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Archive for November, 2008

An Evening With Jason Isbell

Jason Isbell is a singer/songwriter from Muscle Shoals Alabama who is best known for his 3 album stint with the Drive-by Truckers (he left the band last year). I’ve seen him live before 3 or 4 times with the Truckers and I caught his phenomenal acoustic show last week (with Browan Lollar on guitar and vocals) at the Mint in Los Angeles presented by an Aquarium Drunkard.

Isbell’s music is both easy and difficult to categorize. Easy: He’s an alt-country singer songwriter from Alabama. Hard: He’s a little bit of Townes Van Zandt (imagery), Bruce Springsteen (symbolism), the Band esp Danko (brawling musicianship), Willie Nelson, Tom Petty (hooks), Dylan (songwriting). With the release of Sirens of the Ditch he’s got a shows worth of great songs to perform, going back to his early Truckers’ songs (Outfit, Goddamn Lonely Love) and before (TVA). He’s also not afraid to do a cover – Dylans The Man in Me was a real highlight last night. He made mention that there “probably aren’t too many cover bands in Los Angeles”, like he was the only one in on the joke.

Another highlight of the evening was the young Marine from Jason’s hometown of Greenhill, Alabama who had driven up from the proving grounds at 29 Palms to see the show. Juxtaposed against Isbell’s poignant intro to Dress Blues where he talked about the empty space a dead soldier could leave in a small southern (anywhere?) town that inspired the song, the young soldier’s presence was moving.

It was a great performance that left me really looking forward to his 2nd solo album which is due out in early ‘09. He mentioned last night that the album is in the can and seemed really happy with it.

If by some Google’s chance in hell the guy taping last night’s show stumbles across this post – hit me up I’d love a copy. Also MickO leave a comment when you get your film developed and up on Flickr.

Jason Isbell – Dress Blues

Drive-by Truckers – Outfit

Drive-by Truckers – Goddamn Lonely Love

Sirens of the Ditch on Amazon

Posted: November 16th, 2008 under digital music, live music, moblog, mp3blog.
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8 Runs in 7 Outs and Obama

Two of the most remarkable and memorable nights of my life have taken place in the last month. These weren’t transcendent church-like experiences like the one Hendrik Hertzberg so elegantly blogged, but they were charged by a rare and too-often-missing connectedness with my neighbors. They took place in sports bars, of all places.

Three weeks ago I went to Sonny Mclain’s to watch game 5 of the ALCS – the game started at a weird 5 PM and the venue was impromptu so I was solo. I am a rabid Red Sox fan though I almost always watch them at home, but at about 3 in the afternoon I decided I wanted to watch the game with other people. In a packed and die-hard bar we saw a depressing end to-the-season season funeral transformed during the course of 7 outs into an embrace-a-stranger-in-a-hug euphoria. During a massive economic tremor. An uncommonly emotional night about family and place came from out of nowhere. But that was nothing compared to the election today.

My friends who read this blog know I’ve been sweating this election for a long time. And so have they, its probably why we’re friends. Voting involved a line and some intense neighborly banter. Everyone in the office voted. Jen (who phone banked over the weekend) and I met our great friends Mark and Tania at Busby’s – which is totally nondescript sports bar in Santa Monica that is always packed – to witness the election tonight. And people were cheering like crazy and let’s just say it got really dusty in there during the acceptance speech. (Best speech I have EVER heard). There is so much patriotism in the air tonight (media!!) and it feels so empowering because its in abrupt contrast with a false and ultimately harmful impostor. And he’s black?!? On election night Obama feels like a gift to the nation.