Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Archives

“We’re just overjoyed to be back on Austin City Limits!” said Jason Isbell as he led his band the 400 Unit to their third appearance on the ACL stage. With the acclaimed documentary Running With Our Eyes Closed on Max and his even more loudly hailed new album Weathervanes in the cultural conversation, Isbell is hitting a career high, which makes it the perfect time to host him once again. The new record is filled with expertly crafted, passionately performed songs featuring characters facing hard times, and that’s what the songwriter and the group presented tonight. With every lyric thoughtfully considered and every tune an ear worm, the setlist abounded with future anthems, from the anxiety-ridden “Save the World” (in which the protagonist contemplates raising a child in a world of common school shootings) and the acoustic “Cast Iron Skillet” to the tension-filled “Death Wish” and the rackety opener “When We Were Close,” an ode to a fallen musical comrade. Isbell reached into his bag of deep cuts with the loping anthem “Overseas,” from the 2021 album Reunions, but kept the set Weathervanes-centric – a choice that suited the polished but powerful rock & roll machine the Unit has become. Thanks to the bandleader’s chemistry with guitarist Sadler Vaden, bassist Anna Butterss, keyboardist Denny deBorja, and drummers Chad Gamble and Will Johnson (who last appeared on ACL with Monsters of Folk), “King of Oklahoma” roared, “Miles” blazed, and the Southern rock-frosted “This Ain’t It” burned the way only two dueling guitars can do it. The main set climaxed with a dip into the songwriter’s breakthrough Southeastern via “Flying Over Water,” to mighty applause, before returning for a two-song salvo of certified Isbell classics: the fan-favorite “24 Frames” and the soulful “Cover Me Up.” The audience loved every single second. “This is a good time – I sure do love doing this show!” the artist declared. Right back atcha, Jason, right back atcha.

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit tape Austin City Limits, Sept. 18, 2023. Photos by Scott Newton.

Jason Isbell – vocals, guitars

Sadler Vaden – guitars, vocals

Denny deBorja – keyboards, accordion, vocals

Anna Butterss – bass, vocals

Chad Gamble – drums, vocals

Will Johnson – guitar, drums, vocals

Setlist:

When We Were Close – Weathervanes

Save the World – Weathervanes

King of Oklahoma – Weathervanes

Strawberry Woman – Weathervanes

Middle of the Morning – Weathervanes

Overseas – Reunions

Cast Iron Skillet – Weathervanes

Death Wish – Weathervanes

This Ain’t It – Weathervanes

White Beretta – Weathervanes

Miles – Weathervanes

Flying Over Water – Southeastern

Encore:

24 Frames – Something More Than Free

Cover Me Up – Southeastern

Venerable television music series Austin City Limits (ACL) announces the fall return of the program and the initial Season 49 broadcast line-up with seven all-new installments to begin airing October 7 at 7pm CT/8pm ET as part of the broadcast’s fourteen episode season. ACL brings fans a new season, packed with a stellar slate of ACL legends and highly-anticipated debuts from some of today’s most talked-about live acts. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) and full episodes are made available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the initial broadcast.

The program, recorded live at ACL’s studio home ACL Live in Austin, Texas, continues its extraordinary run as the longest-running music television show in history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for 49 years as the music institution nears a remarkable half-century milestone. Austin City Limits celebrates 50 years as a live music beacon in 2024: on October 17, 1974, Willie Nelson taped the pilot episode and the trailblazing series premiered in 1975. Stay tuned for news on special concerts, fan events and activations as Austin City Limits salutes an incredible legacy of 50 golden years of American musical history and iconic performances.

Austin City Limits returns this fall with a singular highlight as the season opener: Grammy-winning guitar virtuoso duo Rodrigo y Gabriela joined by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. The Mexico City natives are joined by an ensemble of over 30 musicians from the esteemed Austin Symphony Orchestra in an exhilarating hour; the unprecedented performance marks the first time ACL has collaborated with the world class orchestra, one of Austin’s leading arts institutions.

A season highlight is the return of Foo Fighters for their third appearance. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers previously rocked the ACL stage twice before, with unforgettable performances in 2009 (in ACL’s original Studio 6A) and 2015. ACL saluted the rock superstars’ 25th Anniversary in 2021 with a fan-favorite hourlong special featuring beloved classics from both appearances, now one of the most requested episodes in the ACL archives. ACL is thrilled to feature the iconic band back on the ACL stage in an epic new hour.

The new season continues with a number of highly-anticipated appearances from a diverse slate of artists. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis returns for the first time in nearly a decade, making her third appearance on the iconic ACL stage with highlights from her latest album Joy’All alongside career favorites; sharing the hour is breakout indie-pop band MUNA in a thrilling debut. ACL spotlights a pair of innovators making ACL debuts in a captivating double-bill: rap star Lil Yachty showcases his genre-bending album Let’s Start Here joined by special guests; violin savant and singer-songwriter Sudan Archives performs songs from her Natural Brown Prom Queen. Two American originals are paired in a revelatory new hour: country standout Margo Price returns for her second headlining appearance with her latest album Strays as the centerpiece; and next-generation bluegrass musician Molly Tuttle and her band Golden Highway dazzle in their first ACL appearance with gems from their 2023 Grammy-winning Best Bluegrass Album Crooked Tree and latest City of Gold. Global music powerhouse Jorge Drexler, who swept the 2022 Latin Grammy Awards with a record seven awards, makes his first appearance on the ACL stage with a sparkling hour of lush soundscapes and irresistible Spanish-language songs from his landmark Tinta y Tiempo. Celebrated singer-songwriter and four-time Grammy winner Jason Isbell and his band the 400 Unit, who made their initial debut a decade ago in Season 39, return for their third headlining appearance in a highly-anticipated hour featuring fan-favorites and new gems from his recent Weathervanes.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that this is the most diverse mix of music and talent ACL has ever presented in a new season – and it’s only the beginning!’ says longtime ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “We strive to live up to the axiom that ‘anything goes’ on ACL as long as it’s authentic, original or groundbreaking – or all three! There’s so much great music being made today from all genres and all corners of the world, and we try to showcase it all.”

Season 49 Broadcast Line-up (second half of season to be announced separately)

Oct. 7 Rodrigo y Gabriela featuring the Austin Symphony Orchestra

Oct. 14 Jenny Lewis / MUNA

Oct. 21 Lil Yachty / Sudan Archives

Oct. 28 Margo Price / Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Nov. 4 Jorge Drexler

Nov. 11 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Nov. 18 Foo Fighters

Watch new episodes live, stream online, or download the PBS App. The complete line-up for the full 14-week season, including seven new episodes to air beginning January 2023, will be announced at a later date. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding live streams, future tapings and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter, IG and TikTok. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. Now in its 49th Season, the program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic Austin PBS Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, the Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic and AXS Ticketing. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.