The critically acclaimed Americana artist Jason Isbell performed recently at the Bell Auditorium. I was happy my ticket had been procured early because, as a fan, I wanted a good seat. As it turned out, I need not worry.
That’s not to say Bell Auditorium was empty, but for an artist of Isbell’s stature, the crowd seemed sparse. And while I initially expected quite the throng, by the time show day arrived I wasn’t surprised that many opted to stay away.
Disappointed? Yes. Surprised? No.
Some of the absences were easily explained. There was a mask-and-immunization mandate in place and for those who have chosen not to receive the COVID vaccine or balk at the idea of three hours rocking the N25, the show was a non-starter. What I found – have always found really – more difficult to understand are those former fans who stayed away because of Isbell’s very public political leanings. The argument – and it is not a new one – is that people want entertainers to entertain and not opine. The argument always opens with the same hypothetical. “Why should I listen to a musician (or actor or artist) talk about politics?”
The answer is the same reason you should listen to anyone talk about politics. Because discussing the state of the union is the right and duty of all Americans – even entertainers.
Of course, the retort to that is that the contract entered when a ticket is purchased is that the entertainer will entertain. There is some truth in that. When a performance becomes a polemic and the entertainer fails to entertain, an audience has every right to turn. But that is not the kind of show Isbell is known for nor is it the show he delivered. It’s a shame more people didn’t turn up to see that for themselves.
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Here’s a few more things that have caught my attention:
Curtis Harding – In a perfect universe, Atlanta-based musician Curtis Harding is already a star. He’s been banging around long enough – showing up alongside Ceelo Green in the early 2000s. He’s certainly got a style and voice, sort of a garage rock Curtis Mayfield that he refers to as ‘slop n’ soul’. But despite famous friends, fans, and collaborators such as the Black Lips and Danger Mouse, he remains far from a household name. Currently, Harding is three records deep into a solo career and so his future remains unwritten. Perhaps he enjoys the kind of deep, but not necessarily wide, fanbase our own late , great Sharon Jones garnered. Perhaps he becomes Prince. Either seems possible. My suggestion – get on the wagon before it gets crowded. It would start with the 2017 release ‘Face Your Fear’ or last fall’s ‘If Words Were Flowers’.
Night Hunter – This 2018 thriller boasts an impressive cast that includes Henry Cavill, Ben Kingsley, Alexandra Daddario, Stanley Tucci and Nathan Fillion. It’s stylishly shot and it’s Manitoba backdrop becomes gives it a unique grittiness. And yet it seems to live in a sort of cinematic purgatory somewhere between obscure and unknown. Perhaps it was underpromoted. It seems likely. Perhaps it underperformed. Again likely. Perhaps studios found it dark and disturbing enough to keep any release limited. That one seems more than likely. Still, if you have the stomach for some significant serial killer twists and turns, Night Hunter is worth a watch. It’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Looking back and looking forward – A few years and a few publications ago, I put together a contest dedicated to local acts making original music. The goal, for me, was simple. Uncover our unheard music and give those performers access to an audience. The contest ran for several years and then, like all things, seemed to have run its course.
But I’ve been thinking about that contest a lot lately. Years have passed and, as they say, everything old is new again. So I’m wondering – is it time for a resurrection? Is this the moment when we give a new generation of artists the opportunity for public appraisal? I think it might be. Watch this space.
Steven Uhles has worked as professional journalist in the Augusta area for 22 years, and his Pop Rocks column ran in The Augusta Chronicle for more than 20. He lives in Evans with his wife, two children and a dog named after Hunter Thompson.
