My Isbell Contest Story

February 9, 2018 by Alison Mazer

Arrival ! / photo by Alison Mazer

On Friday afternoon, Brooklyn Roads Magazine reached out to let me know that I had won tickets to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit show at the Kings Theater. My first thought was “I love Amanda Shires voice and her fiddle!” For me, the best part of Isbell’s 400 Unit is Shires.

Our seats were great: box seats that came with free monogrammed M&M’s. For the first 6 songs, the mix was unbalanced and house right (where I was) heard mostly distorted bass. I wasn’t able to hear Shires’ fiddle, which was disappointing, until “Last of My Kind”, which featured Shires and Sadler Vaden dueling on fiddle and electric guitar.

Winning Ticket ! / photo by Alison Mazer

Songs about being in recovery seemed to get the biggest hand and the huge orchestra section stood and many sang along for much of the night. In several songs Isbell is in a bar, talking to a woman who has cancer, hating the cover band who he says is faking it. The stories he tells are sad and relatable. He doesn’t want to die in a “Super 8” motel.

The best songs of the night were saved for the encore. “Anxiety” began with a raucous, heavy, instrumental intro-the noisiest, most suffering music played all evening. It is a plainly honest song that surprised me; its everydayness was refreshing and also surprising. I am long accustomed to hearing less honest, less naked songs. Who has ever put the word anxiety in a song? Unreal.

Lastly, “If We Were Vampires”, a song with a heart-wrenching look at the inevitability of death in a marriage. Again, Isbell’s blatant honesty and verbalization of realities that I almost never hear in songs, or in conversation, also rang true.

I left the beautiful theater feeling the sadness and pain in Isbell’s songs and at the same time singing the hook from “Anxiety” over and over, out loud.

Thanks Brooklyn Roads!

Artists on our Radar

Ricky Stein: Texas Roots in Brooklyn

Ricky Stein/ photo courtesy of the artist

If you’re looking for music inspired by New York City with a Texan flare, look no further than Ricky Stein, a Brooklyn-based artist originally from Austin, Texas. Stein is a singer-songwriter whose music is grounded by a combination of his upbringing in Texas and his present life in the bustling streets of New York City and Downtown Brooklyn. Stein has an impressive discography of singles and albums, and since moving to New York City in August 2016, he has released a full album, “Long Summer” and many singles. Stein’s music is best defined as Americana and roots, with folk-infused acoustic and electric guitars, and his lyrics paint vivid images of nature and life. The listener feels connected to Stein, as his musical stylings resemble talent from the likes of John Prine and Bonnie Raitt. His most recent single, “Passenger,” highlights Stein’s talents with a strong harmonica section. The song’s instrumentation and structure is built on one verse, which compliments the song’s message about the uncertainty and ominousness of being a passenger on a long journey. Another standout, “Street Lights,” is a lighthearted commentary on the comfort of hope, the street lights representing persistent light even in the dead of night. Stein’s live performances are carefully tailored, his sets performed at local venues in Brooklyn like Pete’s Candy Store and many other venues known to support live roots and country music. His talents are always showcased, whether performing a solo show with a guitar and harmonica or being supported by a full band. Stein’s upcoming months are packed with performances at many venues, including Saturday, January 11th at Skinny Dennis Bar in Williamsburg and Friday, March 7th at Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook. You won’t want to miss it!

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