my morning jacket tour review

Review: Never Seen My Morning Jacket Live? Experience the Excitement on this Stunning 2021 Show

by Hal Horowitz October 21, 2022, 1:46 pm

My Morning Jacket MMJ Live Vol.2:Chicago 2021 (ATO) 41/2 out of 5 stars

Videos by American Songwriter

Anyone who has experienced a My Morning Jacket concert knows just how passionate, powerful, and riveting the Louisville, Kentucky-based band is. As the quintet has become more popular over the decades since its 1999 debut, their live prowess has grown along with dedicated followers and an ever-morphing sound.  

Even though MMJ’s albums are uniformly impressive, those songs explode when played in front of fans. On most nights, few other outfits come close to replicating the tension and release the group seems to naturally exude. They gel as a band in the most inclusive sense of the word.

It’s clearly something they are aware of, enough to start releasing official live documents of earlier tours. This is the third, following the DVD/CD Okonokos in 2006, and this year’s Volume 1 (from a 2015 gig). All are two hours, displaying the full range of MMJ’s talents. Not only are these recordings professionally mixed, but they duplicate only a few titles. Those who have seen how potent these guys are connecting in front of an audience will likely want to take some of that exhilaration home.

Even without the eye-popping visuals (a DVD would be great), this recording captures the excitement and edge a live setting typically provides. Frontman Jim James has gradually graduated from being very good to a great vocalist, occasionally shifting into falsetto and then bringing his voice down to a softer whisper, often in the same song. While MMJ displays their taut synergy and arrangements on shorter tracks such as the quasi-retro pop of “Lowdown” in 2001, they also push the limits on others. Longtime live staple “Dondante,” at nearly 22 minutes, gets expanded to nearly three times its studio incarnation which allows for its drama and intensity to ramp up substantially.

Although they were on tour to promote their 2021 self-titled release, only three of the 20 tracks are from that disc. Instead, they dig back to reprise, revisit and often reinvigorate gems from albums as far back as The Tennessee Fire (1999), infusing them with renewed purpose and energy.

Those who have difficulty describing MMJ’s sound won’t find it any easier even after spending over 2 ¼ hours with this music. They incorporate strains of soul, Southern, classic, space rock, psychedelia, blues, and even prog influences into what can be labeled roots-based rock and roll, although even that vague description doesn’t do them or their diverse approach justice. The closing “Phone Went West” even dips into reggae.  

It’s a terrific, moving, and often extraordinary performance, a perfect example of My Morning Jacket on fire; one that should make fans out of even those who have never previously been exposed to them. Lay back and soak it in.

(Note: At this time, the album is only available on vinyl through mail order [three platters, translucent orange] at the band’s official web store and streaming. No CD is planned, although a digital code is included with the vinyl purchase.)    

Photo courtesy of Big Hassle Media

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Only members can comment. Become a member . Already a member? Log In .

Lucinda Williams Announces New Book—“This Won’t Be a Sugar-Coated Memoir”

© 2024 American Songwriter

Live music review: My Morning Jacket Delivers One Big Holiday to Moody Amphitheater

Some artists prefer to live in the studio where they can carefully craft their sound in search of the perfect recording rather than slog through the drudgery of live touring. My Morning Jacket embrace the road. MMJ have cut their teeth touring for the past two decades. As of May 2, they’ve played over 1,000 shows, solidifying them as one of the most prolific live music acts on the planet.

We get accustomed to an artist playing for an hour, taking a break, and coming out one last time for a quick encore. Where most artists deliver the runtime of a long HBO episode, a My Morning Jacket set is an epic Peter Jackson film. On April 29 in Austin, the band played a two-hour, 45 minute marathon, with nearly as many songs (22) as years they have been together (24). In other words, it was your typical, kick-ass MMJ set.

Ardent fans arrived early to get the best standing room in the small GA section at the front of the stage behind the photography pit. While I got a peek at the set list before the show, most of the faithful fans at the front shuddered at the thought of ruining the surprise with this forbidden knowledge.

Lead man, Jim James kicked off the show with a Prince impression accompanied by high-pitched “whooops” and “wheees” in “Wordless Chorus.” James’ vocal range frequently shifts from a folksy delivery a la Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes to an R&B falsetto. James is known for his love of The Muppets. It makes more sense when you see most of the band resembles a crossover between the Muppet characters, Animal and Sweetums .

Compared to intimate Austin venues like Mohawk, the spacious Moody Amphitheater can seem a bit of a distant experience. But if MMJ was delivering a musical sermon, the congregation stayed in attendance until the very end. I proudly told a man next to me this was the eighth time seeing MMJ live. “Oh that’s great,” he said. “I’ve lost count, but this is definitely in the upper 30’s for me.” It’s safe to assume he wasn’t the only one there with such a high MMJ show count.

After a long hiatus , the band’s future was uncertain. But their ninth studio album, self-titled from 2021, provides some of their best live material since 2005’s Z . The 9-minute version of ‘In Colour’ the band presented mid-way through the performance, nodded to Pink Floyd with Roger Waters-era guitar bends and bluesy, psychedelic tendencies. You could tell James and the band are proud of their new tune.

My Morning Jacket’s expansive set list is an exercise in musical range. They pivoted from rootsy, foot-stompin’ rock with ‘I’m Amazed’ to the ethereal ‘I Will Sing You Songs’ that boasts a 57 BPM, that served as a respite from the onslaught of heavy guitar riffs. ‘Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt 2’, a crowd favorite, stood out with Patrick Hallahan’s drumming ebbing and flowing from constant grooves to disco beats to pounding away at his hi-hat.

Most of the group’s outros or codas stretched into extended jams. It’s less of a Phish style noodling and more of a 70’s indulgent rock odyssey. Lots of “jam bands” meander for 10+ minutes, letting everyone improvise to their liking. My Morning Jacket always has a destination in mind .

They closed the night with ‘One Big Holiday’, one of the most epic, headbanging, rock anthems of the 2000’s. The song is clearly their most accessible, earning a ton of mainstream radio play. Carl Broemel’s guitar strap fell off during his guitar solo, but it didn’t impede the guitarist in the slightest. He casually lifted the neck up to the sky and squatted during a solo full of huge string bends and flashy hammer-ons.

The two guitars, bass and keyboard setup can seem like an exhausted formula after decades of use. That makes it all the more stunning that MMJ can reach such artistic heights after over two decades of playing together. It’s really their inter-connectivity that glows on stage.

