In August, Isbell & The 400 Unit — with Michigan native Dominic John Davis on bass — electrified fans at Meijer Gardens. Our coverage was the year’s 14th most popular post. Revisit the review, photos, set list.
‘Flying Over Water’: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit unfurled 20 songs on Sunday night. (Photo/Joshua Tufts)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Our countdown of the Top 20 stories of 2023 continues today with a look back at a fan-pleasing Grand Rapids tour stop by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit. By the way, the band — with special guest Courtney Marie Andrews — returns to West Michigan on June 22, 2024, playing Kalamazoo State Theatre. Get details, tickets here.
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Jason Isbell battled the rain on Sunday night with an arsenal of guitars at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
“I know it’s not the easiest night to go outside, but we’ll try to warm you up,” Isbell said before launching into a career-spanning set with his veteran band, The 400 Unit.
After an opening set by singer-sonwgriter S.G. Goodman, the evening leaned heavily on cuts from the songwriter and band’s most recent record, “Weathervanes,” released in June. Opening with the rock anthem, “When We Were Close,” Isbell and his band surged with heated electric guitars and dialing drummers.
Michigan’s own Dominic John Davis filled in on bass, fitting the collective with ease and rounding out the low end note for note.
“I’m so happy to get the call to fill in for Jason Isbell. This is most special because I’m a fan both of Jason and (bassist) Jimbo Hart,” Davis wrote in a social media post.
Heating Things Up on a Rainy Night: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit. (Photo/Joshua Tufts)
The set carried on with “Save the World,” a somber tale of modern tragedy before mellowing out with “Strawberry Woman,” a heartwarming acoustic balled featuring Derry deBorja on accordion.
Isbell rotated through a cast of prized guitars on nearly every song and commanded the stage with the kind of effortless cool reserved for guitar slingers and old Western movie stars.
Displaying his fretboard wizardry, Isbell blazed through soaring guitar solos with expressive excellence and golden tone.
A rollicking moment arrived when the band fired up “Super 8,” a fan favorite recounting the story of a wild night of mishaps along the American interstate.
The evening concluded with the autobiographical “Cover Me Up,” a stirring moment that swelled with emotion and uplifting crescendo.
Returning for a three-song encore, “24 Frames” showcased more of the band’s bottled-up rock ‘n’ roll energy, while “If We Were Vampires” grappled with themes of mortality in an acoustic fashion.
Throwing one final guitar over his shoulder, Isbell let the opening chords of “This Ain’t It” ring out over the sold-out amphitheater before his band kicked in to lead the crowd in a final flurry of guitar glory.
PHOTO GALLERY: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, S.G. Goodman at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Joshua Tufts
SET LIST: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit at Meijer Gardens
Setlist.fm
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