Jason Isbell/Holly Williams Jan. 29th In Philadelphia

[Hank]

Just bought a ticket for Jason's show in Philadelphia on Jan. 29th at Union Transfer. Holly Williams is opening and she is amazing. I got the chance to see her live earlier this year and meet her after the show. This show should be awesome! Who's going?

Tickets on-sale now: http://jasonisbell.frontgatetickets.com ... 382995515&

[Clams]

This one is news to me. Union Transfer is awesome, nice to see Jason stepping up to a bigger and better venue. I'll be there!

P.S. so much for Marshall Crenshaw and the Bottle Rockets in Sellersville on 1/29.

[Vincent]

I'm in.

[Hank]

Cool! Looking forward to seeing you again, Dave! Clams––I'm not sure if we met at the past few Philly shows. I'm terrible with the forum names vs. real names. If not, looking forward to meetin' ya! I've never been to Union Transfer––Sounds to be a good venue huh? I'm hoping Amanda will be playing with the Unit again.

[pa_heathen]

I'm in! This will be a nice birthday present for me. Plus the Union Transfer is my favorite Philly venue.

[Hank]

I'm in! This will be a nice birthday present for me. Plus the Union Transfer is my favorite Philly venue.

Birthday present for me as well. Mine is the 31st!

[Clams]

Just bought tickets. Does anyone know if this run of shows is with the 400 Unit or solo? (the band is not included on the show announcements and venue calendars).

Also looking forward to Holly Williams - I don't know much about her other than she is the daughter/granddaughter of Hank Sr and Jr. I've heard she's talented.

[Hank]

Just bought tickets. Does anyone know if this run of shows is with the 400 Unit or solo? (the band is not included on the show announcements and venue calendars).

Also looking forward to Holly Williams - I don't know much about her other than she is the daughter/granddaughter of Hank Sr and Jr. I've heard she's talented.

Until we hear otherwise, I'm gonna assume it's with the 400 Unit. On Twitter he said "our" new shows which seems to suggest he won't be Traveling Alone.

Holly's latest album, The Highway, has some great tunes on it. If you get a chance check out Drinkin', Waiting On June, Railroads, Giving Up and Without You.

[Bill in CT]

I'm in for this show.

Does anyone know a place near Union Transfer for preshow food & drink?

[Clams]

I'm in for this show.

Does anyone know a place near Union Transfer for preshow food & drink?

Llama Tooth is right across the street. I've heard mixed reviews of the food but they do have a great beer list. Also, Union Transfer itself is actually a pretty good place once doors open. It's a cool space, prices are reasonable and they always have really good beers.

[Vincent]

Silk City Diner is just down the street. Not really a Diner. Great chef and menu.

http://www.silkcityphilly.com/

I also have an extra if anyone needs one.

[pa_heathen]

I'm in for this show.

Does anyone know a place near Union Transfer for preshow food & drink?

Prohibition Taproom is a few blocks away on 13th St. if you want to make the trek in the cold. Either that or Milkboy by Jefferson Hospital are where we go when headed to the Union Transfer. Since Amanda played at Milkboy a few weeks ago, I think we will head there for a bit then over to Prohibition for a drink or two then off to the show.

We're heading into the city early since this is my birthday present. Does anyone know where the closest parking garage is to the Union Transfer? We usually take the train in, but since it is supposed to be so cold we are thinking about driving. If we will still have a little walk it may be just as easy to stick with the train.

[Clams]

I'm in for this show.

Does anyone know a place near Union Transfer for preshow food & drink?

Prohibition Taproom is a few blocks away on 13th St. if you want to make the trek in the cold. Either that or Milkboy by Jefferson Hospital are where we go when headed to the Union Transfer. Since Amanda played at Milkboy a few weeks ago, I think we will head there for a bit then over to Prohibition for a drink or two then off to the show.

We're heading into the city early since this is my birthday present. Does anyone know where the closest parking garage is to the Union Transfer? We usually take the train in, but since it is supposed to be so cold we are thinking about driving. If we will still have a little walk it may be just as easy to stick with the train.

We went to Llama Head right across the street from Union Transfer on Saturday night prior to the Hard Working Americans show and it was great. More of a restaurant than a bar, but they had a great beer list and the food was good too. If we can make it down there early enough, that's where we'll be. As for parking, you can usually find a spot on the street within a block or two of the venue. If you want to be safer (not a bad idea given the neighborhood) Union Transfer has a secure lot that costs $10. It's directly behind the venue, you enter it right off 10th Street.

[Hank]

Silk City Diner is just down the street. Not really a Diner. Great chef and menu.

http://www.silkcityphilly.com/

I also have an extra if anyone needs one.

Menu sounds good. Might have to try this place out.

