Gregory Alan Isakov takes fans on a folk odyssey at The Anthem
- carsydog0
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
As a coming snowstorm loomed in the air, Gregory Alan Isakov took The Anthem stage in a way few would recognize from its usual standing-room frenzy. The rest of the hall seemed to shrink around him, as if the venue itself was leaning in to listen.
The setup made a statement before he sang a word. The stage was dim, nearly bare. One spotlight, one guitar, one chair.
Isakov opened with "Ash of Our Elders," an unreleased song that immediately set the tone for an evening of reflection and storytelling. Between songs, Isakov told long-gone stories about playing coffee shops in Bozeman, happily selling three CDs to pay for a campsite. He reminisced about the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival being his "big break," said with the humility of someone still surprised by how far things have come.
He introduced “Amsterdam” as a song from his early days, touring the world with nothing but a guitar and a dream. His falsetto cut clean through the room, strong and steady, but never showy. That ethereal reverb, the one that defines so much of his unique folk sound, floated through songs like “Southern Star" and “Light Year.” The Anthem felt hushed, attentive, almost reverent.
A highlight of the evening came when Isakov brought his brother, Ilan, on stage. They played "Second Chances," "Words," and "Desdemone," revealing the subtle interplay of years spent writing and performing together.
Steve Varney drifted in and out on banjo, guitar, and piano as the set moved patiently between old favorites and rare tracks. The evening carried an ethereal quality that made each song feel suspended in time. Notes lingered in the air like mist, and Isakov’s voice floated over the room with a delicate, almost haunting resonance. The dim lighting, the soft reverb of the steel guitar, and the quiet attentiveness of the audience.
When Isakov introduced "San Luis," the mood deepened further. The song traces a path from the San Luis Valley in Colorado, where he began writing it, to San Luis Obispo, California, where it was finished. It is at once a meditation on memory and a search for belonging, reflecting on fading connections and chasing ghosts of past selves.
Before fan favorite, "The Stable Song," Isakov joked about the elusive nature of a hit song:
"These guys the other night were like ‘you didn’t play your hit.’ I’m pretty sure we don’t have a hit... Steve heard this once at the dentist, though.”
Isakov’s deadpan humor punctuated the set. After a bad joke, he said, “I told you this show would be worth risking your life over,” nodding to the snowstorm warning outside. Later, referencing fans stocking up for the weather, he added, “Hope everyone gets home safe… with your cozy 12 gallons of milk.”
By the time he closed with "Silver Bell," the Anthem had transformed.
Gregory Alan Isakov offered a different kind of shelter. There was a sense of warmth, a thread connecting everyone in the room, like they were collectively holding the snowstorm at bay.
Setlist
Ash of Our Elders (unreleased)
Southern Star
Miles to Go
Big Black Car
Light Year
Amsterdam
Second Chances (with Ilan Isakov)
Words (with Ilan Isakov)
Desdemone (with Ilan Isakov)
Good Grief (unreleased)
San Luis
The Stable Song
Sweet Heat Lightning
Appaloosa Bones
Encore
Before the Sun
Silver Bell
