#this turned into a set breakdown as well as a guitar manifesto

[prettyinpunk]

a ridiculously detailed catalogue of matt's guitars for my show*! aka a collection for people who have maybe an unhealthy obsession with Manson guitars

*4/14/23; in order of how excited i was to see them! this isn't necessarily a ranking of how cool i think these guitars are! this ranking is based purely on the amount of deadly chemicals released by my brain upon seeing them.

#10 Matt Black FR(Matt Black Whammy)/Chrome FR(Chrome Whammy)

i'm pairing them first since they're almost identical in build(though the MBFR is in drop D) and i was expecting to see both of them/have seen them used in past shows :)

Chrome Whammy also gets used the most in this era and both of them have given me so much grief when trying to identify these guitars. the dark chrome finish looks SO much like the Matt Black FR under certain stage lighting and it's nearly impossible to tell them apart by hardware, there've been so many times when i confidently think oh hey he's using the Matt Black Whammy but no its Chrome FR. and vice versa. even at certain points during the actual concert i was second guessing myself, they make me feel delusional.

used for: MBFR: Psycho; Chrome Whammy: WOTP, (Interlude)Hysteria, Compliance, Thought Contagion, KOC

#9 Matt Black 3.0

i was excited to see her with visible wear and tear from the obvious, so much so that i specifically took a picture of the broken headstock foregoing any attempt at pretending matt was supposed to be the subject of the picture.

used for: WAFF

#8 M1D1 Stealth

even knowing i would see her, i just got so excited about the kaoss pad. as one does. its a special little joy to see hardware thats so uniquely Muse. like in what other performance are you going to get to see a kaoss pad in a guitar(or bass)!

this picture is a screenshot from my video because ngl most of my image capture for SBH was spent filming dom. for a friend.

used for: SBH

#7 MB-1 Blue(Blue Steel/Blue Beast)

i just think she's sooooo pretty, the blue is such a beautifully rich shade and i love the gloss finish, as much as i love the play on "matt" with the matte guitars, i'm weak to pretty shiny things. it was also so exciting to see her because i really wanted them to play Resistance and when i saw matt with the MB-1 Blue i knew they were going to! (barring the fact that they were alternating every night and i knew that night it was Resistance's turn, for some reason i was still worried we wouldn't get it lmao) i did accidentally call her Bluebell at the time though. which i don't think has been used at all this tour(🥲).

TIRO, Resistance, Madness

#6 Oryx

somehow i neglected to take a picture of her specifically??? i'm really kicking myself because i didn't get any closeups during WSD or KOBK but the whole time i was holding my tongue from talking about her during the show 😭 because who in their right mind wants to hear some random screaming fan yelling about how the Oryx is matt's first Manson with 24 frets during the show 💀 i did get to see him use it earlier this year at my last Muse show which is why i've put it before my #5. but she is so unique and interesting, there are so many cool fun facts about her! i don't know how i didn't get a good shot, i was probably too busy headbanging.

i did get this pretty cool picture from KOBK though 🥲

used for: WSD, KOBK

#5 MB-S Prototype(Verona Sky)

to finish off the trifecta of newbies(2022/2023 additions, barring remodels)! suuuuch a beauty and makes watching Verona just that much more magical! a brand new Manson special for the WOTP era for the most tender moments of the show <3. both Verona and TDS instrumental have a dreamlike energy live, which to me is elevated by the MB-S in her beautiful sunburst orange and strat-style shape. matt was pretty far from us while perched on will's shoulder so i didn't get a great pic of it but i tried! its just such a gentle, almost pensive little moment in the set between two heavy bangers(WAFF/SBH) which i love, it feels oddly intimate in spite of being in a full arena as matt coaxes each note out of the MB-S and it echoes into the open space.

here she is pre and post-confetti shower(she did not come through unscathed)!

used for: Verona, TDS(AR)

