Concert in your area for Folk & Blues, Rock, Country, and Indie & Alt.
Growing up in rural Alabama, US, Isbell was surrounded by music from a young age as his large extended family were often playing instruments and making music together, honing his talents at high school and university through playing in various country cover bands. He joined Drive-By-Truckers at the age of 21, remaining with the band for six years, helping to write a number of their songs that went on to critical and commercial success.
By 2007, Isbell had left the group in order to forge a solo career, releasing his debut album, “Sirens of the Ditch,” a bluesy, punk tinged record that was very much rooted in the sound of the South. He then formed his backing band, the 400 Unit and began touring extensively, before returning to the studio in 2008. In the following year, his sophomore effort, “Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit” was released, which took another musical direction, favouring tender country ballads in the same vein as Muscle Schoals.
Isabel toured relentlessly for two years, playing an average of 200 shows annually. In 2010, he took a break from being on the road, returning home to Alabama, an area that had been hit hard by the economic recession. Whilst here, he began to write a new collection of songs that focused on the character so of the area, with simple honest songs that reflected the rural country and lifestyle. “Here We Rest” came out in 2011, an album that was warmly received by critics. A year later, Isbell followed “Here We Rest” with a live album, “Live From Alabama, which was recorded at the Workday Theater in Birmingham, US and at the Crossroads venue in Huntsville, Alabama, US. Isabel then returned to the studio for 2013’s “Southeastern,” an album that held a theme of redemption and sombre atonement, reflective of Isbell’s newfound sobriety. The album received massive critical acclaim, with Isbell sweeping up several awards at the 2014 Americana Music Awards, for ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Artist of the Year’ and ’Song of the Year.’
I love Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. I have been a long time Drive by Truckers fan too and first saw Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco in 2011. This show that day was fantastic. I was floored that Jason was the "undercard" to the Hard Working Americans but great, we got to hear him that much sooner. He played a great mix of songs from his Southeastern album and blended in Goddamned Lonely Love and Decoration Day. All very good. My one complaint was the way the sound was mixed. It was way too loud and we were in the balcony and his vocals were so loud that they were distorting. I know his songs very well but can't imagine how a new listener could have understood his fantastic lyrics. His stories are too good to be obscured by lousy mixing. Sorry. Jason is back in Colorado on September 20th at Beaver Creek. I'll be there am truly hoping this gets fixed.