Throughout the show, every band member took turns smiling from ear to ear, gyrating to their grooves, and frequently, briefly levitating as their feet would leave the ground for a jump. MMJ live for this shared experience of live music with the audience. So do their fans.

If you like My Morning Jacket, check out: Brittany Howard, Wilco, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, M Ward, Dr. Dog, Flaming Lips. View the complete set list here .

All photos by Drew Doggett

• Live music preview: May shows to see in Austin
• Live music review: Car Seat Headrest and Bartees Strange played Stubb’s on May 4

You May Also Like

Album review: Todd Snider – First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder

LEVITATION night one at Stubbs with The Jesus And Mary Chain and Protomartyr

Live music review: Swans evades fire code shutdown at Paramount, delivers two hour onslaught

Sign up for our newsletter.

Find new music around Austin!

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Live Review: My Morning Jacket Play ‘It Still Moves’ in Its Entirety, Bust Out Deep Cuts During Three-Night Residency

Twenty-five years into their career, My Morning Jacket sound better than ever. The band brought their best to a three-night residency at The Beacon Theatre in NYC, which included a twentieth anniversary celebration of their seminal album, ‘It Still Moves’!

It can not be understated; My Morning Jacket is one of the best live bands out there.

E ver since I discovered the band My Morning Jacket while watching an episode of the cartoon American Dad — cleverly named “My Morning Straight Jacket” — some 12 or so years ago, I’ve been infatuated with its singer Jim James’ angelic falsetto and the outfit’s dynamic catalog of songs.

I’ve been meaning to catch MMJ live but I always seemed to be traveling or seeing another show when it was in town. I finally got to see the band, twice in fact, during its recent three-night residency at The Beacon Theatre to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its seminal album It Still Moves and boy, do I regret not seeing a show sooner.

Night one was all about It Still Moves, as the band played the album front to back and debuted the fan-favorite B-side “Grab A Body” during the encore (which remains a personal highlight, the song’s groove has been an earworm all week). Several of the album’s songs are still in the band’s current rotation — “ Golden ,” “ One Big Holiday ,” and “ Mahgeetah ,” to name a few — but hearing tracks from the back half of the album like “Just One Thing” and “One In The Same” felt exceptionally special.

There wasn’t a dull moment during the entire evening as fans enthusiastically sang along to the album. Highlights outside the album included a bustout of “I Needed It Most” and a raucous rendition of “Phone Went West” imbued with the refrain of George Harrison’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” to close out the night.

Although It Still Moves is 20 years old, My Morning Jacket sounds just as good, if not better, than it did at the time of its release. From James’ incredible vocals to guitarist Carl Broemel’s energetic solos and the buoying force of drummer Patrick Hallahan, it was at times hard to believe I was listening to a live band and not a studio-polished recording — perhaps in part to The Beacon’s impressive sound system.

I talked to some fans around me during the run and there seemed to be a unanimous consensus that the band was bringing its A-game. “I’ve seen these guys a lot over the years,” a 45-year-old fan told me during the band’s second performance last Friday. “But this is like the best show I’ve ever seen.”

Speaking of the second concert, night two was a great mix of deep cuts and hits. MMJ opened the show with a full album version of “Cobra” from its 2002 Chocolate and Ice EP, immediately letting the audience know we were in for a special night. Next, a run of hits “Gideon,” “The Way That He Sings,” and “Lay Low” had the place rocking from one tune to the next.

Later, another 2002 EP throwback “O Is The One That Is Real” from Split and a trio of songs from the band’s first album, The Tennessee Fire elated fans of the band’s early catalog. During the encore, the plaintive reflections of “Only Memories Remain” and a cover of the Cat Stevens’ song “The Wind” with assistance of opener Madi Diaz — who was spectacular, by the way — proved especially powerful. The evening ended on a high note as the beaming harmonies of ‘Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2” radiated happiness through the audience.

I didn’t catch the third night, but judging from the setlist it was a proper party   — I’m still bummed I missed “In Its Infancy (The Waterfall)” and “Dondante.” Oh no, I guess I’ll have to go to another show. 

What perhaps impressed me the most throughout the weekend is that throughout the band’s 25-year run it has continually been able to evolve its sound while still maintaining the high-octane grooves and jams that put the band on the map.

Many bands from the aughts seem to cross a threshold once its members turn 40, or even 30, that sees new album lose their potency. My Morning Jacket has stayed immune from this. Songs from recent albums refer to familiar topics while settling into refreshing yet very “MMJ” grooves.

Fans gearing up to catch It Still Moves anniversary shows in Atlanta and Chicago are in for a treat. But it can not be understated; My Morning Jacket is one of the best live bands out there. Anniversary show or not, do not miss this band.

:: connect with My Morning Jacket here ::

Connect to My Morning Jacket on Facebook , Twitter , TikTok , Instagram

Discover new music on atwood magazine, :: stream my morning jacket  ::.

Live Review: Thundercat Puts Improv Skills on Display During Two-Night Run at Brooklyn Mirage

You may also like.

Today’s Song: K-Pop’s 2NE1 Bid a Solemn Farewell on “Goodbye”

Premiere: Welcome Center Debuts with the Luminous, Contemplative Single “Withoxt Yxu”

Love and Becoming Limitless: A Conversation with JONES

Interview with Sody: Sensational Songwriting with a Personal Edge

Premiere: Lisbon’s April Marmara Evokes Love’s Magic & Mystery in “Who Knows Where the Love Goes”

Today’s Song: Public Access T.V. Keep Their Cool in “Sudden Emotion”

More stories.

Video Premiere: Natalie Shay Ascends with Stunning Pop Anthem “Yesterday”

LIVE REVIEW: My Morning Jacket w/ Wilderado at St. Augustine Amp (June 15)

by Savannah Moore • June 17, 2023

I had the pleasure of spending my Thursday evening at the beautiful St. Augustine Amphitheater for the kick-off of My Morning Jacket’s American tour. The show was rain or shine and the weather chose not to shine. Nevertheless, Wilderado and My Morning Jacket transformed the rainy venue, creating a warm inviting space filled with love and gratitude. Wilderado started the night out with a 30-minute set playing hit songs like “Surefire” and “Take Some Time”.