#4 Red Alert

since there are three red guitars in use for Uprising this tour, i really didn't know which one we were going to get! the last time i saw them in january, matt used the MA EVO Sustainiac Satin Fire Red, which is fun, but like the other Fire Red, has a matt(e) finish. i was really hoping we would get to see Red Alert and we did!!! she looks like cherry candy i need to take a bite. uh, that is to say. she's very pretty and my eyes sparkle in her presence. and she has a special name which is always important to me. i wouldn't say Red Alert ranks higher than some of the other beauties on this list in terms of how cool i think they are, but since there wasn't a guarantee we'd get to see it, it ranks highly here!

used for: Uprising

#3 Mirror 2.0

notoriously a nightmare to get a good picture of live, what with the whole... mirror finish and all, here she is!! our beloved veteran of the lineup, Mirror Manson <3. what a joy to see her, even though she's not the original. i couldn't confirm which Mirror he was using at the time since they're almost identical, but the fuzz factory knobs are slightly further apart than the OG, and 2.0 is fit with a MBK-1 on the bridge rather than the original Mississippi Queen P90s. not sure if Chrome Fuzz is in the rig for this leg, but theoretically she also had potential to be used here in place of the Mirror, so another happy slight surprise there for Mirror enjoyers. it really is another special little joy to see and hear Plug in Baby with such an iconic guitar, and especially when we get to play call and response with the fuzz factory!

used for: PIB

#2 Chrome Whammy 2.0

now i know it seems like an odd choice to put her here especially considering i had Chrome FR as my #10, but let me explain.

YMMFLIH is one of my favorites on WOTP so as it is, i was already losing it from the moment matt sat down to play the intro(WHICH IM CRAZY ABOUT). about halfway through the second verse, i regained enough mental consciousness to realize matt was using the new Manson Origin Etch pickups on the bridge!!! this was a huge surprise since MuseWiki isn't updated and i had been totally drooling over the pickups on instagram for weeks(months??)(<- still has never touched an electric guitar) so getting to see them in person and being used on stage was SO EXCITING!!! unfortunately by the time i realized, i wasn't able to get a clear picture of the bridge since matt was playing the final chorus. thus began the search for my new white whale.

after the concert, i scoured my pictures and videos for a shot of it, confident that i saw it during Halloween and on the Chrome Whammy. i looked at every picture i had, but found that all my pictures of the Chrome Whammy just had the MBK-2 humbucker on the bridge, so i thought maybe i made my usual mistake and thought it was Chrome when it was actually Matt Black. i checked my pictures of her too and it was the same so at that point i felt like i was going completely mental. i checked every video and picture from the Muse instagram with manic obsession and could only find a tiny glimpse of it in one of the mini clips from a concert reel.

i went back to MuseWiki to see if i could find it there and thats when i realized. it wasn't Chrome Whammy. it was Chrome Whammy 2.0.

live reaction to this realization:

in hindsight i should've realized the guitar matt was using for Halloween had a humbucker on the neck instead of a single coil Sustainiac which is a dead giveaway, hence the above reaction. the problem still remained though, i had no photographic evidence. though MuseWiki reminded me it was 2.0, it still says the bridge is a MBK-2 and the pictures remain un-updated. i had confirmed for now that i was not delusional, but i still didn't have a picture and i wanted so desperately to talk about it. but then my savior appeared right under my nose. my dear friend @domwhoreward found this picture from one of her shows and i was FINALLY VINDICATED!!! HERE SHE IS IN ALL HER GLORY!!!

used for: YMMFLIH

anyway. that brings us to...

#1 HOLOFLAKE MY BELOVED

words cannot describe how absolutely insane i went when i saw her!!! Holoflake is my favorite guitar currently in use(though it's very close with the Black 7-String 2.0), i just love the glittery, glossy black finish so much, it's so pretty!! not only that, but the only song it's being used for this tour is MOTP, the one song i wanted to hear MOST out of all the songs on rotation and one of my favorite muse songs of all time!! it was such a personal moment for me because if they hadn't played MOTP, we wouldn't have gotten to see Holoflake at all. this was my most special moment from my show, i think the guy next to me probably wished i was dead though. this is once again a screenshot of my video since i spent most of it in a manic panic screaming crying and throwing up. its a miracle i was even still alive after that. or anyone within a 5ft radius.

