[ATTENDED: October 13, 2026] J. Robbins
I could have seen J. Robbins open for Bob Mould last year. But I wound up not going to that show. I have one Jawbox album but I didn’t really remember all that much about it. So I wasn’t that excited for this solo show. In the past he has played with backing musicians, but for this show it was just him and his acoustic guitar.
And it was fantastic.
He was great right from the start. He asked who was there the night before (“Me too!”). He played a slightly different set for us than for night 1 saying that having the two nights together meant that he could play songs he didn’t usually get to play.
He started playing and the sound of his guitar was great–loud but clear. And his voice was also clear–powerful and unflinching. And the words were wonderful. Not just the topic, but the way with words. I loved the lyric Shield from me the words I struggle to find.
He played one Jawbox song (I didn’t know it but the crowd went nuts for it).
The first five songs were in an interesting open tuning. Interesting enough that a nerdy guy behind me asked what tuning he was using (it was a very quiet room for him). He demurred and just said an unusual one.
He switched tuning for the next few songs. The first was a Burning Airlines song. That’s a band I’d never heard of and (obviously) didn’t know he was in. After one more song he introduced a song saying it was his favorite song in the world by a weirdo Baltimore band that he loved called Lungfish. I’d never heard of them either.
The final two songs were just as good as the rest. I see he typically opens with Anodyne. And after Abandoned Mansion, he thanked us and left.
A solid 30 minutes of great acoustic guitar playing. He was compelling and his voice sounded fantastic. I’m now going back to see what else I’ve missed by him.
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(Unknown)(“nothing behind. Shield from me the words I struggle to find”)
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Exquisite Corpse ♣
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Winter Sun §
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Soldier On ⊗
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Static (Jawbox song)
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Outside the Aviary (Burning Airlines song)
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Old Soul ♣
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Love Is Love (Lungfish cover)
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Anodyne ⊗
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Abandoned Mansions ⊗
♣ Basilisk (2024)
⊗ Un-becoming (2019)
§ single (2019)
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