My Morning Jacket St Augustine 2023

Wilderado opening for My Morning Jacket 2023 St Augustine

Wilderado Signed Vinyl

Louisville-bred band My Morning Jacket has cut their teeth touring for over two decades. With a genre-defying, unpredictable, psychedelic, transcendent, and dynamic sound, it’s easy to see why they are hailed one of the best bands to see live. They didn’t let the rain stop them on Thursday, playing a two-and-a-half-hour set at the St. Augustine Amphitheater. Lead singer, Jim James’ soaring vocals were mesmerizing and most songs effortlessly ended up in a crowd-wilding extended jam. They have a beloved fan group and everyone had a fantastic time even though the weather was not the best. It was truly a pleasure to see them perform live. My Morning Jacket has a lengthy lineup of shows throughout the end of the year. If you missed the show be sure to check them out on one of their North American tour dates throughout the rest of the year. If you have the opportunity to go to one, I guarantee they won’t disappoint.

Special shout-out to the St. Augustine Amphitheater for the tickets! <3

My Morning Jacket Live Review & Photos by Savannah Moore.

My Morning Jacket Live Review St Augustine 2023

My Morning Jacket Review St Augustine 2023

▼ SHOWS TO GO TO ▼

Thanks to our Sponsors, Kingfish Records in Clearwater, FL!

Check out our South Florida SIGT Website! 

Shows I Go To South Florida Giveaway, Reviews, Photos, and more

Please support our  friends  who support us! Tell them Shows I Go To sends love! 🙂

• The Commission Beer Chamber
• Kingfish Records (Clearwater)
• Nora's Sugar Shack!
• Park Ave CDs  
• Montgomery Drive Presents
• RT-Art Printing
• The Mary Jane 'High-Quality' Art Gallery
• The Owl's Attic Vintage Shop
• Broken Strings Brewery
• American Combat Club
• Lazy Moon Pizza
• Ten10 Brewing
• Mutiny Ocala
• The Tipsy Skipper
• Conrad's Beer Shanty 
• AKT Shirt Printing
• Smartpunk Records & Shop
• No Clubs Presents
• DaddyKool Records
• Galactic G Skateshop

Recommended Posts

Shows I Go To Info

• Promote Your Show
• Shows I Go To Staff
• Privacy Policy

Follow Shows I Go To

Search Shows I Go To

© Copyright 2013-2024 Shows I Go To, LLC . Ten years! All rights reserved.

BOSTON'S PREMIER ONLINE ARTS MAGAZINE

Concert Review: My Morning Jacket — An Evening of Mystery, Majesty, and Murk

By Paul Robicheau

The veteran band from Louisville, Kentucky, kicked into the millennium with a wild and woolly mix of Southern rock, alt-country, space-prog, and electro-funk that grew weirder over time.

My Morning Jacket at the Leader Bank Pavilion. Photo Paul Robicheau

My Morning Jacket remains an anomaly in 2022, in style and status. The veteran band from Louisville, Kentucky, kicked into the millennium with a wild and woolly mix of Southern rock, alt-country, space-prog, and electro-funk that grew weirder over time, matched by an increasingly sporadic history of recording and touring.

The band’s concert at Leader Bank Pavilion on Thursday marked its first Boston appearance in seven years. Sure, that includes the pandemic, which didn’t help secure a reception for 2021’s typically expansive, eponymous My Morning Jacket , the group’s first album of newly recorded material in six years. On a cool night at the 5,000-capacity harborside tent, there were plenty of empty rows in the back.

My Morning Jacket nonetheless made up for lost time, representing all nine of its studio albums across two-and-a-quarter hours — on a tour that changes up the song list every night in a way that can thrill diehards but leave the uninitiated with just a taste from the handful of what could be vaguely definable as MMJ’s “hits.” To be honest though, the group’s most popular songs haven’t always been their best, usually just opening tracks to albums where better material followed.

Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket at the Leader Bank Pavilion. Photo Paul Robicheau

The quintet rocked in a blur of shaggy-haired headbanging and oblique, active backlights, a sonic and visual assault that emerged in an opening salvo of deep cuts “Wasted,” “Anytime” and “X-Mas Curtain” to both theatrical and obtuse effect. The sound and mood soon lightened with singer/guitarist Jim James’s openhearted positivity in the new “Lucky to Be Alive,” the acoustic-led nugget “Golden” (sweetened by guitar foil Carl Broemel’s pedal steel) and “I’m Amazed.” Songwriter James told the crowd of the meditative joy he found in walking the waterfront to rediscover his favorite local church, Our Lady of Good Voyage.

From there, MMJ again was off and running on its own crazy voyage with a tightly riffed “Complex” (capped by a recording of the new album’s slowed-down coda) and the funkily psychedelic “Holdin’ on to Black Metal.” The trip wound through the jaunty “Off the Record,” the swirling “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Part 2,” and the comparatively saccharine stretch  of “Feel You” as songs predictably began in subdued territory and built to spacey jams that nodded to Pink Floyd. Coincidentally, MMJ served as Floyd architect Roger Waters’s backing band at the 2015 Newport Folk Festival.

Broemel’s dark slide oozed into “I Think I’m Going to Hell” (the night’s deepest track from 1999’s MMJ debut The Tennessee Fire ) before he cued the teasing riff of “Run Thru,” a monster set-closer that recalled how Neil Young’s Crazy Horse would seal shows with “Cortez the Killer.” The crunch of Broemel’s and James’s intertwined guitars led to a fierce breakdown by powerhouse drummer Patrick Hallahan (raising his sticks with robotic jerks as if to mimic strobe lights), bassist Tom Blankenship, and Berklee-bred keyboardist Bo Koster. Then it all crashed to silence, only to be resurrected by that delicious, stuttered riff.

The encore began with the follow-up punch of “One Big Holiday,” the band’s best-known rave-up, from its hi-hat/bass throb and cycling guitar harmonies to full-on thrash. The pastoral prog of “Spring (Among the Living)” and electro-soul romp “Wordless Chorus” (where James worked his merry prairie howl under a mirror ball) seemed like an anticlimax after “One Big Holiday.” On the other hand, “Wordless Chorus” was likely a more recognizable, accessible tune to some in the audience. And on a night that shook the senses with mystery, majesty, and murk, that also made it a fitting bow.

Paul Robicheau served more than 20 years as contributing editor for music at the Improper Bostonian in addition to writing and photography for the Boston Globe , Rolling Stone , and many other publications. He was also the founding arts editor of Boston Metro .

When will the O2 learn that if they want to host music, they have to get serious about good quality sound? Get some good mics so that the vocals are clear. And learn how to mic drums so that you can hear how they’re intended to sound. We couldn’t even hear the ride cymbals, and the snare was muddy. The bass drum was so loud and boomy that it obliterated anything that happened at the same time, which was a lot. Overall, the entire sound was muddy. This is not what the musicians nor the audience want.