used for: MOTP <3

[joel-tann]

Bloodied/Unbowed - A Review (Of Sorts)

It's been six years since we last heard new music from Oh, Sleeper, and longer still since the band released their previous full-length album, Children of Fire, in 2011. In that interval the band apparently came close to calling it quits altogether, with guitarist and clean vocalist Shane Blay taking time off to perform with his side project Wovenwar, lead vocalist Micah Kinard exploring a career in real estate, and the remaining members of the band going their separate ways for some time. And yet, on the back of a couple tours and an agonisingly slow trickle of singles, Oh, Sleeper have unequivocally asserted their place in the heavy music scene once again with one of their most compelling releases to date, Bloodied/Unbowed.

Oh, Sleeper's discography has so far been comprised almost entirely of concept albums, from the universal struggle between God and Lucifer on Son of the Morning, to the microcosm of vengeance and mercy in response to evil expressed in Children of Fire's Father/Daughter narrative. In this respect Bloodied/Unbowed is no different. Continuing the story established on the band's 2013 EP, Titan, the album's lyrics explore themes of individualism, faith and the human condition, as well as the personal struggles of the band members over the years, through the metaphor of a dystopian transhumanist future in which resistance fighters battle a powerful corporation for control of their own bodies. Clearly, there's a lot to unpack here, so let's get into it.

The album's blistering first act opens with Let it Wave, a bold manifesto for the resistance, which segues seamlessly into its second track Decimation & Burial. Both these songs tread familiar Oh, Sleeper territory in their heavy use of military imagery, and serve to establish the ideal of the rebel soldier, the fearless lone warrior whose survival depends on his own effort and whose worth is determined by his courage in battle. The album's strongest lyrical ties to the Titan EP are found here; from the doubling down on the theme of militant individualism established on The Rise, to lyrics about "a flawless blade" which tells "no stories" echoing Titan's lament for a "sword that sees no war", and praise for battered armour that "speaks of blows received standing for honour", to Decimation and Burial's opening lyric "The blind don't rely on the light, they just fight/I curse my sight", a nod to Titan's protagonist, who ultimately carves out his bionic eyes as a symbol of resistance.

Musically, the opening tracks are classic Oh, Sleeper at their absolute best. Blay's frantic, chromatic guitar parts create a palpable sense of tension and urgency, alternately complementing and contrasting with the equally hectic, driving rhythms fans have come to expect from drummer Zac Mayfield. The production values are phenomenal as well - the mixing on these tracks is easily some of the best in Oh, Sleeper's already respectable catalogue.

A noticeable shift in tone occurs over the subsequent tracks, as the brash call to arms we've heard so far collides uncomfortably with the gritty reality of conflict on Fissure (Do Not Revive Me). "The desperate/They can learn from the fall/We could catch them/But it's not what they want" Kinard screams in the song's second verse. Once again, there's a lyrical parallel here with Oh, Sleeper's earlier work, this time a reference to Claws of a God's chorus "Keep close things you learned from the fall/Cast your wounds to heal without flaw". Yet, there's a point of contrast - while Claws of a God pleads with its subject to embrace the healing that comes from acknowledging the error of his ways and accepting the help offered to him, the defiant self-reliance of Fissure's wounded warriors leads them to reject life-saving aid even in the face of death.

There's also potentially some pretty heavy spiritual themes on this track, so this seems as good a point as any to talk a bit about one of the elements that makes Oh, Sleeper's songwriting so great - the dynamic interaction between the worldviews of Shane Blay, who is atheist, and Micah Kinard, a professing Christian. In addition to sharing vocal duties, Blay and Kinard also co-write most of the band's lyrics, resulting in songs which often feature profound, almost conversational exchanges around the themes of faith and doubt, belief, and unbelief. While this has created issues for listeners seeking to pigeonhole the band into the "Christian" or "secular" categories, Kinard and Blay's genuine, heart-felt presentation of the perspectives of believer and skeptic alike is refreshing in a genre often characterised by views which are either totally hostile or entirely favourable towards religion.

