Show Review: Jason Isbell Durham Performing Arts Center (January 14, 2026)
I once read that Jason Isbell purposefully overproduced his early solo records because he didn’t think he had a good singing voice, and he wanted to paper it over with layers of sound. At that time, he probably wouldn’t have had a lot of confidence in doing a solo tour, just him and an acoustic guitar. But at Durham Performing Arts Center last Wednesday, Isbell was in complete command: of the guitar, of his voice, and of the crowd.
He requested that people in the audience keep their phones away, and, to my surprise, people did. What a refreshing experience to really be able to listen without that mediated view of dozens of small screens. And it’s not just a curmudgeonly annoyance at other people–I am sometimes tempted to record part of a song that is really affecting me, and, in that process, I step out of the experience. So, it was really a beautiful thing that people just kept their phones away simply because the artist asked.
I expected the set list to be heavy on Jason’s latest record, Foxes in the Snow, because that album is just him and a guitar. However, he started with “Dreamsicle,” followed by “24 Frames,” and “Songs That She Sang in the Shower,” and he played up and down his catalogue, including songs from his time in The Drive-By Truckers, without really favoring the new album. In total, he played four songs from Foxes, and they all felt like songs that fit right in with the rich collection he has built. “Eileen” was gorgeous, and he ended the show with “True Believer.”
I was especially excited to hear songs like “Middle of the Morning,” and “King of Oklahoma,” which are big, electric numbers; hearing them in this setting underscored the intimacy of the stories in those songs. The acoustic renditions highlighted the vulnerable, searching lyrics of those songs in a way that can be overshadowed by a blistering guitar riff. Equally, he was able to explore some songs on the acoustic guitar with interesting chord shapes and runs that came through clear as a bell in the pin-drop quiet room. “Elephant,” was one with some added touches that only amplified the grief and helplessness, and humor in spite of the grief and helplessness, at the core of that song.
Jason’s cover of “Sunshine,” by the late Todd Snider was very special. Todd’s version is self-deprecating, but Jason’s approach was more earnest, and it was a really beautiful way to pay tribute to Todd, a songwriter’s songwriter. After the song, Jason said that Todd’s songs have the ability to make him feel so many different emotions at the exact same time. It was a touching moment of tribute to a songwriter I think many people in the audience will be discovering, thanks to Jason introducing them to his music so beautifully.
The solo set gave Jason a little more space to tell stories too, and he explained where he was when he wrote certain songs, or the intricacies involved in starting the car that inspired “White Beretta.” He was funny and the banter between songs drew the audience in more.
I loved this show so much I actually looked up tickets to see him again in Charlotte two nights later. Reason took hold, and I decided against the two hour drive. But I know I wouldn’t have regretted it. It was one of the best nights of music I’ve had in a while, and if you can catch this tour, it’s worth whatever drive you have to make to be there.
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