Photos and Review by Max Stewart
There’s a kind of magic that happens when a band fully inhabits the moment, and My Morning Jacket did just that across their two-night stand at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre. Both nights were very distinct, but altogether showed how dynamic the band is in 2025.
The band’s Halloween show on night one in ATL honored Ozzy Osbourne, both in the tunes performed and the band’s costumes. Opening with the chilling “Black Sabbath,” the setlist also featured “Fairies Wear Boots,” a snippet of “Mama I’m Coming Home” during “Spring (Among the Living)” and the band’s debut of “Crazy Train” during the encore.
Singer Jim James had a full black wig and shades to honor the Prince of Darkness, bassist Tom Blankenship rocked the caped Blizzard of Oz cover look, guitarist Carl Broemel was full Randy Rhoads (including a polka dot Les Paul), drummer Patrick Hallahan wore the iconic Ozzy white tassels, and keys player Bo Koster also had classic Ozzy all-black look with a cross. They absoutely nailed it.
The band was on fire at the beautiful venue on Halloween night, with a good portion of tunes from Evil Urges on display for the spooky evening, including “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pts 1 & 2.” The band also sprinkled in more Halloween-themed tunes like “Death is the Easy Way,” “Strangulation”, “I Think I’m Going to Hell,” and “The Dark.” MMJ’s excellent latest album is was well-represented as well on tunes like “Squid Ink” and “Lemme Know.” James’ vocals soared above the swirling guitars and pounding drums, blending homage with their own unmistakable style. The Halloween energy carried the night, yet the band seamlessly wove in their catalog, letting fans groove through favorites alongside the Sabbath-inspired spectacle.
Night two shifted the focus toward a deeper dive into MMJ’s own history. There were some deep cuts for the die-hards like “Cobra” off of the Chocolate and Ice EP and “It’s About Twilight Now” from The Tennessee Fire. Mid-set, they treated the audience to a full-album performance of Z, celebrating 20 years of the 2005 record. Songs like “Wordless Chorus,” “Gideon,” and “Dondante” felt reverent yet vibrant, the band exploring the textures of their catalog with care and intensity. Hearing the songs performed sequentially was a reminder how incredible the album is front to back, and inspired me to purchase the re-release on vinyl at the merch stand. Their cover of Tears for Fears‘ “Head Over Heels” was a magical moment in the ornate balconies and intimate grandeur of the Fox Theatre setting. They wrapped things up with Grateful Dead‘s “One More Saturday Night” into “Dancefloors” a masterful way to end their 2025 tour.
Whether through Ozzy-inspired theatrics, deep cuts from their catalog, or simply commanding the stage with a rare blend of energy and precision, My Morning Jacket proved that they are still one of the best American bands.