Given the history of Blay's songwriting and his prominent vocal role on the track, there's a fair argument to be made that Fissure's imagery of battlefield medics and wounded soldiers serves as a metaphor for God and humanity, with its central theme of refusing medical care representing a rejection of the Christian faith and its promises of resurrection and new life. This is perhaps most clearly expressed in the song's chorus, in which Blay sings: "Are you the one to raise the dead in me?/I'll give you anything/Let's start with my body/I hear you chasing, don't give up on me/But if you reach me/Oh, do not revive me".

Speaking of Blay, Kinard is on the record as stating that the next track, Of Bane & Disease, was inspired by his experiences leaving Oh, Sleeper to tour and record with Wovenwar. Through the imagery of a lone, war-weary soldier breaking ranks to fight under his own banner, Blay asserts himself, defying his critics: "I alone in the scar-crossed armour/Running back to the line we left/I'd never leave, so far from over/I'll fly my own crest". Once again, the music on this track does an excellent job of fitting the mood set by the lyrics, as chugging guitars and driving percussion give way to a poignant, minimally accompanied guitar solo to close out the song's bridge. The rarity of this kind of instrumentation on an Oh, Sleeper track really serves to emphasise the significance of the "lone warrior" image, and makes this song really stand out as a highlight of the record.

Of Bane & Disease's mellow climax sets the listener up for the transition into Bloodied/Unbowed's second act, beginning with the ambient opening of Two Ships. Here, the military theme of the first four tracks is replaced with nautical imagery, as Blay and Kinard launch into what is arguably the album's most overtly spiritual song. Two Ships appears to be written from the perspective of God, and its place in the album's tracklist makes it feel like a response to both Fissure's wounded soldiers and Of Bane & Disease's defiant lone warrior, which makes even more sense if we understand these characters as a metaphor for Blay's own experiences. The titular ships, "Passing in the night/One gilded with gold/One slowed from the cold", appear to represent the disconnect between Blay and the God who is supposedly close at hand and yet remains invisible to him.

The final verse of Two Ships abruptly builds from the relative minimalism we have heard so far to a climactic, full-band breakdown, during the first half of which Kinard trades his usual mid-range screaming for deep, guttural growls. The musical contrast is at once jarring and familiar, and makes the song feel like something of a sequel, both musically and thematically, to Reveries of Flight from Son of the Morning. "Set your sight on me", Kinard finally pleads, as though on behalf of God, "But if you never turn and face me/You'll live adrift alone/Live your life in the night/And die with my light sitting right beside you". It's an intense conclusion to an extremely poignant song, which effectively sets the scene for the tracks to follow.

The centrepiece of Bloodied/Unbowed's second act, The Island, carries on the nautical theme established on Two Ships, in a song Kinard describes as having been inspired by his experience trying to create a new life for himself on his own terms during the band's hiatus. Kinard's frustration, determination and desire for control take centre stage here, as he screams: "We built this ship from the wreckage/Now I'm gonna build my own damn throne/Even if I have to melt the one we built to make one".

On another level, The Island's hook "No gods/No masters" also functions as a clear rejection of the spiritual challenge expressed on Two Ships, reaffirming the defiant individualism of the album's first act. Even in the midst of this defiance, however, there still remains a sense of tension, clearly articulated by Blay in the song's clean-sung chorus "Why leave the fire to chase an ember?/Why would you sunder your mast for tinder?". Where is the wisdom, Blay contends, in abandoning something you love and have worked hard to build, whether that be your career, your faith, or anything else of value, just for the sake of your pride? "That life is over, it's over", Kinard replies.