This happened at the last gig we saw at the O2, which was a couple of years ago. I reviewed it then too as very poor quality sound. Maybe the sound people at O2 could learn a few things from other venues, like Shepherds Bush.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Recent posts, film review: “the people’s joker” — intellectual clown property, theater interview/preview: dan o’brien — the playwright as documentarian, film review: “amar singh chamkila” — a spirited showbiz biography, film review: “la chimera” — a celebration of etruscan grit and glory, watch closely: “ripley” — a man in shadows and light.

My Morning Jacket Are The Perfect Example Of Aging Gracefully In The Indie-Rock World

For most bands, aging gracefully is an impossible task. It’s something that a group doesn’t have to think about for their first decade, but as albums start hitting their 10 and 20-year anniversaries, the choices of how to proceed with a (Pavement voice) career become more narrow, regardless of the quality of said band’s newest material. You can double down on the new stuff in concert, aware that a good chunk of your audience might still be drawn to the tunes that made them fall in love in the first place. Or, you can go full-nostalgia mode and tour full classic albums or mostly ignore the recent material in live shows.

Or, if you are Kentucky greats My Morning Jacket , you find the perfect middle ground, where a concert distinctly feels like entering a greatest hits phase while still showcasing where the later songs fit in. This was the energy MMJ brought to Los Angeles on Wednesday, playing the iconic Hollywood Forever Cemetary in front of a sold-out crowd of sitting picnic-ers, standing superfans, and venue regulars mostly there for the vibes. Bandleader Jim James, who has lived off and on in LA for years now, clearly knew the score, shouting out the venue’s movie program early in the set, where he remembered seeing The Wizard Of Oz and then visiting its star pup, Toto, whose grave in on the property.

But in scanning the band’s recent setlists, other artists should note how the band walks this tightrope. The set changes dramatically each night , with much of their beloved material on the table. And generally, all eras of the band come to light. Sure, neither of the first two albums featured on this night, but shows on both sides of the Hollywood date found At Dawn and The Tennessee Fire still figuring in. And while Z and It Still Moves will always be the fan faves, the set also highlights just how well the singles from Evil Urges and Circuital have aged.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by My Morning Jacket (@mymorningjacket)

The past work is so strong — though it clearly isn’t a perfect fit for the streaming age, where the band’s singular indie-country-jam hybrid doesn’t fit neatly in background music playlists — that a spattering of tracks from the band’s recent, quite good two albums fit in neatly. Both dropped during the pandemic, The Waterfall II and My Morning Jacket find the band still operating with command and ease. In an interview with Uproxx for the latter , James noted that there was a chance that the band was done prior to its creation, and this tour behind it has that borrowed time sensibility. These are the performances of a band not just wanting to share their latest offerings, but also to celebrate their own existence and survival.

As such, MMJ’s biggest tunes soared: “One Big Holiday,” “Off The Record,” “Victory Dance,” “Evil Urges.” MMJ also honored their frontman’s solo endeavors by offering the surprising “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.).” Z ‘s closer, “Dodante,” was a particular highlight, all tension and release that showed a band’s ability to pivot from nuance to bombast on a dime. And a song like “Complex,” off their latest, exemplified the Kentucky outfit’s ever-evolving sonic sensibilities, and how all roads lead back to their Southern rock roots.

My Morning Jacket’s recent years might have some wondering how much they have left in the tank, especially after James has noted that the end felt imminent at various stages of the last few years. But, you’d never know it at a My Morning Jacket concert. They’re known for their elite-level live shows and that’s still exactly what they deliver. And at these shows in 2022, the past and present hardly have borders. It’s as graceful as aging in music can be, and their rock peers would be served to follow suit.

• Recent Posts
• Featured Concert Calendar
• Concert Reviews
• Artist Interviews

Review - My Morning Jacket @ the Greek Theatre (8/19/23)

My Morning Jacket gave an exhilarating and rousing performance full of extended jams at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on Saturday night. Finishing off a two-night double headliner bill with Fleet Foxes , MMJ took the closing spot on Saturday and delivered a 15-song masterpiece that demonstrated the team camaraderie of the collective band and musical virtuosity of each of the players. Their 100-minute set included no songs repeated from Friday night’s show.

Lead Singer / Guitarist Jim James and crew came roaring out of the gate with “Dancefloors” a song that built momentum throughout and gave each of the band members a chance to shine while also displaying the brotherhood of the musicians. As drummer Patrick Hallahan kicked things off with his thunderous drumming and Tom Blankenship laid down booming bass rhythm, Bo Koster’s keyboards weaved a nice fabric for a wailing solo from guitarist Carl Broemel and then a bluesy audience-teasing solo from James. The lineup has been together since 2004 and the nearly two decades sharing the stage has created a band chemistry that is obvious in every shared look and the frequent comings together on stage. They play and smile like brothers up on stage.

As the first song came to a bombastic conclusion, James set aside his guitar to prowl the stage back and forth as he sang the haunting and drifting “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Pt. 1” while connecting with audience members on each side of the stage. James has a legendary ability to scan the audience and he ranged back and forth throughout the night, making eye contact that seemed to connect with every attendee near the front. His wild gestures and poses - often reaching out to the crowd - drew in a connection with even the highest reaches of the Greek with the upper lawn filled with the sold-out crowd.

The guitar came back on as James began “Spring (Among the Living)” with his howl and then Koster’s slamming on the piano keys delivered a fast pace before the song shifted into a groove, dance beat. A long, jam-fueled feel-good “Never in The Real World” followed – starting with James on guitar softly singing while Hallahan provided a light drum background before making sudden turns into bombastic moments that had the crowd dancing and swinging and filing the aisles. James brought forth one of the night’s most ripping solos – filled with feedback and echo as the band laid down a steady and calm beat behind his controlled-anarchy. “Slow Slow Tune” was just that – given lots of space to explore the song’s space and Broemel laid into shrieking solos that elicited roars from the crowd enjoying a warm, summer evening of t-shirt weather in the Berkeley hills.

James’ strapped on his acoustic guitar for “Golden” a tune that embraced the vibe of his Kentucky upbringing and delivered fine chorus harmonizing with James and Koster while Broemel provided a rich layer of pedal steel and Hallahan kept a road trip beat lightly on the drums. A gigantic version of “Victory Dance” followed with James’s “Yelping” call intro and prowling of the stage accompanied by Koster’s keyboards. James donned his vocal effects box around his neck (for those familiar with this: he did not wear the cape that often accompanied it in the past and gave him a bit of a Darth Vader look). With “Victory Dance,” the light show transitioned from terrific to awe-inspiring. MMJ has been known for excellent light shows for years, but Saturday night’s show took it to new levels – leveraging spotlights, lasers and even a disco ball to make every song with a visual feast. Last summer’s Frost Amphitheatre show saw them doing much of the show in daylight, so their closing spot on this bill gave them the entire set to deliver memorable lighting.

