The Royal Albert Hall is large and atmospheric, impressing physically whilst looming large in the national psyche. It recalls a nation’s history whilst representing a vast cultural heritage, and it vibrantly continues to foster the joy of live performance. Built in memory of Prince Albert and not Albert Einstein, as was suggested by someone seated nearby, this almost timeless memorial remains as contemporary and culturally significant as ever. Most artists view playing the Royal Albert Hall as a ‘rite of passage’, and who would seriously claim that Isbell and his highly accomplished band have not earned their ‘right’ to appear at this august venue.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit filled this hallowed space easily with their big americana sound. Isbell is now the consummate performer, seamlessly switching between heavy, guitar-laden power anthems such as Hope The High Road and This Ain’t It to quieter, contemplative pieces such as Cast Iron Skillet and Elephant. The range, power and control in Isbell’s voice have developed and matured over the years; evidence of this can be found by comparing his recent recordings with his early Drive-By Truckers work. At one point he fondly alluded to his first visit to London, playing the much-missed venue, The Borderline with the Truckers. Everything about Isbell’s career has taken off since those days, and it’s a joy to bear witness to his great and ongoing success.
This gig showed Isbell and the band at the top of their game. Now a 6-piece, this current format has more texture and variety than previous incarnations. Sadler Vaden switches effortlessly from searing slide guitar to mandolin, Anna Butterss is equally at home on electric bass and upright, whilst Derry deBorja remains ever versatile on the keys. With the twin drumming power of Chad Gamble and Will Johnson, the band instantly shifts personality depending on the requirements of the song.
Isbell’s sets vary night to night, reflecting that he now has a large back catalogue of exceptional quality to draw from. Picking his way through his 9 studio albums, in addition to a selection of his work with the Drive-By Truckers, the set was a heady mix of the new and not so new. 24 Frames from 2015’s Something More Than Free kicked off the night. Bury Me, from his recent solo acoustic album Foxes In The Snow, got the full 400 Unit treatment, as did Crimson and Clay. Favourites such as Alabama Pines, Cover Me Up, and Children OfChildrenwere enthusiastically well received, as were Volunteer and the anthemic Miles from 2023’s Weathervanes. Dress Blues from 2007’s Sirens Of The Ditch, his first solo album, was a poignant reminder of the family impact of war, Isbell commenting that no one wants wars, but it’s the people who keep making these things happen we should be most upset with (I’m paraphrasing). The standard of the set never flagged as standout songs from the other albums filled the hall. Flying Over Water and Cover Me Up from Southeastern, Streetlights from the 2009 self-titled album and Dreamsicle from the underrated Reunions album.
Truckers’ fans were treated to the favourite Outfit, written for Isbell’s Dad and generally played when it’s near to Father’s Day. Other Isbell Truckers songs were Danko/Manuel, a beautiful ode to The Band’s Richard Manuel, TVA, Patterson Hood’s favourite “Jason’ song and the first song of the encore and Decoration Day, during which Isbell demonstrated his total mastery of the lead guitar.
The encore concluded with If We Were Vampires and King of Oklahoma, surely two of Isbell’s finest: songs of power and high emotion. After 23 songs and around 2 hours and 20 minutes, great value in anyone’s book, the audience dispersed into a warm London night, the rain of the last few days having finally dissipated. A night with Isbell and his 400 Unit is life-affirming: great songs performed by accomplished musicians at one with their craft. Forget the King of Oklahoma, Isbell was on this night the king of West London, and I suspect, as the tour continued, deservedly feted as the americana royalty that he truly is.
Will Johnson opened the evening solo with his acoustic set. Johnson, also a member of the 400 unit as drummer and multi-instrumentalist, has an impressive track record, playing with Monsters of Folk, participating in the Woody Guthrie archive project New Multitudes, amongst various other ventures. The task of filling The Royal Albert Hall with only his voice and his guitar was a tough one, yet he did a great job of getting everyone in the mood, showcasing some thoughtful material from a seasoned artist. The hall’s policy of starting bang on the start time on the ticket meant some of us missed part of Johnson’s set (ahem), yet enough was heard to indicate he is an artist worthy of further investigation.
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