Thursday night at The Mann was a sticky one, “fall” in full swing. Maybe not ready to let go, or perhaps capping off the summer festival season, hundreds of fans descended upon the grass parking lots and trekked up the ramps to the Pavilion, ready to see My Morning Jacket and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats.
Fans sat on canvas camping chairs or the back of a pick up truck, close to their coolers and hot dogs in the South Gate parking lot before doors opened. Some wore their Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats tees, others had well worn My Morning Jacket ones or tie dye. Some looked like a dead ringer for Jim James himself and one gentleman was basically matching Jim James’ outfit. Calling the Thursday night crowd proud fans proved to be an understatement, the loud singing and dancing to follow surpassed it.
Nathaniel Rateliff | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN
Even though the heat felt like a “slog”, as Nathaniel Rateliff said, it in no way put a damper on the night’s sets at The Mann Thursday night. Humidity be damned. Rateliff and the Night Sweats filled out the stage, in a commanding sense not just because they’re a sizable amount of them. As a whole their set sounded and felt tight and masterful, all the way down to the lights hitting perfect cues in their songs.
Something that stood out was the beautiful and satisfying harmonies the band pulled off. Towards the later half of the set, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats played a little bit of stage musical chairs, each little grouping of horns or organ guided by Rateliff. One group performed “Remember I Was A Dancer” which featured keyboardist Mark Shusterman. “He is one of my favorite people to sing with,” said Rateliff, pointing at Shusterman, and it showed.
My Morning Jacket | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN
Black Bears in South Western ponchos, totems and small lanterns scattered the stage. Jim James wore a white linen three piece suit, pink button down and a ubiquitous red flower in the breast pocket (rainbow suspenders would be revealed later). With a knowing smile, James and My Morning Jacket oozed excitement to perform to their Philly fans. In the dark, the crowd couldn’t have known the setlist, it changed show to show on the Eye to Eye Tour.
My Morning Jacket started with “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U)”; a cool blue spotlight showed on James, who took the opportunity to make sharp gestures in time to the beat, paired alongside the ominous piano melody the song is known for. Next song his energy exploded, working the width of the stage during “Off the Record” and energetically ripping into riffs James and guitarist Carl Broemel look easy.
My Morning Jacket | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN
My Morning Jacket gave the fans Thursday night exactly what they wanted. Songs like “Wordless Chorus,” “Circuital” and “Anytime” made it on the list for example. Also, even if The Mann crowd didn’t know they needed a heartwarming moment, they got one anyway. Dressed in his own version of a white linen suit, Nathaniel Rateliff, along with the band, joined My Morning Jacket on stage. Both bands were joyful, even gleeful, as they all covered The Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
After an incredible performance of “One Big Holiday” the band joined each other center stage, bowed and waved to the cheering Mann fans, fittingly their walk off song was “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn, a classic from 1939.
My Morning Jacket’s fall tour continues tonight in Savannah; find their full dates here and check out a photo gallery from Philly below.