“Evil Urges” was up next and once again got the crowd participating raising their arms and singing along as James went into his high falsetto and Blankenship’s bass stood out. “Lay Low” followed with the song providing both guitarist’s chances for big soloes and extended jamming among the three string players. Next, Robin Pecknold, lead singer of Fleet Foxes was welcomed to the stage (earlier James had appeared with Fleet Foxes to cover Buffalo Springfield’s “Expecting to Fly”). Pecknold and James performed a marvelous acoustic cover of Neil Young’s “Comes a Time” that finished with Pecknold taking a knee to salute James and James doing the same for Pecknold before the two embraced in a hug.

“Dondante” which followed the guest appearance had James biggest solo of the night – starting bluesy and then methodically moving higher and higher up the neck until the song exploded with strobes and thousands of colorful points of light filled the back wall of the theater and out into the crowd as James unleashed into a long and memorable solo at the front right of the stage before returning to his mates in the middle to bring the song to a close. “It’s About Twilight Now” was a rocker that brought the disco ball’s glory forward to engulf the whole Greek crowd. It ended with James, Broemel and Blankenship gathered in front of Hallahan as he bashed the ending of the song into oblivion after James last guttural howls had finished the vocals.

The distinctive 70’s sounding guitar intro to “Off the Record” saw the crowd erupt as the song drove a big shift in momentum as the crowd and band picked up speed as they headed toward the 11 pm curfew. The song was a rollicking sing-along with its island-style rhythms blending with rock-forward guitars. It featured several false finishes before Hallahan brought it into the barn. With no time for encore pauses on this night, James signaled his crew to wheel out his 80’s synthesizer as he started “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2” and the crowd cheered his every bang on the instrument at the start of the song. He worked the crowd on the mic for the first part of the song, before strapping on a guitar and ripping a devastating solo. The night came to a close with “Wordless Chorus” and James calling for all the lights to be turned off and only the crowd’s cell phones to light the Greek at the start of the song. After a quiet, whispering intro, the lights switched to high with the disco ball again in play and the band kicking in their full sound. The crowd roared when James defiantly sang “WE are the innovators. THEY are the imitators!” “We love the Bay Area! Be good and take care of each other,” James told the crowd as they finished right at 11 pm.

Fleet Foxes brought their luxurious-layered harmonies and indie folk to the daylight opening slot with a hits-filled set that featured excellent versions of song, including “Mykonos,” “Blue Ridge Mountains,” ”White Winter Hymnal” and “Can I Believe You.” In addition to James’ guest appearance, Nigerian-born singer-songwriter Uwade joined Fleet Foxes for “Wading in Waist-High Water” and “Going-to-the-Sun Road”.

Thanks for reading and while you're at it, you can follow us as well here:  Instagram   |   Facebook .

You may like these posts

Powered by fans for fans

• Privacy Policy

#buttons=(Accept !) #days=(20)

Contact form.

• Live Review
• Local Spotlight
• Around Town
• Stars and Bars

Live Review: My Morning Jacket @ The Anthem — 7/29/23

I’ve said it before, but summer doesn’t really feel like summer for me until I see the My Morning Jacket show on the calendar for Merriweather. Jim James, Carl Broemel and co. have played Columbia, MD in 2010-2013, 2015, 2017, and 2021. The 2021 show was my first proper concert post-Covid and it was just as amazing as I hoped it would be .

So imagine my surprise when this year, instead of Merriweather, the band was booked to play an “intimate” show at The Anthem.

By my count, My Morning Jacket hasn’t played DC proper since they toured Evil Urges at DAR Constitution Hall way back in 2008 (I’m not counting their 2015 appearance at the Earth Day concert on the National Mall). This time around, with no new music released, the band are ostensibly touring behind their Live at Bonoaroo 2004 live album. 

But let’s not kid ourselves here. MMJ are one of the best live bands in the world, they don’t need a reason to tour. Plug in the amps, fire up “Wordless Chrous,” and let’s fucking go.

Watch My Morning Jacket perform “Wordless Chorus” live on Letterman via YouTube:

Nine studio albums into their career, it must be hard for the band to concoct a setlist to appease all their fans, but I imagine Saturday’s show came pretty close. At The Anthem on July 29, the band drew four songs each from Z, Evil Urges, It Still Moves, and The Waterfall, providing a great cross-section of their discography.

There were the hits: “I’m Amazed,” “Compound Fracture, “ Gideon,” “Mahgeetah,” “Love Love Love.” There were the beloved album cuts: “Spring (Among the Living),” “Master Plan,” “The Way That He Sings.” And then there were deep cuts: “Knot Comes Loose,” “‘Smokin’ From Shootin’,” “I Will Be There When You Die.” (Side note: When I was making mental notes about my review before the show, I had planned to include a line like “Would it kill them to play ‘Knot Comes Loose’ or ‘Smokin’ From Shootin’’ once in a while,” and then they played them back-to-back. I couldn’t believe it. Friends, I reached concert nirvana .)

Musically, I’m not sure the band has ever been as good as they are right now. Jim James really leaned into being a frontman, dancing around the entire stage for “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream” parts I and II. Carl Broemel was absolutely on fire all night — and the underrated rhythm section of bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, and keyboardist Bo Koster was absolutely stellar.

It says a lot that a band I have been going to see in concert regularly since 2006 can still surprise and thrill me in new ways all these years later.

