Photos By: Dave Phillipich

By: Corey McComb

October 19, 2015 // SDSU Open Air Theatre

People were still filing down the stairs and looking for their seats when Jim James strutted out on stage in dark glasses and a black cape. He didnโ€™t need to wait for anyone as the true fans were already waiting patiently for the opening chords of โ€œMahgeetahโ€ to ring out.

While My Morning Jacket has been renting a special, southern kind of penthouse in my musical heart for years, they are not my favorite band; but they are my friend Daveโ€™s. These are his photos. Right now, heโ€™s getting his face melted off behind a camera lense that is pointed three feet away from his rock nโ€™ roll idols. Even though heโ€™s seen MMJ perform four times in the last four weeks, when he returns to our seats heโ€™s giving off a possessed vibe that only over-priced beer and a favorite-band-of-all-time can bring out in a man. Itโ€™s a kind of madness.

โ€œHavenโ€™t heard this song live yet this yearโ€, Dave says. The band doesnโ€™t wait to dig through deep pockets of songs and within the first 30 minutes the set is already career spanning. New songs off their latest album The Waterfall such as, โ€œCompound Fractureโ€ and โ€œSpringโ€ mix in with old obscure jams that have even the most devoted followers like Dave second guessing what album theyโ€™re off.

James speaks to the crowd only once, โ€œThanks for doing whatโ€™s right and standing up on a Monday nightโ€. While Daveโ€™s feelings are partially hurt that the show isnโ€™t completely sold out, those of us that are here can bare witness to the wide discography blending magic that doesnโ€™t just span a career, but all the seasons. Summer jams like โ€œWordless Chorusโ€ flow not long before โ€œXmas Curtainโ€ offers up all the sentiments of winter and brings the performance full circle.

Jameโ€™s falsetto soars to the top of the pine trees of the Open Air Theater. Dave is rain dancing and matching guitarist Carl Broemel note for note via air guitar. Heโ€™s shouting song titles at me that he thinks are coming next like a quarterback at the line of scrimmage. Just as I fear that not hearing one more song would rob him of his last breath, โ€œOne Big Holidayโ€ kicks in and closes out the night.

My Morning Jacket is the band that, even after 17 years, plays every night for itโ€™s true fans and keeps it fresh every time. Itโ€™s their mystery that brings out the madness, and tonight was a night for the die hards.

On the drive home, Dave reaches for his CD case and puts in the My Morning Jacket live album.

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