On April 26, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit stopped at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida, for a night of heartfelt Americana. The veteran singer-songwriter was backed by his five-piece band, made up of guitarist Sadler Vaden, bassist Anna Butterss, drummer Chad Gable, Derry deBorja on keys, and Will Johnson on percussion and guitar. Without an opening act, the band played for more than two hours for the seated theater crowd.
From the opening notes of “24 Frames,” the sound was pristine. Every note was clear and every word easy to discern. Throughout the night, Isbell and the band played their unique brand of Americana, with songs ranging from twangy acoustic folk to uptempo rock. The set included Isbell’s solo material, his songs with the 400 Unit, and even a few of his Drive-By Truckers songs. Isbell switched between rhythm and lead guitar, showing an impressive six-string range as he and Vaden tore through dueling solos.
Though the band had impressive technical chops, the show emphasized Isbell’s singing and songwriting. The majority of the set was soft and slow, giving space to listen to Isbell’s poetic lyrics and appreciate his booming, soulful voice.
Songs like the protest anthem “Volunteer” and the parenthood ballad “Children of Children” packed an emotional punch. The crowd sometimes sang along, but mostly sat and listened to the master storyteller. With Isbell, pen and paper are as important to his art as the guitar licks, and the show highlighted his songwriting, from the vivid lyrics to the intricate, hook-laden melodies.
Though Isbell mostly let the songs speak for themselves, he did take time to explain a few of them. Before playing the mournful “Dress Blues,” Isbell explained, “I wrote this song twenty years ago about a friend I went to high school with who passed away when he was deployed overseas.”
Isbell sang with a soulful twang, mixing some world-weary blues into the Alanama drawl. His voice was soft and vulnerable at times, loud and booming at others, but always thick with emotion.
“I think I love all of you,” Isbell told the crowd. “By now, I’m sure I’ve run off anyone I wouldn’t like.”
The band’s performance of “Decoration Day” was a highlight. The song started soft and slow while slowly building to powerful choruses, and climaxing with a series of guitar solos — first Isbell’s slide solo, followed by a distortion-heavy bluesy solo, and finally handed off to Vaden for hard rock shredding.
Songs like “Live Oak” and “If We Were Vampires” were stripped down to focus on Isbell crooning over his acoustic guitar. But while the first half of the show was mostly slow and soft, the second half had a rockier edge. The riff-rocker “Gravelweed,” country rock of “King of Oklahoma,” and the southern groove rock of “Miles” added some welcome intensity.
After a fiery rendition of “Cover Me Up,” the band took a break and returned for a three-song encore that gradually ratcheted up the intensity. First was the acoustic ballad “Maybe It’s Time,” another showcase of Isbell’s beautiful melodies.
When a fan held up a sign requesting a song, Isbell let him know it wasn’t going to happen. “Sorry, I can’t see what that says. I’m 47 years old. How about I just stick to this list?” he joked. The band then played a grandiose cover of the Drive-By Truckers’ “Danko/Manuel,” with slow, brooding verses that built to powerful rock choruses. To close things out, Isbell and company tore through the southern rocker “This Ain’t It,” culminating in a series of back-and-forth guitar solos by Isbell and Vaden.
Throughout the 22-song set, Isbell showed off his guitar chops and strong vocals, but the greatest emphasis was placed on his greatest talents. Each song featured beautiful musical and vocal melodies and lyrics that painted vivid pictures about love, loss, and everything in between. Isbell, the master storyteller, spent a night sharing some of his best stories.
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