Into the Woods with My Morning Jacket: Recapping Two Nights at the Fox Theater
Halloween and Z played front to back. My experience seeing MMJ for the first time.
On October 31 and November 1, I had the pleasure of spending two unforgettable nights at Atlanta’s legendary Fox Theater with My Morning Jacket, celebrating both the release of their new album Is and the twentieth anniversary of their iconic record Z. I had heard countless times that My Morning Jacket is one of the best live acts touring today. People always talk about how their shows are on another level, and this weekend I finally got to experience it for myself. I was over the moon. Before diving into the shows, a little personal background. I had always heard of them in music conversations but never truly listened until this year. When I saw posts about their new album, I decided it was finally time to dive in. The first song I played was One Big Holiday and my mind was blown. The opening guitar duel hit like a storm, then Jim James’s angelic voice came in, and I got chills. I was immediately hooked.
Since then, they have become one of my favorite bands, and I even had the chance to interview their bassist Tom Blankenship. When I saw they were playing two nights in Atlanta over Halloween weekend, I knew I had to go.
The Fox Theater itself was a dream venue for me to visit. It is regal, historic, and breathtaking. Everyone from Elvis to James Brown to R.E.M. has graced that stage. I had to mention that Oasis performed there on their Be Here Now tour in 1998, which was fun to discover since I dressed up as Liam for Halloween night. The moving cloud ceiling alone made me feel like I had stepped back in time. Two nights were not nearly enough to take it all in.
Night 1: An Ozzy themed Halloween
Photo credit: @thenicklanglois
Halloween night at the Fox was absolutely electric. I had never been to a concert on Halloween before, and this one set the bar sky high. Everyone was dressed up. I saw The Muppets, Billy Madison, The Dude, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, and lots of My Morning Jacket themed costumes. A couple came as “Peanut Butter Pudding Surprise” from the song “Highly Suspicious.” I saw a man as “Holding on to Black Metal” and a woman dressed as the Z album cover.
When the band walked on stage, each dressed as a different era of Ozzy Osbourne, the crowd erupted. They opened with Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath, setting the tone instantly, then went into “Evil Urges.” The run of “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 1,” “Holdin On to Black Metal,” and “I Think I’m Going to Hell” perfectly captured the rock and roll Halloween vibe.
This tour was promoted as “No Repeats,” meaning we got completely different setlists each night. Halloween leaned heavy and theatrical but still full of warmth and playfulness. My Morning Jacket has an incredible ability to flow between songs, starting one, morphing into another, and then returning to finish it. During “Run Thru,“ they slipped into “Fairies Wear Boots” by Black Sabbath, then back into “Run Thru.” It was totally mesmerizing to watch unfold.
If you were sitting down at this show, you were out of place. The Fox might be perfect for a sit down concert, but this was a two and a half hour dance party. Everyone was up, locked in, and singing their hearts out.
That communal energy stood out to me. I have been to shows recently where I was the only one dancing, like when Alkaline Trio opened for Blink-182 and people gave me odd looks. But at a Jacket show, everyone moves. It feels like worship, arms raised, smiles wide, total surrender to joy.
One of my favorite moments was “Squid Ink.” That thumping bass riff from Tom, Jim’s soaring vocals, and one of the best instrumentals they have ever recorded made it a high point of the night.
The Ozzy theme stayed strong. Patrick made his Ozzy shirt with fringe by hand, Bo kept his wig on the entire set while manning what I like to call his “keyboard spaceship,” and Tom stood in front of the fan so his cape would blow dramatically. Watching them was pure happiness.
The encore took things even higher. “Strangulation!” and “The Dark” were perfect for Halloween, and in true Ozzy fashion, they brought the energy levels to an all time high with a rocking cover of “Crazy Train.” Jim’s vocals were on fire, and Patrick and Tom looked every bit like rock stars. Patrick channeled Animal from The Muppets while Tom headbanged with his long hair flowing.