[Hank]

Anyone interested in meeting up prior to the show? Debating on grabbing food from one of the suggested places.

[Clams]

Sold out. He's come a long way since playing to 10 of us at the shitty North Star a few years ago.

['Scratch]

My friend has tickets and we were all set to go.....then THE LURG took hold of me. Goddam I'm sick. Gonna try to rally but it's not looking HACKCOUGHHACKCOUGHCOUGG good.

[Vincent]

Anyone interested in meeting up prior to the show? Debating on grabbing food from one of the suggested places.

Just saw this. I'll be at the bar just after doors open. Bourbon's on me.

[Howlinwolf]

OK - it's past noon EST. Us freaks need a wrap up please!

[Clams]

OK - it's past noon EST. Us freaks need a wrap up please!

Here ya go, Howlinwolf...



It's official: Jason Isbell is a rock star. Beautiful room, place was sold out and packed all the way to the back and up and around the balcony. Jason's voice was so good, damn can he sing, and he looked great too. Someone recently commented on how a big chunk of Jason's current audience doesn't know his older stuff and they were spot on. I'd say around half the crowd knew just the Southeastern songs - a lot of people didn't even know the songs from Here We Rest, let alone the DBT stuff. While the new material is obviously very strong, it does make for a quieter show with much less shredding and jamming than I'm used to. The new guitar player was good, but with all the Southeastern material he was never really given a chance to cut loose. His slide playing on Cover Me Up was really, really good. I think he stayed pretty true to the other setlists I've seen posted recently (sorry but I don't do setlists). He opened with Flying Over Water and played a good chunk of the new record (mostly later in the set, and mostly solo with the Martin acoustic) and also a good chunk of Here We Rest. Reached back for Streetlights, Outfit, Decoration Day, Never Gonna Change and Goddam Lonely Love. The encore was Jason and Amanda playing Zevon's The Mutineer and then the full band for Super 8, which was notable because it was the first time I can remember seeing JI play a telecaster. Probably the first time I've seen him where he didn't play anything from Sirens (bummer... no Try, no The Magician, and no Razor Town, but on the bright side no Psycho Killer or that Pocky Way song). As I listened to the songs, I was taken by how fucking good his lyrics are. No cliches or filler, just heartfelt shit that rings true (Nobody gives a damn about the things I give a damn about), one song after another. Also, I should mention that Amanda, who is now a blonde, looked really good (like, REALLY GOOD) in a black vest with black hotpants and black tights. These shows must be incredibly gratifying for Jason and the band. They've definitely moved up a level or two from a year ago, and you have to be happy for them. You have to wonder how what heights they'll eventually reach. Also: I was with Mrs Clams and my friend Justin and they both enjoyed the show even more than I did.... Always good to hang with Bill for a little while - he was the only 3dd'er I saw.... Dale's Pale on tap yummmm.... Jason's preshow music was really good - I remember hearing Zevon's Excitable Boy and Petty's Here Comes My Girl.

Holly Williams was the opener. She plays guitar and had a bassist and a second guitar player (he was pretty good). Pretty voice, she sings heartfelt, country-tinged singer/songwriter stuff. Good not great. I'd rather listen to Zoe Muth.

[headhunter]

Good write up Clams.

I'm seeing Jason tomorrow night on Long Island ( only the 2nd time ever on Long Island ... hmmmmm).

Can't wait for the show. Yes, I agree that Jason is in a very good place these days and seems to have certainly hit the big time. Very happy for him.

[Hank]

The show was excellent! Holly started with a great set that included Drinkin', The Highway, Waiting On June and a wonderful cover of John Prine's Angel From Montgomery. Her guitar player, Anderson East, is pretty good as well. I had a chance to see him perform solo when he opened for her a few months back.

As Clams mentioned, I was shocked by how many folks didn't know his older material. I was rockin' out during Never Gonna Change and gettin' down during Codeine while everyone around me looked like they had no idea what these sounds coming from Jason's mouth were. He started off with Flying Over Water, Go It Alone and GDLL. He played almost the entire Southeastern album–– The only songs missing were Songs That She Sang and New South Wales. I was pleased to hear Yvette and Relatively Easy live for the first time. This was the best I have ever heard his voice sound with personal highlights being Cover Me Up, GDLL and Streetlights.

At one point someone yelled "how'd you meet your wife." The comment drew some muffled groans from the crowd. Jason smirked and responded "at a rock and roll show just like this one" or something along those lines.

[Vincent]

Nice write-ups guys. I've seen a hand full of shows since the album dropped and was just getting ready to complain about the sets. Then I realized that it's only been out 7 months and the new fans want to hear it.

I love Southeastern on it's own, but I want more electric guitars from this incredibly talented band. Hell, even Amanda rocks out the electric in her solo shows