbell launched right into a 400 Unit rendition of the Truckers music “Ornament Day” with maybe essentially the most epic solo ever carried out on the music, beginning on the slide, after which ending with fingers on frets. Isbell’s no Duane Allman, or Dickey Betts. However as somebody identified first for his or her songwriting, he’s a monster on his personal leads, or buying and selling licks with guitarist Sadler Vaden, making for a enviable 1 and 1A combo or any musical outfit. You add on high of that songs which have gone on to outline the head of writing over the past decade-plus, and you’ve got true apex musical expertise.
When you’ll be able to go away songs like “Cowl Me Up,” “Elephant,” and “Forged Iron Skillet” on the shelf and nonetheless have the viewers stroll away feeling totally fulfilled, you understand you’re a boss with a stacked catalog. Isbell did play fairly just a few alternatives from his 2025 acoustic solo album Foxes within the Snow full band fashion (see observe record beneath). This included a reasonably epic model of the brand new music “Trip To Robert’s” that mentions the legendary Robert’s Western World on Decrease Broadway in Nashville. Isbell and Sadler Vaden teamed up acrostic fashion, extending the music nicely previous the boundaries of the recorded model.
It is a widespread prevalence for an Isbell music rendered reside. You wouldn’t go so far as to name it a jam band. However usually Isbell permits songs to breathe, and a efficiency and the viewers reception to decide on when the conclusion comes. That’s what made “Ornament Day,” “Trip to Robert’s,” and the one music the place the recorded model does stretch its legs a bit—“This Ain’t It”—so epic on the legendary Telluride stage.
Isbell wasn’t going to cater his set to the bluegrass crowd. That’s not what’s anticipated in Telluride anyway. He remarked about having to observe up Gillian Welch and David Rawlings who performed proper earlier than him, “I gave up a very long time in the past making an attempt to observe up that.” However he did play a extra bluegrass-style model of his music “Bury Me,” which might be his most nation/bluegrass music in his catalog.
Because the world implodes outdoors, and regardless of any polarizing side to Isbell and his music, his practically 2-hour set at Telluride was music sublimity. It concluded with an unimaginable model of the Saving Nation Music 2023 Tune of the 12 months “King of Oklahoma.” And for a few alternative hours within the mountains of Colorado, all was proper on the earth, irrespective of how incorrect issues are in any other case.
All images by Kyle “Set off” Coroneos. For extra images/movies from Telluride and different reside occasions, observe Saving Nation Music on Instagram.
Setlist:
1. 24 Frames
2. Crimson and Clay
3. The Life You Selected
4. Stockholm
5. Trip To Robert’s
6. Reside Oak
7. Alabama Pines
8. Good Whereas It Lasted
9. Ornament Day
10. If We Have been Vampires
11. Dreamsickle
12. Kids of Kids
13. Eileen
14. Bury Me
15. This Ain’t It
16. True Believer
17. King of Oklahoma
