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After a quiet summer due to the drop in population that comes with many students leaving town for the summer, local Oxford venue The Lyric has recently added two big acts to its fall lineup: solo artist Jason Isbell and four-piece band J. Roddy Walston & The Business.
Jason Isbell will most likely draw a huge crowd on Sept. 12. The alt-country artist hails from Alabama, and was a member of fellow alt-country giant Drive-By Truckers before setting off to start his solo career in 2007. Since then, he has released four studio albums, including “Southeastern” in 2013.
Isbell’s music showcases his lyrical quality as well as his music ability to back it up. His songs alternate between solo ballads and songs with a full backing band. Isbell recently played music festivals such as Beale Street Music Festival and The Governors Ball Music Festival in New York, and is scheduled to play more, such as the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Ky., as well as three sold out shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.
Advance tickets for Isbell’s show at the Lyric are $25.
With advance tickets listed at a bargain of only $10, J. Roddy Walston & The Business offers a show worth much more than the price. The band returns to Oxford for the first time since playing Double Decker in 2013. Known for high-energy live shows, the band features a sound that falls somewhere between rock, blues and Americana.
The group released its most popular album to date, “Essential Tremors,” in 2013. Over the 12-year history of the band, J. Roddy Walston & the Business has played with bands such as the Black Keys and The Lumineers and played at festivals such as Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.
They perform at the Lyric on Oct. 1.
Opening for Isbell will be Southaven native Cory Branan. Known for his storytelling style, Branan is a renowned lyricist, and has a new album, “The No-Hit Wonder,” slated for a 2014 release.
Meanwhile, Fly Golden Eagle will be opening for J. Roddy Walston & The Business. Fly Golden Eagle is a four-piece band from Nashville, Tenn., and has played with the likes of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Arctic Monkeys and Alabama Shakes. The band was founded in 2007 and has released three albums of their self-titled “psych-funk” music.
Tickets are currently available for J. Roddy Walston & The Business, and tickets for Jason Isbell go on sale today.
