DBT's Live Shows with and without Jason

[mhc]

It is two different bands.
Jason just Sso smooth with them and it was more Rock and Roll.
Neff is good too, more country influence, especially on pedal steel.

[rockreid]

It's apples and oranges. Both are great. I saw upwards of 40 shows w/ Jason and have only seen I think 5 with Neff. Granted, they did play the best show I've ever seen any band play with Jason in January '04 at Alley Katz, but I still prefer the line-up now.

Previous posts have nailed it on the head. With Jason they always seemed to go to the edge of chaos and it was indescribable. It seemed like they fed off of getting right to the edge and looking over it, but they never fell. However, their sound as a whole is much better now.

[Gator McKlusky]

I'm not sure I'd use the term "better," but I enjoyed the Isbell lineup more.

This



I saw DBT 6 times with Jason-3 of them rank just about my top 3 concerts of all time, 2 were good to great and one was kind of lousy. (FL/GA bash in JAX in Nov. 2005)

[Flea]

Fuck if I know anything about the live feel with Isbell, never saw the band perform with him other than on the live DVD they released from TDS tour. But I can tell you this - I've been on board since SRO, never saw a Rock Show until last year. I've seen Springsteen at least a dozen times, twice from the front of arena gigs (once acoustic, once E St). The 3 DBT shows I saw last year are, in my humble onion, equal to E St at the top of their game. If they were better with Isbell a member - then y'all fornicators who saw those performances are damn privileged.

[Smitty]

my fav show I've seen was with Isbell - but that was more for personal reasons, being right after I really got into them (04 at Tipitinas - best show I've seen period)

But I would trade Jason for Neff & Jay anyday.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

HATED it when I read Jason had left the band. Kinda wandered if I could dig DBT as much minus Jason.

... But after the smoke cleared I figured out that now we get to see two different great live bands. If they are happy I guess I'm happy with it too.

I just looked at it as the continuing evolution of the band, there were several different line ups prior to Jason but they rarely seem to come up for discussion, I'm guessing because so few people that post here never saw them pre-Jason. I feel very fortunate to have seen at least a couple of different lineups prior to Jason joining, one of those (Patterson, Cooley, Rob Malone, Earl Hick and EZB) played the first of the two acoustic shows the DBTs did at Pine Hill Farm in Durham which I often list as one of my favorite concerts ever. A year or so later, they did another one prior to Decoration Day being released. It was great too but wasn't nearly as special as that very first one. Maybe it was because the first one was held inside and the second was outside on the backporch but it just wasn't quite the same. That's not a slight against Jason as I really enjoyed his time with the band, it's just an observation on those two acoustic shows.

[mhc]

When I started seeIng them in 2004 through 2005, Jason and the boys were the best Band in the world. They could do no wrong.
All 8 cylinders, all 12 gears!!!!

[mhc]

Also, isbell was their version of Mick Taylor.

[cortez the killer]

Also, isbell was their version of Mick Taylor.

Interesting way to look at it. I like it.

[Zip City]

the only DBT w/ Isbell show I've seen is the 40 watt DVD, so I can't say one way or the other.

That said, I love what the keys/pedal steel bring to some of the older songs (WWW, etc.)

[DD&N 2002]

As much as i thought DBT was great with Jason, the reality is that DBT was/is/will always be great and one only need recall that Southern Rock Opera (and the prior two albums) pre-dated Jason to be reminded of how great DBT was and is without him. I was sorry to see him go but the band rocks on and at the end of the day the only "loss" was some really well written songs. I will take some exception to the direct comparison of DBT to Springsteen as the two bands are really apples and oranges. I love them both (and same for the Grateful Dead) first and foremost due to the incredible live performance, but tough to directly compare as E Street Band has 9 person line up with two keys and sax, and in the end it really is all about springsteen who happens to be backed by a solid band, sort of like Patterson and Cooley backed by a rock solid band. Dont make too much fun of me, but i will confess to having seen Springsteen 171 times 1984-2010, the Grateful Dead with Garcia 209 times 1977 -1995 and so far 34 DBT shows 2002 -2010.

[sluggobeast]

Only seen the band twice—once with Jason in 2006 and in 2008 with the current lineup. Both tremendous, but a bit different. And looking forward to next week's gig in Fort Lauderdale!

But I'd really be interested to hear impressions about the band's earlier days with Rob Malone and Earl Hicks.

[njMark]

I only saw DBT with jason once in 06 when they opened for the Crowes in NJ. They only got 15 min. to play but Jason was definitely great that night, I dont know if I have a prefference but jason was for sure an assett that cant really be replaced in the lineup. But by him leaving I got a whole new set of shows to go to when he plays with the unit so I figure it worked out better in the end. More shows means more gooder.

[ForgetMyFries]

Once I had all the material from Gangtsa to BTCD (When I found DBT) and I had read what kind of history this band had with members coming and the drama with Jason, i felt it was nice to have Neff's steel pedal back in the mix and it almost seemed like this band had come full circle.. But then again what they have produced since I've engulfed myself in DBT over the last 3 years or so, it's almost like I have found a brand new band just starting to poke it's head out.. Thats said, Im sad I missed the Isbell days but I couldnt be more happy with this secret of a band I have found..

[Kudzu Guillotine]

I'm glad Neff returned to the fold because when I first got into them circa Gangstabilly & Pizza Deliverance the only way to see them with Neff was to travel to Athens. He apparently toured with them in the early days but oftentimes the acoustics of the venues they were playing back then weren't exactly conducive to the sweet sounds of his pedal steel and their acoustic instruments or so I've been told...

[docs]

Liked them before Isbell liked them with and liked them since only difference is you miss the songs Jason wrote but can always go and see his solo gigs for that

[brstigerfan]

I will have to continue the notion that is 2 completely different bands. I also much preferred the version with Isbell. I saw more shows with Isbell than I have seen without. While I've seen a couple good shows with the current lineup, every one of the DBT shows with Isbell were some of the great live rock experiences I've ever had.