Blay's words of caution appear to have been on the mark, if the following track, Mutinous, is anything to go by. Once again we find ourselves aboard a ship, but this one is lost at sea, set adrift by its crew in defiance of its captain, caught in the tension between the mutineers' insatiable lust for power, and their growing recognition that their attempts to take control have sent them terrifyingly off course. Once again, significant parallels between the song's narrative, Kinard's life, and Christian theology start to emerge. "We made a monster of Him/Deserter of you/Impostor of me/Bastard of our dreams" - in taking hold of power out of self-interest, the mutineers, Kinard, and the unrepentant sinner alike ultimately end up corrupting their view of God, of others, of themselves, and even the very goals they set out to pursue. Ultimately, each ends up paralysed by their own choices; caught between his raging desires and their looming consequences, Kinard manically snarls "I'd rather die than to give up control/Why the hell did we ever take the wheel?".

Here we enter the climax of the album, and at the outset of its final act a blistering breakdown signals the beginning of Pulse Over Throne, Bloodied/Unbowed's eighth track. Short, brutal and powerful, Pulse Over Throne sets the scene for the fury to come as the rebel soldiers from the album's first act descend into their most primal nature, becoming more beast than human. The song references several past Oh, Sleeper tracks, including We Are The Archers, Children of Fire, and The Fire Dawn, in the line "We are the moving wall, the armoured march/The archers, the medics, the fire-born resistance/Immortal, we'll face them one on one thousand". However, we see the meaning of the original lyrics subverted in a twist echoing Romans 1:23 - "They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things." - as words which once referred to the armies of Heaven are used to describe "Men evolving to gods" through regression into an animalistic killing frenzy.

That frenzy is unleashed on Oxygen, as the armies of the resistance clash with their transhumanist foes. "If it blocks your path, burn it down/Pile it on, I'll burn it all/Fire crawls any wall in its way/So when there's nothing left to burn/I'll set myself ablaze", Kinard growls, vividly depicting the suicidal ferocity of beast against machine. With lyrics like "Black out the sun/You'll see I can be the light", and the repeated line from the previous song "Tonight, on hell we dine", the album's climax consciously conjures up images from popular depictions of the three hundred Spartans, outmatched but defiant, bloodied but unbowed, ready to fight and die in a blaze of glory.

Not only is Oxygen lyrically epic, it's also musically phenomenal. Though Mayfield's drumming absolutely shines throughout the album, his performance on Oxygen, particularly the seamless switches between emphasis on either the up- or down-beats at different stages in the song's verses, stands out as a real musical high point, building tension, keeping the listener from getting too comfortable, and providing the perfect complement to Blay's relentless riffs and Kinard's downright bloodthirsty screaming.

And just like that, it's over. The dust settles on the battlefield, smoke rises from the banners of both armies annihilated in the fray, and Blay is left to sing against a musical backdrop of symphonic swells, from the perspective of a dying soldier overlooking the carnage. The Summit is an opportunity to reflect on the ultimate futility of the conflict the album has been building towards. "I hear they could see the fire for miles", Blay muses "But I don't know, if you'd known the cost, if you'd ever light it/If you knew you'd die alone, would you ever stand to fight?".

In a sense, The Summit views the whole narrative arc of Bloodied/Unbowed through the lens of the Sisyphean struggle, a picture of humanity in the absence of God, seeking to create meaning out of ultimately meaningless things. "Every man has a mountain/And every day is spent climbing", Blay reflects, observing that reaching the peak of his mountain brings no more satisfaction than the struggle to reach it, and inevitably leads to the desire to return to the bottom, a cycle to be repeated until death. There is no true hope to be found in this view of things, but without the means to believe in the transcendent, Blay is left alone to contend with the Absurd.

It's an evocative closer to a powerful album, brought even closer to home by the bridge: "I don't want to close our eyes/I don't want to go our separate ways/I don't want the story that brought us here to end today". If these lyrics are, as I suspect, an expression of hope for the future of the band, then count me among the many fans who want to echo that. Oh, Sleeper, it's good to have you back.