Then it was time for the finale, “One Big Holiday.” The moment those opening notes hit, the entire theater lost it. I had full body chills. Even with my mobility challenges, I could not help but jump up and down. For that song, our entire row filled with people singing together, shouting every word. It felt like a movie ending, a moment suspended in time. I almost cried from how moved I was. It was one of those moments of raw and unfiltered joy fueled by song that reminds me how special life is and how blessed I am to be able to experience live music.
After the show, I got to say hello to Tom, who is just as kind and genuine as he seems, and briefly met Carl as well. It is always special when the musicians you love are truly good people and these guys are the real deal.
Night 2: The Z Experience
Night two was the one I anticipated most, because they were playing Z from start to finish. I have been to a few album in full shows before. I saw Jason Isbell do Southeastern, They Might Be Giants play Flood, Drive By Truckers play Southern Rock Opera, and Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service perform Transatlanticism and Give Up. I always wonder how artists will structure album shows, and My Morning Jacket’s approach was perfect.
They opened with a nine song warm up set before diving into Z with no breaks. They started with another new one, “Half a Lifetime” from Is, then went into “Circuital,” which always sends shivers down my spine and was a spriutal experience hearing it live. “Mahgeetah” turned the entire crowd into a sing along, everyone dancing under the Fox’s starry ceiling, the lights syncing perfectly with every beat. Sequined jackets sparkled, the disco ball reflected like a galaxy, and the moving clouds above gave everything a vibrant magical glow.
Then came the beautiful “Golden” where Jim serenaded us with his acoustic guitar.During it, I could not help but think about this incredible video I came across that morning from when they played “Golden” at Madison Square Garden in 2008, where friend of the show, Will Johnson, sang background vocals. Moments like that mean so much to me because they remind me how music builds community. A lot of My Morning Jacket fans are also fans of the other musicians I love, and in this scene, so many of these artists have played together and are true friends. That sense of connection always warms my heart.
After that, they ripped into “Cobra,” weaving it into “Everyday Magic” before returning to “Cobra.” The transitions were effortless and thrilling. Then, unexpectedly, they covered “Head Over Heels” by Tears for Fears, which was stunning and nostalgic, and after without warning, ”Wordless Chorus” began, signaling the start of Z. No announcement, just that first transcendent note. I got full body chills again.
The best way to describe how I felt in that moment was similar to the episode of American Dad where Stan goes to take Hayley home from a My Morning Jacket show. He is completely against rock concerts, but as soon as his earplugs are pulled out by another concertgoer, he freezes and says, “Do you hear an angel? Possessing you? Living in your heart?” Then he becomes transfixed on Jim James, his eyes fill with tears, and he says, “Oh my God, I feel… I feel everything. As funny as that scene is, it is real. That is what “Wordless Chorus” and Jim’s vocals do. They makes you feel everything deeply.
I was four when Z came out, too busy dancing to The Wiggles to know what I was missing, but watching the crowd around me, I could see what this album meant to them. These songs have soundtracked lives for twenty years. I wondered what memories they held, what road trips or heartbreaks these tracks lived through. It made me wish I had grown up with it, though I am grateful I get to experience it now with fresh ears.
Every song landed perfectly. “What a Wonderful Man” burst to life with Bo’s piano intro, another standout was that dueling guitar moment between Carl and Jim on “Lay Low,” and fun fact, is one of Jason Isbell’s favorites. The epic album closer, “Dondante,” was transcendent with Carl’s sax solo stealing the show.
The night ended with one of their well-known closers among fans, “Dancefloors,” which summed up the love and positive energy of the entire weekend. My Morning Jacket shows feel like home to a community that embraces you with open arms. This weekend was another reminder of how important music is, how it helps us feel connected and seen, and how it brings us peace. Thousands of people gathered inside a theater that was built almost one hundred years ago and turned it into one big dance party in our Halloween costumes. This was my first time seeing My Morning Jacket, but it will not be my last. I will see you all on the rail next tour.