My Morning Jacket

Tuesday 8th September. Shepherds Bush Empire. My Morning Jacket w/Dawes. It’s been eleven years since we last saw MMJ for some inexplicable reason as they have continued to produce great albums during this time so its with some expectation we come here tonight for the sold out show.

After an eventful journey we arrive at the venue just as Dawes hit the stage. I am not one for support acts usually but Dawes are one of my favourite new bands so tonight promised to be a great double header. As usual they were excellent with a short 45 minute set joined variously by the MMJ guitarist Carl Broemel on sax and then Marcus Mumford for When My Time Comes. A mixed reception from the audience for Mr M but it didn’t detract from a band on the top of its form.

After a short turn around next up it’s My Morning Jacket. Jim James enters stage right to a cacophony of noise and lights looking like a dishevelled Bobby from ‘Sons of Anarchy’ with his wild mass of hair dressed in some form of wizard jacket. There’s no greeting to the crowd and it’s straight into ‘Wordless Chorus’. Over here supporting their excellent new album each song melts into the next with barely a let up. There’s no time for banter and the pace of the show is relentless.

The twin guitar play between James and Broemel is incredible and they rock like the proverbial …… and none more so than when James gets the Flying V out. There’s a slight dip in the show with ‘Steam Engine’ and an elongated ‘Only Memories Remain’ but they’re back with a bang with a five song encore that shakes the Empire to its roots. Taylor Goldsmith and Marcus Mumford join the band for one song that just adds to tidal wave of sound that drowns us downstairs.

It’s exhausting watching these guys go for it and the drummer is completely soaked after his monumental efforts over the past two hours behind his double size kit. James a man of little or no spoken words with the audience saved his incredible voice for the songs.

It’s homeward bound, ears ringing for what was a classic rock gig

My Morning Jacket, or MMJ, are Nashville's finest psychedelic progressive jam rock group. There are a whole lot of other genre descriptors that could be thrown in there as well, but we don't have all day! Simply put: from their debut LP "The Tennessee Fire" to 2011's "Circuital," My Morning Jacket have an impressive body of work. Transforming into a more heavily psychedelic outfit with more reliance on experimental electronics in the past few years, bandleader Jim James has never let the group stagnate. His own solo albums, which are an outlet for softer, more personal songs, echo deeply the whole band's sound.
MMJ is host every year to a massive music retreat for die-hard fans, called One Big Holiday. It's a dream of mine to someday attend, but for now I'm content with having seen them in December of 2012. And what a show it was! Starting out with the most tremendous stage entrance I've ever seen, the theatrics the band is famous for immediately captured the audience, and never let them go. Starting out with the ironically named "Victory Dance," the massive 22-song, 2-set show was a thoroughly evangelizing experience through and through. My favourite song, "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream, Pt. 2" was the closer before the encore, and the way it was delivered with James dancing around the stage, electronics dangling from his neck, frantically pushing buttons like a man trying to diffuse a bomb, was absolutely astonishing. The electricity of the crowd was palpable, and the shared hypnotic state was as mesmerizing as anything else I have been a part of.
Should you see MMJ if you get the chance? Hell yes. Even as a broke college student, I'd pay twice the money again for tickets. 10/10.

My Morning Jacket may have only formed in the late 90's yet they are swiftly and surely approaching their 750th live show. This dedication to touring has seen their music reach a global fanbase and the practice onstage means they are a very well tuned instrumental outfit. The band is held in deity like adoration by the fans and the gigantic roars of excitement almost lift the roof as they step out onto stage beneath the moody lights.

The smoke begins to billow out over the crowd and the ethereal guitar riffs begin punctuated by Jim James' insane vocal. The man can well and truly sing and within the melange of cheers, lights and instrumentals it appears as though the vocal is still the driving force in the show tonight. The audience knows the material well, demonstrating their lyrical knowledge during 'Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2' whilst they chant along to the chorus of 'The Day Is Coming' with their hands high above their heads. The band indulges on an extended jam session during 'One Big Holiday' before closing a well planned set with the punchy 'Anytime'.

My Morning Jacket is an American rock band hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Although only two of the original members remain in the band, which has been performing since 1998, the band nonetheless owns the stage with an incredible presence and confidence that suggests years of expertise. Nothing is lost from this band with the loss of its members and they still shine as bright as ever. With their impressive set list, My Morning Jacket rocks the stage with their psychedelic sound, a sound that matches the eccentric style of the band members themselves. The band opened with the massive ‘Victory Dance’, immediately getting the crowd going. The atmosphere all night was electric and the band was on fire, stirring the crowd into a frenzy as they danced around madly on stage with a whole array of various electronic instruments. From ethereal guitar riffs to Jim James’ powerful vocals, the band had it all and delivered it all in full force. It was one hell of a show and an experience I would recommend to all.

My Morning Jacket brought the energy. They didn't start their portion until almost 10:00, and played nonstop (save for the five minutes before the encore) until after midnight. I mean literally no stopping to talk to the audience of anything. One song after the other. I loved their set list. They played many songs off all their albums. They even did a two-song tribute to Prince, who passed away last week, by playing Raspberry Berret and Purple Rain. My only complaint, and granted I'm old, but the volume was so loud I could barely hear Jim singing most of the time, let alone hear the lyrics. That would be the one thing I would change. MMJ is so good musically, I just wish I could hear it more, but then again, it's a rock and roll concert so I guess that's too be expected. I'd recommend checking them out. Just make sure your babysitter knows you'll be out late.

Wonderful! Even though my seats at Red Rocks were about a mile from the stage, My Morning Jacket put on an energetic and amazing show. They played for well over 2 hours with almost no breaks. Jim James on spoke briefly about the beautiful night and their whole set was epic music. They play very well live and their energy- dancing, head banging, and powerful songs, made it all the better. Even though their new album Waterfall just came out, they played a wide range of their songs, bits and pieces from every album. Brandi Carlise also came on stage briefly to perform with the band.

If writing about music is like dancing about architecture, then I should keep this short: My Morning Jacket is probably one of the best bands you can see live today. They have a big catalog to pull from by now, but you can tell they love playing every single one of their songs, whether it's off their most recent album or it's a decade old. They jam out, but don't go for long enough to lose the average listener's attention. They also seem to really appreciate their fans, and (spoiler alert) Jim James looks amazing in a cape and granny sunglasses.

Bummer because WE WENT TO SEE GARY CLARK JR AND AFTER 2 SONGS THEY TURNEDSIDER MONITORS OFF AND Stage was very dark and fANS VERY RUDE DURING GARY'S PERFORMANCE! I USED TO GO TO Merriweather YEARS AGO AND NOW REAluize why I changed to Wolf trap concerts. We did not stay for Moorning Jacket. We are hoping to catch Gary Clarks show in Selbyville EDE Monday night

AMAZING!!!

Better live than on their records and I mean that as a compliment because their records are fantastic. I'm not sure there are many bands I've seen who outperform my expectations live. Truly a wonderful show. I'll definitely be seeing them next time they're in town.

my favorite band right now! you must listen to all of their songs first before a concert so you know exactly what you're getting yourself into because they are amazing no matter where you stand at the concert. although i would suggest being up front where all the action is. Holaa