[themusicenthusiast]

Saturday, May 19th, 2018 – Shooter Jennings Previews New Tunes Amid Fan Favorites while Helping Rockwall Celebrate Founder’s Day

Apparently, Rockwall, Texas is the free live music capital of North Texas. I’ll confess, that’s a fact I was unaware of; and as the city prepared to mark another year since it was established, they were going all out. An event where Rockwall natives and residents can celebrate their city, the annual Founder’s Day seemed like the ideal family friendly event. Taking place at Harry Myers Park, it allowed for the event to feel somewhat secluded, despite it not being too far away from the downtown area. From the sprawling grounds where kids could play, to other activities set up around the park and plenty of food vendors and trucks, Founder’s Day had a little bit of everything to offer. In a way it was rather quaint, capturing the idealistic small-town aura, most everyone there seeming to know one another, while also being accommodating to other North Texas residents who decided to seize the opportunity and explore a side of Rockwall they may not have known existed. And, of course, there was live music. A day full of it, a handful of local artists playing from the morning through the afternoon, setting up the two headline caliber acts that the city had tapped to perform this year. The first of those was Shooter Jennings. A substantial amount of people had gathered on the hilly patch of land that overlooked the main stage, few people being able to turn down a free event; the throng of attendees applauding once city officials introduced Jennings and company. “How you doing, Rockwall? Happy birthday.” That was greeting Jennings extended as he and his band mates kicked off their set, one that would be just as long as the act they were setting the stage for.