Love Love Love Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 1 Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2 Wordless Chorus I Will Sing You Songs Master Plan Believe (Nobody Knows) Spring (Among the Living) Knot Comes Loose Smokin’ From Shootin’ Holdin On to Black Metal It’s About Twilight Now Tropics (Erase Traces) I’m Amazed Compound Fracture The Way That He Sings Mahgeetah

Encore: I Will Be There When You Die Gideon Anytime Dancefloors

Here are some photos of My Morning Jacket performing at The Anthem in DC on July 29, 2023. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Kyle Gustafson.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Our Partners
• Thrushie Awards

• Latest News & Views
• Abortion Rights
• Cleveland News
• Cleveland Sports
• Cleveland Guides
• Digital Issue
• News Slideshows
• Latest Arts & Culture
• Arts & Culture Interviews
• Things to Do
• Arts & Culture Slideshows
• Latest Movies
• Movie Reviews and Stories
• Movie Times
• Find a Theater
• Latest Food & Drink
• Find a Restaurant
• Food & Drink Slideshows
• Latest Music
• Local Music
• Find a Concert
• Music Slideshows
• Today's Events
• This Weekend
• Submit an Event
• Best Of Home
• Arts & Entertainment
• Food & Drink
• People & Places
• Bars & Clubs
• Shops & Services
• Sports & Recreation
• Shop Best Of Awards
• Scene Events
•  Login
• View Profile
• Edit Profile
• in Articles & Posts
• in Locations
• in Slideshows

My Morning Jacket (Mostly) Beats Oppressive Heat at Jacobs Pavilion Concert

By Eric Heisig on Wed, Jun 22, 2022 at 8:59 am

• My Morning Jacket ,
• Concert Reviews

First Look: Julia’s 1902, Opening Thursday, April 25th in Willoughby

By Douglas Trattner

Cedar Point Reaches Settlement With Woman Who Suffered Traumatic Brain Injury in Top Thrill Dragster Accident

By Vince Grzegorek

Newsletters

Join cleveland scene newsletters.

Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox.

Livewire: 19 of the Best Concerts to Catch in Cleveland in April

By Jeff Niesel

Alex Cuba Relishes Tiny Desk Appearance and First Grammy Win

Livewire: 16 of the Best Concerts to Catch in Cleveland Through April 7

Cleveland's Maura Rogers & the Bellows To Release Live EP

Also in Music

Saucy Brew Works To Release Beer Named After a Song by Cleveland's ZuP

Chalice of Malice To Release New Album on April 6

Beachland Ballroom To Host Vibe in Color 7 on May 3

April 10, 2024

View more issues

• News & Views
• News Features
• Politics & Elections
• Cleveland People
• College Guide
• Fall Arts Guide
• Sponsored Articles
• Arts & Culture
• Arts Stories & Interviews
• Arts & Culture Feature
• Arts & Culture Slideshows
• Savage Love
• Today's Events
• Promos+Events
• Food & Drink
• Food & Drink Feature
• Restaurant Reviews
• Food & Drink Slideshows
• Movie Reviews & Stories
• Music Feature
• Distribution Map
• Arts & Entertainment
• People & Places
• Bars & Clubs
• Shops & Services
• Sports & Recreation

Cleveland Scene

1422 Euclid Avenue, Suite 730

Cleveland, OH 44115

My Morning Jacket

How good are they live, live rating  , real live certified  , critic consensus, festivals in 2024.

Latest release

Artist info, critic concert reviews, glide magazine (usa).

Full Review

Jambands (USA)

Country standard time (usa), parklife dc (usa), xs noize (northern ireland), the santa barbara independent (usa), past critic reviews published in, image credit.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Sign up to our newsletter

Artists on tour.

Jonas Brothers

Tyler Childers

Black Country New Road

Bryan Adams

Chris Stapleton

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Stevie Nicks

all ArtiSTS

Featured festivals.

Roadburn Festival 2024

The Metal Fest 2024

Moon Crush Pink Moon 2024

High Water Festival 2024

Two Step Inn Festival 2024

Pandemonium Rocks Melbourne 2024

All festivals.

How good are they LIVE?

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR Newsletter

My Morning Jacket creates a storm

The hollywood bowl, hollywood, cal., august 28, 2023.

Reviewed by Dan MacIntosh

• Subscribe to Relix
• Radio Charts
• Livestream Guide

Current Issue Details

Buy Current Issue

Published: 2024/04/09

• My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday Weekend Presents Bust Outs, Debuts and Guest Sit-ins

Photo Credit: Stephen Bloch

Last Thursday, One Big Holiday Weekend, the destination concert event hosted by My Morning Jacket, began in Riviera Maya, Mexico. During the multi-day event, the host band and their roster of added talent treated attendees to special music moments, including bust-outs of material that had previously collected dust, debuts, and guest appearances. 

The first of three festival sets from MMJ was performed on April 4 and included a packed 17-song main frame that soared from the start with the band’s namesake festival number, “One Big Holiday.” Reaching deep into their archive, the band revived “How Could I Know” for the first time since Oct. 21, 2010. Sticking with the motif, they continued dusting off material, including a cover of The Band’s “It Makes No Difference,” last played on Dec. 28, 2012. 

Friday, April 5, featured MMJ’s second festival slot. Jim James led the group through a debut cover of Radiohead’s “The National Anthem,” which fused with “End of Run Thru.” Continuing to add first-time plays to their repertoire, the band played through Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Turn Your Lights Down Low” and later on Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls.” Intermixed with the aforementioned tunes was the debut of the James-penned original “Here in Spirit.”

Serving as the most heartfelt moment of the night was an ode to Kurt Cobain on the 30th anniversary of his tragic passing–a debut take on Nirvana’s “All Apologies.” For MMJ’s final festival stand, they worked through material from across their discography, pulling heavily from their 2021 self-titled set, Circuital (2011), It Still Moves (2003), Tennessee Fire (1999) and Z (2005). The night’s lone bust out came in the form of “The Ran,” last played on Aug. 9, 2012. 

In addition to the host’s performances, festival guests, and performers, The War on Drugs added something special to their frame, welcoming The Walkmen’s Walter Martin on keys and Futurebirds’ Kiffy Myers on pedal steel. Notably, band member Robbie Bennett was not in attendance during the event.

          View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by My Morning Jacket (@mymorningjacket)

          View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by MMJ One Big Holiday (@mmjobh)

Show No Comments

No Comments comments associated with this post

Note: It may take a moment for your post to appear

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Ventura Offers Array of Alternatives to Skull & Roses This Week
• Widespread Panic Welcome Travelers at Panic en la Playa Doce Night One
• Bob Marley’s Sons Detail The Legacy Tour, First Joint Run in Two-Decades
• Listen: Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney Unveil Collaborative Single “Primrose Hill”
• Motif Mavin: Billy Strings Brings Train and Animal-Themed Sets to Night Two in Tampa
• Blues Traveler and Big Head Todd & The Monsters Revive Blue Monsters Tour for Summer 2024
• That’s Hot: Paris Hilton Plays Cornhole While Vampire Weekend Deliver Phish, Grateful Dead Medley Jam at Coachella
• Watch: Ronnie Wood and Chuck Leavell Join The Black Crowes, Perform Faces “Stay With Me” for First Time Since 1990

