Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit gave Milwaukee a perfect show

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit routed their Weathervanes Tour to a sold-out crowd at Milwaukee’s Riverside Theater on 09/12/23. The grunge-sounding shoegaze band Wednesday was the opener.

Riverside Theater
This theater seats 2,450, opened in 1928, and is currently leased by The Pabst Theater Group. Throughout the ninety-five years of operation, the Riverside has featured films, concerts, plays, and shows, including the slapstick comedy of The Three Stooges in 1938. I could not even count the number of times I have attended the Riverside Theater for both comedy shows and concerts, while I can let you know Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit gave an absolutely perfect performance on 09/12/13. I am not alone in saying this as I just learned today that my day job boss attended the show, having previously seen Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit several times, and she also thinks it was a perfect show. I also spoke with several audience members after the show and they too opined it was an “absolutely perfect” show!

Wednesday
Formed in 2017 from Asheville, North Carolina, Wednesday consists of members Karly Hartzman (lead vocals/guitar), Jake Lenderman (guitar), Xandy Chelmis (lap steel and pedal steel guitars), Ethan Baechtold (bass), and Alan Miller (drummer). They started their show with an Americana type of vibe when suddenly they moved and stayed into a grunge sound, which I have since learned is of the “shoegaze’ genre. This “shoegaze” genre falls under the “alternative” umbrella and literally includes a lot of members looking down at their shoes during their performance. Sometimes I really wonder who makes these genre names up. When it comes to Wednesday, especially members Jake and Ethan, spent most of their performance “shoegazing” and I am not even sure what to think because as a photographer I enjoy capturing the emotions of the performers’ faces. I really enjoyed Xandy’s playing of both the lap and pedal steel guitars. Karley shared some humorous lyric inspirational stories, including a troubled neighbor and a decent landlord. Karley also sings and screams, and it was her progressively louder screaming that left the audience wondering about Wednesday. My day job boss told me she would check them out again.

The 400 Unit
Named after a mental treatment facility in Florence, Alabama, the current performing members of the 400 Unit are Sadler Vaden (guitar/backup vocals), Derry deBorja (keys/accordion/backup vocals), Chad Gamble (drums/backup vocals), Will Johnson (drums/percussion/guitar/backup vocals) and Anna Butterss (bass/backup vocals).

Weathervanes
As a long-time fan of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, I highly recommend the latest album, Weathervanes, released 06/09/23 through Southeastern Records, and produced by Jason Isbell. This album peaked in the 12th spot on Billboard’s Top 200 on 06/24/23. Of course, I had to purchase this album (two records) on vinyl as part of my preparation for the show (wink). I actually had to stop everything and get the album after giving a first listen on YouTube, because I think it is one of my most favorite of all Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit albums. The songwriting (all songs on this album are written by Jason Isbell) seems even deeper than usual, and I always welcome more depth in our world riddled with shallowness. I am not quite able to tell you which song from this album is my favorite, and that is really my preferred challenge to have with any album. 

10th Anniversary of Southeastern
If you missed Jason Isbell’s Southeastern 2013 release you can pre-order the vinyl reissue release, a 3 CD deluxe box set reissue, or a 4 LP box set reissue on his website as part of the 10th Anniversary celebration. The setlist from the show also included “Stockholm,” “Flying Over Water,” and “Cover Me Up” from Southeastern, and each song received a standing ovation from the Riverside audience.

Nod to Milwaukee’s Kevn Kinney
Kevn Kinney, lead singer/guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire, best known for his band Drivin N Cryin and is also a successful solo artist, is from Milwaukee. Kevn was inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Hall of Fame’s class of 2020. Kevn also wrote “Honeysuckle Blue,” which Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit cover on their Georgia Blue album. On the day of this show, I wished “Honeysuckle Blue ” would make the setlist, not just because I love the song, but also because Jason and the 400 Unit were performing in Kevn’s hometown, and Sadler Vaden was the guitarist in Drivin N Cryin from 2011 to 2013. I was not alone in leaping to my feet just as soon as Jason introduced Sadler Vaden as the singer of “their next song.” By the time they finished, it seemed like everyone else was on their feet with another standing ovation!   

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

If you happened to capture any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see. 

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit SetList
1. When We Were Close (from Weathervanes)
2. Save The World (from Weathervanes)
3. King of Oklahoma (from Weathervanes)
4. Strawberry Woman (from Weathervanes)
5. Alabama Pines (from Here We Rest)
6. Death Wish (from Weathervanes)
7. White Baretta (from Weathervanes)
8. Stockholm (from Southeastern)
9. Flying Over Water (from Southeastern)
10. Middle of the Morning (from Weathervanes)
11. Overseas (from Reunions)
12. Dreamsicle (from Dreamsicle)
13. Honeysuckle Blue (from Georgia Blue – written by Kevn Kinney of Drivin N Cryin)
14. Cast Iron Skillet (from Weathervanes)
15. Miles (from Weathervanes)
16. Cover Me Up (from Southeastern)
Encore
17. 24 Frames (from Something More Than Free)
18. If We Were Vampires (from The Nashville Sound)
19. This Ain’t It (from Weathervanes)

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Tour
https://www.jasonisbell.com/shows

Wednesday
https://www.wednesday.band/