The sun beginning to set, it was still beating down on everyone. “How y’all doing out in the heat?” Jennings asked after their opener, sounding genuinely concerned about everyone. “Yeah, it’s hot as hell. But we’re here to have a good time,” he remarked as they continued working to make that good time a reality. One so good that patrons could kind of forget about the intensity of the heat. Jennings’ wore his heart on his sleeve this night, such as owning the outlaw country mentality by including some songs that expressed his feelings (and more touched on the reality) regarding the current state of Nashville and country music. “Well, I been sinking like a rock in this high society, 'cause all that means so much to them, don't mean shit to me…” That opening line of “Solid Country Gold” sums up the track perfectly, and it was paired nicely with “The Outsider", a seamless transition making each feel as if they were part of the same story. The first setting up the feeling of disconnect, while the latter was all about embracing it. Surrounded by a guitarist, bassist, drummer and a fiddle player (‘cause if you’re going to play in Texas…), Jennings and his band mates continued tearing through the set list, next touching on a couple of offerings from Electric Rodeo. The avid fans in attendance were overjoyed to hear the gorgeous “Gone To Carolina”, some cheers erupting once they recognized it. A fine blend of sweet and delicate and gritty, rocking country, it highlighted the vast range in which Jennings has to work, being a versatile musician who is equally as amazing when it comes to handling a balled-esque number as he is when boldly singing one of his country/rock hybrids. Barely 24-hours prior to this show it had been announced that Jennings would have a new record out, Shooter set for release on August 10th (and out via Elektra Records), a lead single releasing as well. One would have imagined he and his band would offer some taste of the new record on this particular evening, though it wound up being more of a comprehensive look than anyone would have even dared hope for. In all they would perform five of the songs that will be featured on Shooter, the first of which was one originally found on the Don’t Wait Up (For George) EP. Fully capturing the somber tone depicted in the lyrics, Jennings and his acoustic guitar along with the fiddle were the only things heard on the brief, though emotional “Living in a Minor Key”. Another previously released number was Jennings’ Texas anthem, the one penned last year in the wake of hurricane Harvey, done so that the proceeds benefited the relief fund. “When I say, ‘do you love Texas?’, I need you to say, ‘hell yeah!’,” he informed everyone. Maybe it was the hot weather, or perhaps it was the fact that most of the patrons were there just to hang out and enjoy a carefree Saturday. Whatever it was, both main acts had a tough time getting audience participation going. That just meant that the musicians had to put some extra effort into songs like “Do You Love Texas?”, which stands as a quintessential Texas song; and even if few chimed in on the lyrics, everyone did enjoy hearing it. The gears shifted around the halfway mark, Jennings setting down his guitar and taking a seat at the keyboard. The sound may have changed slightly, though the demeanor didn’t, as “Manifesto No. 1” quickly proved, the invigorating song being infectious and a perfect foot stomper. “All of This Could Have Been Yours” was another stunning one that they did, the instrumental breakdown that was thrown in adding significantly to it, turning an already impressive song into something breathtaking. Wistfully nostalgic, the new single proceeded it, “Fast Horses And Good Hideouts” sounding even better in the live environment than what the recording suggests. It was readily apparent just what a deeply personal track it is, Jennings going above and beyond in terms of the emotion injected into it. Back on the guitar, some of the best had been saved for last. “This is a song about Nashville,” Jennings remarked ahead of his song that honors all the rebels – past and present – while again taking aim at the current state of mainstream country music. “Outlaw You” is splendid, being truthful and unapologetic as it addresses those who claim to be country or an outlaw but lack the heart that accompanies it. Their 85-minute long set nearing its conclusion, Jennings dedicated his final original of the evening to his wife, thanking her for flying down to Texas in order to spend the day with him. Not only was the city of Rockwall celebrating another year of existence, so, too, was Jennings. A classy move, it was hard not to be impressed by the fact that not only had he not mentioned his birthday earlier, not wanting to distract from the celebration of the city, he only did mention the personal significance the day held for him when speaking of what his wife had done for him. “Rhinestone Eyes” was for her, a beautiful tale that depicts the depths of love. Still far from done, they closed it out with a handful of covers, Waylon and Hank Jr. included among them; Jennings eventually thanking everyone and walking off the stage, leaving his band mates to go all out for a roaring instrumental finish. I had seen Shooter Jennings once before, a few years back when he was being backed by Waymore’s Outlaws. That was a special experience, though I would say this performance was a little better overall. That one was about paying tribute to the past, with plenty of Waylon Jennings covers thrown in, best that I remember. The one on this night was more about Shooter and his own material, spotlighting many of the highlights of his career thus far and whetting appetites for what’s to come, while also honoring some of the country greats that paved the way for him. A true-blue country artist with a definite outlaw streak, Shooter Jennings serves as a purveyor of legitimate country music and is one of many key figures helping to instill hope in the genre. He possesses the mentality and even the attitude, that certain swagger being a prominent aspect of his performance, never having to work in order for it to show, but something that was evident to all watching. And that makes he and his band all the more transfixing to watch, the nuanced way in which they finesse the onlookers being impossible to resist as they earn the audiences’ respect. It was clear on this particular night that they had a job to do, knowing full well that it was to entertain, and they certainly made sure that everyone had a great time, providing one of many memorable moments for the day. Jennings’ jam-packed tour schedule will continue this summer, Jennings getting back on the road on June 2nd with a performance at Summer Fest in Brighton, CO. He’ll be back in the Lone Star State soon enough, too. That includes a June 24th performance at Gas Monkey Live as part of the annual Taste of Dallas event. June 8th will find him in Austin at Texas Rot Rally, with other gigs planned for Belton, TX, Splendora, TX and Pilot Point, TX at Schoepf’s Backyard (June 21st), Coals Smokehouse (the 22nd) and Western Son Distillery (the 23rd), respectively. That’s just scratching the surface. He has plenty of show dates lined up all around the U.S. through the fall. A full listing and details can be found HERE; and be sure to pre-order Shooter in iTUNES or GOOGLE PLAY. Set List: 1) “Steady at the Wheel” 2) “Solid Country Gold” 3) “The Outsider” 4) “Electric Rodeo” 5) “Gone To Carolina” 6) “The Door” (George Jones cover) 7) “Living in a Minor Key” 8) “Do You Love Texas?” 9) “4th of July” (momentary “Deep In The Heart Of Texas” outro) 10) “The Real Me" 11) “The Other Life” 12) “Manifesto No. 1” 13) “Denim and Diamonds” 14) “All of This Could Have Been Yours” 15) “Fast Horses And Good Hideouts” 16) “Wild and Lonesome” 17) “Outlaw You” 18) “Rhinestone Eyes” 19) “Belle of the Ball” (Waylon Jennings cover) 20) “The White Trash Song” (Steve Young cover) 21) “The Pressure Is On” (Hank Williams, Jr. cover) 22) “Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues” (Danny O’Keefe cover)