Most Popular

• Most Commented
• Drumming on the Moon: Isaac Eady Finds His Groove with Tedeschi Trucks Band and Beyond
• Watch: Billy Strings Joins Primus for “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” in Tennessee
• Abigail Rosen Holmes, Phish Vegas Show and Co-Creative Director, Hints at Sphere Experience
• Goose Bring Rarities, a Live Debut and More Shenanigans to Night Three at The Capitol Theatre
• Watch: Paul McCartney and the Eagles Perform “Let It Be” at Jimmy Buffet Tribute Concert in Los Angeles
• Trey Anastasio Announces Boston Pops Symphony Performance After Previous 2020 Cancellation
• Listen: Phish Announce 16th Studio and First in Four Years LP ‘Evolve,’ Share Initial Single
• Report: Dead & Company Cancel West Palm Beach and Tampa Shows
• Willie Nelson, Bob Weir and More to Participate in ‘Biden For President’ Livestream Fundraiser
• SiriusXM Announces Launch of Phish Radio, Jam On Moves to App and Online
• Eric Clapton Releases Politically-Charged “This Has Gotta Stop”
• Thousands of Music Fans Sign Petition to Bring Jam On Back to SiriusXM
• “You Should Fuckin’ Pay Attention”: Chris Robinson Gets Frustrated at Philadelphia Crowd During “Brothers of a Feather” Gig
• Nike Confirms Grateful Dead Sneaker Collaboration, Sets Release Date
• Zach Deputy Responds to His Attendance at DC Trump Rally
• Monthly Contributors

Find anything you save across the site in your account

My Morning Jacket Announce 2023 North American Tour Dates

By Matthew Strauss

My Morning Jacket are continuing to tour behind their 2021 self-titled album . The next set of shows begins in May and extends into August. Along the way, the band will perform at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Madrid, and Portugal, as well as at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. My Morning Jacket also has a few dates with Fleet Foxes . See the band’s tour dates below.

All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My Morning Jacket:

05-14 Mobile, AL - Saenger Theatre 05-15 Jackson, MS - Thalia Mara Hall 05-20 Guadalajara, Mexico - Corona Capital Guadalajara 05-30 London, England - O2 Kentish Town Forum 05-31 Manchester, England - O2 Ritz Manchester 06-03 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Barcelona 06-05 Antwerp, Belgium - De Roma 06-06 Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVredenburg 06-09 Porto, Portugal - Primavera Sound Porto 06-10 Madrid, Spain - Primavera Sound Madrid 06-15 St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheatre 06-16 Charleston, SC - Firefly Distillery 06-17 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 06-20 Saint Paul, MN - Palace Theatre 06-21 Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theater 06-23 Indianapolis, IN - TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park 06-24 Newport, KY - MegaCorp Pavilion 06-26 Lewiston, NY - Artpark Amphitheater 06-28 Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE 06-30 New Haven, CT - Westville Music Bowl 07-01 Scranton, PA - Peach Music Festival 07-29 Washington, D.C. - The Anthem 07-30 Floyd, VA - FloydFest 08-15 Troutdale, OR - McMenamins Edgefield 08-16 Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater 08-18 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre † 08-19 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre † 08-20 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl † 08-22 San Diego, CA - CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre 08-23 Mesa, AZ - Mesa Amphitheatre 08-25 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre 08-26 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

† w/ Fleet Foxes

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Pitchfork. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

By Nina Corcoran

By Jazz Monroe

My Morning Jacket: My Morning Jacket [Album Review]

Brian Q. Newcomb | November 10, 2021 November 11, 2021 | Reviews

My Morning Jacket My Morning Jacket ATO Records [2021]

From all reports, there was a pretty good chance that the last music recorded by the members of My Morning Jacket playing together could easily have been the sessions that gave us 2015’s The Waterfall , and 2020’s leftovers, The Waterfall II . In the downtime following that tour, singer/songwriter Jim James released another solo album, “Uniform Distortion,” this one dominated by guitar-driven power pop. Keyboardist Bo Koster toured with Roger Waters, while guitarist Carl Broemel released a solo album, Wished Out , and made an EP with Eric Hopper, then he and rest of MMJ except for James played in Ray LaMontagne’s backing band. When the band finally re-grouped in August of 2019 to play four live shows, it wasn’t clear whether this was going to be one last hurrah and fare thee well, or a reunion that opened up new creative possibilities for the band into the future. Turns out those live shows – including two glorious nights at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre – felt so good that the band re-entered the studio together a few months later.

The band’s bio suggests that they wanted to keep things close and focused for their ninth studio album, so it was only the five bandmembers in the studio working together, with James acting as engineer and producer. The result is an eclectic set that includes some of the band’s most accessible pop song hooks and a considerable amount of jam band improvisation and psychedelic experimentation on the 11-track self-titled release, with the recording completed just as the entire nation went into pandemic lockdown. In an exceptionally prescient move, the opening track, “Regular Scheduled Programming,” foresees a culture trapped on the couch in binge mode, with “screen time addiction replacing real life and love.” Over stimulated and medicated, James sings that we’ve got “one shot at redemption/a mighty and sacred love.” And while most of us are thinking about getting those boosters – one shot at redemption, so to speak – MMJ follows up with clarification that the answer to the world’s problems is “Love Love Love,” we just have to “step outside the door,” and “tell it to the world.”

That first track builds slowly until James is joined on backing vocals by Briana Lee and Maiya Sykes, as the band leans into the tune’s sophisticated pop/soul vibe. The second has a funkier rhythm, and they unleash the electric guitars to flesh out the song’s vampy jam ending. “In Colors” opens like a hippie dippy folk reflection on why we let our racial and other divisions separate us, offering the insight that “you gotta believe it looks better, in color/all the spectrum appears.” And while “I wish everyone would agree” feels like a naïve Rodney King wondering “why can’t we all just get along,” James and Broemel stretch out for a guitar jam that means business on the 7-minute number. “Least Expected” leans more in a jazz vein, with Koster’s keyboards recalling a Steely Dan groove, a vibe that returns on the back half of the 9 minute, “The Devil’s In the Details.” While it starts of with a floaty folk-feel meandering intro with a second male lead vocal counterpoint about coming of age at the mall in a world dominated by materialism, products shipped in from third world factories while poor folk are sent off to fight in foreign wars, before the keys and a sax solo take things off in a very trippy direction.

