As the snow melts and hints of spring begin to creep in, more and more concerts begin to emerge in Cleveland. Our music season has officially begun to defrost, and Cleverock’s busy season will be here before we know it! While Team CleveRock has been at Playhouse Square a handful of times in the last few months, this time it was a visit for something other than a musical or play. Instead, it was a night of incredible folk, country, and rock music all blended into one. While the stage at Playhouse Square has been graced by endless talent over the years, it feels rare for a concert to come through this iconic complex, making it even more special when one gets to experience a show as wonderful as Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit in this incredible space.
Jason Isbell is no stranger to Northeast Ohio, making a point to stop here many times over the last few years. He recently appeared at Akron Civic Theatre and Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. Tonight, Isbell and the 400 Unit once again found a stage in the area to bring an outstanding night of music and memories. At one point, Isbell even recounted a show at the Beachland Tavern many years ago, where someone (no names named) in the band put a good-sized hole in the floor trying to break a Japanese guitar. When people cheered, he laughed and said, “I know a few of you were there, but not that many.” While no guitar-smashing was attempted tonight, it was no less memorable!
Tonight, Isbell wanted to make sure people lived in the moment and remembered the show. He requested that no phones be used during the show. Signs were posted, and an announcement was made asking fans to put their phones away and to simply sit and enjoy the music. As someone who has been to hundreds of shows, I rarely see artists doing this, but I am thankful Isbell and the band pushed this. It allowed for the perfect night to relax, be present, and be fully immersed in the music.
Early on in the show, Isbell explained that while he released a solo album, ‘Foxes in the Snow’, in March of 2025, the 400 unit is between albums right now, having not released anything since ‘Weathervanes’ in 2023. To him and the band, he said this meant, “…we can kinda play whatever we want!” And, to the crowd’s delight, they covered a wide span of Isbell’s discography, from solo music to his former project, Drive-By Truckers, and everything in between. As someone who has been to a 400 Unit show before, I knew this meant that no two shows on this tour would be alike. While fan favorites would be played consistently, the set order would be unique for every crowd, with songs constantly being swapped out to make a truly unique show every night.
Though ‘Foxes in the Snow’ is an entirely acoustic, solo album, the 400 Unit reimagined the songs as a full band, bringing new life and sound to them. They opened the show with an edgier version of “Crimson and Clay” and later performed full-band versions of “Bury Me” and “True Believer.” Despite the songs having a fuller sound with the band, they still felt intimate to hear live. The songs on “Foxes in the Snow” are full of deep emotion and feel like Isbell is exposing his heart and mind to listeners in a very vulnerable way. One thing about Jason Isbell concerts, whether it is him solo or with the 400 Unit, you’re getting a night strictly for the music. The songs speak for themselves. Isbell shares his life, feelings, and experience through his work rather than telling stories on stage. ‘Foxes in the Snow‘ was a deeply personal album for Isbell, and hearing music like that live is such a special experience. As a fan, his music has such specific moments and lines to grasp and hold onto that, as much as I would have loved to record videos of my favorite lyrics, living in the moment and not being on my phone made the night all the more special.
Every song flowed seamlessly together – showcasing Isbell’s talent as both a songwriter and performer. Whether he was playing “Decoration Day” from 2003 or “Dreamsicle” from 2020, the songs had a power and a story that only Isbell can provide. Notable favorites were “Ride to Roberts” (the first song of the encore) with just Isbell and his guitar player, Sadler Vaden, on dueling acoustic guitars, as well as one of Isbell’s most popular songs, “Cover Me Up,” which sounds even more stunning with a full band behind him. Some surprise numbers thrown in there were “Chaos and Clothes” from the 2017 album ‘The Nashville Sound’ and “Streetlights” from their 2009 self-titled album, both of which I have rarely, if ever, seen on a setlist. This tour really is about making and sharing music, so experimenting with new and old songs is the perfect way to highlight the incredible talent of this group of musicians.
Notorious for throwing covers into their tours, particularly of classic rock songs, “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” by The Rolling Stones was the song of choice, giving the band an opportunity to really show off their talents with a roughly 10-minute instrumental break for everyone to rock out. A country folk band? Maybe, but that does not define this group for one second.
Seeing performers with such musicianship and a passion for the art is truly an unforgettable experience. Though the audience may not have blurry photos and iPhone concert videos to remember the night, they have the memory of seeing an incredible artist sing songs that mean something to him. I think I’d take that over some cell phone pictures any day.
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