An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit • May 5, 2025 • Sandy Amphitheater
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
Summer is close. Do you know how I can tell? The snow is melting, the grass is greener, the temperature is consistently rising, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit have made a tour stop in Utah. Sure, sure, I know that they have made the occasional stop in the fall or winter. But Jason Isbell and his crew in concert has become a summer tradition for their Utah fans. Sandy Amphitheater opened its season two nights of the An Evening With Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Tour. If Sandy Amp was hoping to make a splash by opening their summer concerts with such a popular artist, they were successful. But maybe not in the way they expected.
The weather in May can be a little unpredictable. Such was the cast on Monday, May 5. A storm hit the Salt Lake Valley and it rained constantly most of the day. There were a few breaks in the sky giving me some hope that the skies might clear long enough to stay dry for the concert. I received official word that the show was indeed happening and I made my way to Sandy Amphitheater with a raincoat and a waterproof cover for my camera bag.
I’m pretty sure the only time I stayed dry was when I was taking photos right up against the stage. It was nice to be tucked under the overhang for a few songs. That overhang was essential in making this show happen. The equipment stayed dry and so did the musicians. I was happy to see that we were going to have a show. And when outdoor venues say “Rain or Shine” they mean it. I was grateful there was no lightning in the area. Concerts understandably will be delayed or postponed if that’s the case. This show was happening. And I was beyond excited. Sandy Amphitheater was filled with fans in ponchos and raincoats determined to take in the show no matter what. Jason Isbell fans are dedicated. And it was clear that Isbell appreciated their devotion.
The show opened with “Gravelweed” off of Isbell’s latest album, Foxes in the Snow. That was followed by one of my favorites, “24 Frames”. I think on a normal night, the crowd would have jumped to their feet to get into this song. And some did. But I think it was understandable that most stayed in their seats trying to stay dry. There was visible movement throughout the crowd so it was obvious that, like me, they were still very much into this song.
Very often, when an artist performs an “Evening With…” type show it means it’ll be a little different than their typical tour. It usually means that there is no opener. Which was the case with this show. It also means that a show like this is intended for their true fans, not necessarily looking for all the hits, but for whatever the artist wants to share with their fans on a particular night. Such was the case with this concert. Jason Isbell laced plenty of his fan favorites throughout the night, but the focus was clearly on Foxes in the Snow, and Weathervanes, his 2023 release with the 400 Unit.
Songs like “Crimson and Clay”, and “Bury Me” sounded great with a full band. “Stockholm” and “Strawberry Woman” sounded great. I looked around and it didn’t matter if it was a brand new song or a song that’s been around for a while like, “Traveling Alone” off of 2013’s Southeastern, people were singing every word. Isbell told us, “We’re going to have a good time tonight. No matter what! Under any and all circumstances. Because we’re tough. You guys are tough. You’ve got ponchos. That means you’re tough. Where I’m from, if you’ve got a poncho, that means you’re a tough son of a bitch. Thank y’all very much. I appreciate you all coming tonight.
In what I believe is a concert first for me, and what sounds like a first for Jason. Following “Traveling Alone,” Isbell said “I’m going to do something that I never do. I’m going to take a five-minute pause because I have to pee. So, since the vibe is already weird as f*ck, I’m just going to go pee and then I’m going to come back. We’re going to play a bunch more songs. So if you need to go pee, you know, you probably could go right where you’re sitting and nobody would know the difference. But now is the time.” It was a pretty funny moment. Sure enough, he came back and they played a lot more songs.
Following the impromptu pee break, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit played another crowd favorite, “Alabama Pines”. He surprised the audience by playing “Decoration Day” a song by The Drive-By Truckers. The band where we were first introduced to Jason Isbell. The song sounded amazing. The talent of the 400 Unit was on full display. This band is one of the most talented groups of musicians that I’ve ever seen. Every time they come here I enjoy watching them interact with each other and the seamless nature of the way they play.
The Drive-By Truckers song was sandwiched between two heavy hitters. Heavy in multiple ways. “Elephant” and “Vampires” are two extremely beautiful songs. But they are so heavy in their subject matter. The messages and stories that Jason Isbell tells through these songs are done in a way that makes you so excited and delighted to hear the songs, due to their melody and turns of phrase, yet they sit with you in a sadness that only a good song can bring you to. These songs are masterpieces. I’m glad he included them in the set.
Despite sitting for over two hours in the rain, the show seemed to fly by. When Isbell and Co. played “This Ain’t It” for their main set closer, I was shocked that we had already reached the encore. People stayed the whole show. I was so impressed with how little the rain dampened our night. This crowd was totally game. They didn’t care about the conditions. They just wanted to see the show. At one point Isbell stated, “You might have noticed we’ve been playing new songs. “We’ve been playing old songs.” A fan shouted out, “We like all the songs!” And it was very obvious to me that this was the case.
Jason Isbell returned to the stage with guitarist, Sadler Vaden to perform “Ride to Robert’s”. The two of them playing together was something to behold. I’m so impressed with the way they play guitar. The rest of the band returned to play, “True Believer” and “King of Oklahoma” to finish off the night. Another amazing concert at Sandy Amphitheater and another amazing concert by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. He never ceases to impress. Both with his songwriting, his singing, and of course his spectacular guitar playing.
Glaringly missing from the set was “Cover Me Up”. I’m sure there was some disappointment in not getting to hear this song live. I’ll admit, it’s a song I look forward to hearing. But as I mentioned, when I saw that this was going to be an “Evening With’’ type show, I knew there would be some songs left off of the setlist that we might normally hear. And of course, there were so many songs I would have loved to have heard.
However, this was a night to celebrate the last two albums in the Isbell catalog. And we did. I looked at past setlists and it looks like “Cover Me Up” is not being performed on this tour. At least not so far. And that’s ok. I’m sure he’ll do it again. If you’re going to an upcoming show, embrace the songs that you get to hear and I guarantee you’ll have an awesome time.