Last time I saw My Morning Jacket live was at SXSW in 2008. At that time they were the critics’ darlings and an industry buzz band that everyone was talking about. Labels had high hopes, record sales hadn’t completely tanked yet, and there was still a bit of optimism that the industry would figure out the digital model.
MMJ was truly coming into their own having recently graduated from the club scene, and thanks to a major label, launched directly into the limelight. I was a casual fan at the time, but what I saw that night changed my life.
This show was otherworldly. There’s really no other way to describe the sheer magnitude of awesomeness that I witnessed. I think it was one of the only shows that I’ve been to where I looked around and the entire crowd had their fucking jaw on the ground in pure awe of what Jim James and his band of gypsies were swirling up on that magnificent stage. It was truly one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever seen before, and I’ve seen thousands.
So the question then becomes, do they still deliver that mind-blowing performance over seven years later? Night one of three at the Masonic last week answered that with a resounding yes.
Unpredictable as always, Jim James opened the set with three acoustic rarities from the band’s impressive catalog. A great way to open the show for the hardcore fans, but for the folks like myself who wanted them to come out swinging and blow the roof off the joint, well, we had to wait until they turned it up to eleven.
My Morning Jacket has amassed a following that falls somewhere between hipster and deadhead. I never really thought of them as a jam band, but I guess somewhere along the way they got looped into that persona. I discovered very quickly that the fans in the front are rabid and passionate about their band. Each person I spoke to was going to be there for all three shows. This is the kind of dedication that not too many bands can even fathom in this day and age, and more importantly, it’s authentic.
If you are looking for a breakdown of the setlist that night, I’m not the right person for that. It’s available on setlist.org of course, but when you go see a band like MMJ, I don’t think you should over-analyze their song choices. I don’t follow the band religiously, so I didn’t know every single number. But that’s the beauty of this band; it’s not a prerequisite that you must celebrate this band’s entire catalog, but instead, anyone who’s a fan of music should be impressed whether it’s their first or twentieth time seeing these guys.
As a photographer this was my first time shooting the band and I was hoping to get a shot or two that captured the energy that I witnessed back at SXSW in 2008. The three song rule prevented me from getting that shot, but what I think I did capture instead was the calm before the storm. A precursor to the sonic fury that would make up this spectacular two-hour plus set.
It may look like the Jim James acoustic show from the photos pulled together here, but that’s what I had to work with.
Bottom line: spectacular show from one of the best touring bands on the planet. Don’t miss this one folks—and if you have a chance to see more than one show, don’t hesitate.
Check out high res photos in the gallery here.
