Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires Perform New Album ‘Reunions’ At Brooklyn Bowl Nashville

Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires conducted a livestream set at a (mostly) empty Brooklyn Bowl Nashville on Friday. The husband-and-wife duo performed Isbell’s new album, Reunions, in its entirety to celebrate the album’s release that same day and also delivered a choice cover for the encore. The website FANS streamed the show with proceeds helping Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit crew as well as MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Shires and Isbell took the stage to sporadic applause from presumably close friends and family and Jason joked that “it doesn’t work if you actually cheer.” After introducing the album, the duo — Isbell on acoustic guitar and Shires on fiddle — got into the record’s first track, “What’ve I Done To Help.” The screens above Brooklyn’s Bowl’s signature lanes showed viewers tuning in to the show. Amanda then remarked how she loved to be able to see the fans and floated the idea of doing it in her own I So Lounging livestream. The duo then continued with “Dreamsicle” and the stellar song “Only Children,” after which Isbell talked about working with David Crosby who added his iconic voice to the studio version followed by a great story about Willie Nelson.

Jason then appeared to briefly forget the song order but quickly saved it and the duo headed into “Running With Our Eyes Closed” followed by “River” and “Be Afraid.” Next, Isbell prefaced “St Peter’s Autograph” by remarking that he wrote it after a family friend committed suicide and Shires spoke about a mental illness hotline and mentioned the late great guitarist Neal Casal. Neal and Amanda were friends and Shires contributed to Neal’s 2011 solo record, Sweeten The Distance. “After “It Gets Easier,” Isbell mentioned The 400 Unit and thanked producer Dave Cobb and others involved with the LP ahead of the album’s closing track, “Letting You Go.” To close out the concert, the duo delivered Warren Zevon’s “Mutineer,” the title track to the legendary singer-songwriter’s 1995 album. Shires and Isbell brought the evening to a close with “Cover Me Up” from Jason’s 2013 album, Southeastern.

Watch the entire Reunions performance via Relix along with the encore below:

https://livestream.com/accounts/25472209/events/9127656/videos/206107599