The Spirit of George Jones...And Everyone Else; 5/3 Jamey Johnson Concert Review

I put off buying tickets to see one of my favorite performers for a third time, Jamey Johnson until about two weeks or so before. I was sort of wishy washy about it, I just saw him a year to the date(or at least the same first Friday of May. I remember because it was Free Comic Book Day the next day last year as well.), but figured I hadn't burned up any vacation days and he is one of my favorite artists.

And it was originally going to be held outside on 9th Street in front of the Blue Note as part of it's 9th Street Summerfest line of concerts. The weather changed of possible snow in May, pushed it indoors. Which was ironic because last year, I was worried about getting to hot inside the venue. And it also pushed the doors opening from six to eight for whatever reason.
I got there a little after seven , after doing a scramble to find parking on a Friday night and the line was already tailed back into south alley. I made the strategic decision to leave my heavy coat, in that I'd rather be down in front of the stage than up in the balcony. Standing in line for 40 minutes of 40 degree temperature, I did have some regrets but figuring it'd be warm inside packed up next to people. I'm just glad I skipped shaving...
Once the doors open and I got in and took a piss, I got in a decent area up to the left front area. And to my dismay, even with my hoodie it was still freezing in a gaggle of people. The crowd was made up of a surprisingly number of middle aged women in addition to younger college age fans. Both downing copious amounts of beer.
After standing around for another hour, opening act Chris Hennessee came out at nineish and played seven( I think) songs over half an hour. He did a lot of the outlaw name dropping and covering of songs, doing a good job of priming the crowd, but when playing his own originals it was like he was playing for about ten people in a crowd of a thousand. Which was a shame because I think he's got some talent and enjoyed his raw singer songwriting material, Waylon Jennings Song was the best stand out and even the medley of his influences was enjoyable, though makes him sound too much like others.
Set List
1. Country Boy Can Survive>Outlaw Women
2. Waylon Jennings Song
3. Long Haired Redneck>Hey Good Looking
4. 
5. Red Dress
6. Medley- Mama's Don't Let Your Baby's Grow Up (To Be Cowboys)/ Luckenbach Texas> Good Ol' Boys/ Swingin'/Ballad of Curtis Loew/Can't You See
7. Georgiana

Around 10:05 the lights dimmed and the band took the stage, including Hennessee who played guitar, harmonica and backing vocals during Johnson's whole set, before Jamey clad in a Harley emblazoned jacket, took the stage and opening with  High Cost of Living.
Being my third time seeing him, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect song wise and the reverence of covers from his favorite artist. I could even say it's his shtick, of how he doesn't hardly say anything throughout the show, plays a lot of the same covers, which takes a lot of the uniqueness away for me, but there's something about the passion and joy that makes me forget about most of that and just enjoy the show. Without libation too. It's a celebration of Johnson's songs, his backing band's tightness and ability and his respect for his forefathers.
The day before he played the memorial for the late great George Jones and it was still evident throughout the night, the second song was a Jones song, the first of four, possibly five. And you could see the intensity of Johnson putting in the performance to these songs.
Overall in the 32 song and two and half hour, it was about two thirds cover songs to Johnson originals. While I'd have liked to have heard a couple of favorites California Riots, Women, it really didn't matter. Seeing him do three Waylon songs, and all three ones I like, Set 'Em Up Joe and three of my favorite Johnson songs, By the Seat of Your Pants, Playing the Part and Give It Away, all made up for it.

Set List (Not sure of one song)

1. Released>High Cost of Living
2. Bartender's Blues
3. That Lonesome Song
4. Still Doing Time
5. Can't Cash My Checks
6.  Take This Job and Shove It
7. Waymore's Blues
8. That's The Way Love Goes
9. The Guitar Song
10. Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?
11. By the Seat of Your Pants
12. Set 'Em Up Joe
13. Playing the Part
14. The Door Is Always Open
15. Long Black Veil
16. Dixieland Delight
17. Understand Your Man
18. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?
19.  ?(Would These Arms Be In Your Way? Walk Through This World With Me, Honky Tonk World, Don't You Ever Get Tired(Of Hurting Me)
20. Macon
21. Heaven Was a Drink of Wine
22. White Lightning
23. Oh Susannah/Midnight Rider
24. Nothing Is Better Than You
25. Turn the Page
26. Tulsa Time
27. In Color
28. Give It Away
29. The Chair
30. I Fall to Pieces
31. Amazing Grace
32. I Saw the Light


And of my three times seeing him this was the most talkative he's been. Midway through the show there was a couple of fights, where the bouncers had to escort at least three people out through the night(and mostly girls I believe) which led Johnson to remark, "If you all keep up the fighting, we're gonna have to learn the Rocky theme." And one of the crew, looking to be ex-cop or military, came near me and was harassing some girl, making me miss a good part of the fiery performance of Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? Thanks dickhead.
 Before the highlight performance of the night Dixieland Delight, he asked us if we liked Alabama? And after the scorching fiddle playing by the keyboardist, he remarked, "There's nothing we can do that can top that....But we can add to it."  And before The Chair, he said, "Alright, lets do some Hank Cochran," and afterwards explained to us before it was a George Strait song it was a Cochran song.
The only real downside, was being in front of the speaker, the bass was cranked way higher than anything in the mix for where I was standing. Needless to say a day later the ears and deaf and ringing.

"Here's one for the Opossum, " he said, before Amazing Grace and "in case its dark when he gets there," before the finale of I Saw the Light, which Johnson still doesn't do the fake exit encore, which is another reason to love this man.
The big guy I was standing near most of the night and who I believe was there last year as well, yelled out, "Jamey Johnson! You can fuck my mom!" at one point towards the end. Hilarious.
Standing for five and a half hours and being cold all night and still have ringing ears 24 hours later, it was well worth it. Better than last year and almost as good as the first time I saw him in 2009, which is probably the best concert I've ever seen. How awesome is it to see a man with two CMA and ACM Songs of the Year under his belt this close and yet, so sad when people like Jason Aldean are where they are?