Elsewhere the guitars are pulling double duty, aided by the substantial rhythm section of Tom Blankenship on bass and Patrick Hallihan on drums. “Never In the Real World,” finds James nursing a slow guitar riff along until the song lights up half way through with a soaring solo. In the poppier number, “Lucky to Be Alive,” James takes on the threats to a working musician unable to make a living because endless streaming means “ain’t nobody buying records no more.” But rather then cry in his beer, James sings about touring to make his living the fun way, “I’ll head out on the road/you know we’re gonna make it work,” and the band kicks the jam into high gear, delivering the goods audiences pay to come to shows to hear. “Complex” is another kicking rock jam, one that recognizes that the world is far more complicated than we once imagined. “Penny for Your Thoughts” is another solid rocker, this one with the directive to “Make a wish/heads up.”

The album closes with “I Never Could Get Enough,” a lengthy ballad of loving commitment, with a lovely acoustic guitar solo midway through and one of My Morning Jacket’s signature psychedelic closings. I’ll admit it took quite a few listens before the eclectic feel in a number of songs here began to coalesce and the band’s expansive vocabulary came together as a singular whole. There’s enough of a spark, some quirky asides here and there, to suggest that James and his My Morning Jacket comrades still have something to say together as musical unit, and they’re willing to try new things and expand their musical horizon. My Morning Jacket could be the record that launches a whole new period of creativity from this band, now rocking into its third decade.

Key Tracks: “Regular Scheduled Programming” / “Love Love Love” / “Lucky to Be Alive”

Artists With Similar Fire: Band of Horses / Wilco / Grandaddy

My Morning Jacket Review History: The Waterfall II (2020) / The Waterfall (2015) / Jim James: Uniform Distortion (2018)

My Morning Jacket Website My Morning Jacket Facebook ATO Records

• Recent Posts

• Ryan Adams: Heatwave | Star Sign | 1985 | Sword & Stone [Album Review] - February 13, 2024
• Sarah Jarosz: Polaroid Lovers [Album Review] - January 31, 2024
• Green Day: Saviors [Album Review] - January 26, 2024

Spiritual Cramp -“Earth To Mike” [Video]

Fire track: failure – “headstand”, leave a comment.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Join our newsletter!

My Morning Jacket Debuts Covers Of Radiohead, Nirvana, Bob Marley, & More In Mexico [Videos/Audio]

My Morning Jacket honored a wide range of influences and contemporaries in Mexico over the weekend during the band’s  One Big Holiday getaway. Playing three concerts on the beach spread across four nights, My Morning Jacket loaded its middle show on Friday with a slew of cover debuts by Radiohead ,  Bob Marley & The Wailers ,  Pet Shop Boys , and  Nirvana .

The band came charging out of the gate on Friday at the  Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, opening with a run through “Run Thru”. The It Still Moves track segued into the first cover debut of the night, Radiohead’s “The National Anthem” ahead of a “Run Through” reprise for one continuous movement. Following classics “The Way That He Sings”, “First Light”, and the first “Come Closer” since 2012, MMJ let off another debut with “Turn Your Lights Down Low” by Bob Marley. My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James previously issued a cover of the track for the Valentine’s Day compilation album  Sweetheart 2014 .

After chugging through other originals “Off The Record”, “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 1”, and the band’s debut of James’ solo track “Here In Spirit”, the MMJ played its first-ever live rendition of “West End Girls” by Pet Shop Boys. The band’s cover was previously released on the 2004 compilation Chapter 2: Learning: Early Recordings, B-Sides, Covers, Y Mas but had yet to make it to the stage.

The band’s final cover of the evening was perhaps its most potent. To close out the 18-song main set, My Morning Jacket debuted a cover of “All Apologies” by Nirvana on the 30th anniversary of singer-guitarist Kurt Cobain ‘s suicide. A cacophony of pounding drums and shrieking guitars took the cover to its highest highs before James pulled it back down with the continuous drone of “All in all is all we are” to end the cover and the set. MMJ kept it original for the three-song encore, firing off “Feel You”, “Spring (Among the Living)”, and “Wordless Chorus”.

Watch My Morning Jacket debut covers of Radiohead and Nirvana in Mexico and stream audio of the show on nugs . Listen to MMJ’s full catalog of live performances by signing up for a nugs subscription here . [ Editor’s Note: Live For Live Music is a  nugs  affiliate. Ordering your nugs subscription or purchasing a download via  the links on this page  helps support our coverage of the world of live music. Thank you for reading! ]

The band returns to domestic stages on May 5th for a set at BeachLife Festival in California. For tickets and a full list of tour dates head here .

Setlist : My Morning Jacket | One Big Holiday | Riviera Maya, Mexico | 4/5/24

Set: Run Thru > The National Anthem (Radiohead) [1] > Run Thru, The Way That He Sings, Outta My System, First Light, Evil Urges, Only Memories Remain, Come Closer [2], Golden, Turn Your Lights Down Low (Bob Marley & The Wailers) [1], Off the Record, Here in Spirit (Jim James) [1], Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 1 > Holdin On to Black Metal, West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys) [1] > Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2, Dondante > All Apologies (Nirvana) [1]

Encore: Feel You, Spring (Among the Living), Wordless Chorus

[1] FTP [2] LTP 8/12/12

My Morning Jacket, Nathaniel Rateliff Playing Philadelphia Sept 26

P HILADELPHIA — Two rock and roll groups are embarking on a co-headlining tour, and they're making a stop in Philadelphia this September.

My Morning Jacket and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats are bringing their "Eye To Eye Tour," to TD Pavilion at The Mann in Philadelphia on Sept. 26.

Both bands will play equal-length sets.

Tickets will be available via an artist presale at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Registration is available now online here . Additional presales will continue throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale which begins at 10 a.m. Friday.

Complete details and performance order can be found online here .

"We were lucky enough to see Nathaniel and some of the Night Sweats at Preservation Hall in New Orleans some years ago-our minds were blown, our hearts were opened, and we got swept up in the joy of it all," My Morning Jacket’s Jim James said. "We are so happy to share the stage with these fine folks for a run full of peace, love, music, and fun!"

"We are long-time lovers of My Morning Jacket, and over the years have grown a close friendship," Nathaniel Rateliff said. "It’s so special to become friends with musicians and peers that you admire and we’re looking forward to bringing our love for each other on the road."

My Morning Jacket, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and the non–profit REVERB are partnering on this co-headline tour to reduce the environmental footprint of their tour and take action on the climate crisis. In addition to a comprehensive tour sustainability program and fan Action Village at each show, the bands will be supporting REVERB’s climate portfolio which funds projects that measurably reduce greenhouse gas pollution, address climate justice, and directly decarbonize the music industry. Learn more online here .

The article My Morning Jacket, Nathaniel Rateliff Playing Philadelphia Sept 26 appeared first on Philadelphia Patch .