PHOTOS/REVIEW: My Morning Jacket at The Met

Nov 5, 2023Nov 5, 2023 Erika Cutaia 0 Comments alana beltran, keilan holmes, live music, madi diaz, my morning jacket, review, show review, the met

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WRITTEN BY: Alana Beltran

PHOTOS BY: Keilan Holmes

WXPN welcomed My Morning Jacket for two nights this past week at The Met. During their first night in Philadelphia, the band played an unforgettable three-hour set at the venue, reminding longtime fans what they are still about.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their fourth studio album It Still Moves with a fall tour, the late 90s rock band left audience members in utter disbelief at the beauty of lead vocalist and guitarist, Jim James, and the musicianship of his bandmates who continuously hypnotized audiences.

The doors opened at 7 p.m. and fans patiently waited for the show to start. At the stroke of 8, fans eagerly took their seats as the captivating Madi Diaz confidently greeted Philadelphia. Pop-folk artist Madi Diaz joined My Morning Jacket for the first half of their fall tour. The Pennsylvania native played a beautiful, intimate set with the one other member in her band. A single spotlight shined down on Diaz as she strung her acoustic-electric guitar, causing onlookers to sway with her steady beat.

Diaz welcomed the crowd with open arms. The stage went dark as she finished her set, prompting My Morning Jacket fans to rise from their seats in a thunderous ovation of applause and cheers.

As the band members walked toward the center of the stage, the sound of a loud and suspenseful melody filled the air, causing the audience to hold their breath in anticipation. The jarring sound added an extra layer of excitement to the already electric atmosphere, as the band prepared to deliver an unforgettable performance.

When the members got to their instruments, drummer Patrick Hallahan sat down and yelled a count of “1,2,3” hitting his drumsticks together. Soon after, the audience was flashed with bright, white, and red LED lights as guitarist Carl Broemel played the opening chords to “Holdin On to Black Metal,” a perfect opening number off of their album Circuital released in 2011.

Longtime and new fans whipped their heads in unison as My Morning Jacket shook the floor of The Met.

The group played a wide variety of their discography with absolutely insane dynamic guitar playing from both Carl Broemel and Jim James. From a dramatic entrance, to cool slow moments in the middle, there was certainly never a dull moment during the set.

The band’s voices and playing resonated throughout the entire venue, ensuring that every single seat in the house had sensational sound quality.

Jim James brought the audience to their feet with songs like “Wasted” off their 2020 album The Waterfall II and then made them weep in admiration with his acoustic guitar and sang “Golden” off the album celebrating this tour, It Still Moves released in 2003.

One of the most notable songs played during the middle of the set was “Remnants” from their 2008 album Evil Urges, which is a tour debut and the first time they played it since 2008.

After a perfectly curated set My Morning Jacket closed with an encore, jamming to “Mahgeetah,” the opening song off of It Still Moves, and left the crowd begging for more.

Once the music ended the crowd began to shrink and many fans stood still, unsure of what they had to do next. Amidst the scene, I had the opportunity to speak with many fans from before and after the show. I asked them the same question: “Is this your first MMJ show?” and everyone I had spoken to responded with the same word: “No.”

Needless to say, after speaking with several fans, I gained a newfound appreciation for the incredible loyalty of My Morning Jacket’s followers. While some had seen the group perform ten to twenty times, one individual I spoke with had seen them over one hundred times! At the start of the show, I mentioned to those around me that this was my first MMJ concert. To my surprise, their fans welcomed me with open arms and congratulated me, assuring me that I was “in for a treat.” It was heartwarming to see such a strong sense of community among the band’s fans, and I couldn’t wait to experience it for myself.

On October 27th, the experience that MMJ provided was nothing short of magical. Every aspect of the night, from the music to the audience members to the venue’s atmosphere, was in perfect harmony, creating a truly unforgettable experience for all in attendance.

My Morning Jacket left The Met that night with a lasting impression, as they played with a passion that made it seem like every show was their last.