The former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell along with his group, The 400 Unit, found a very warm (and humid) welcome at Mohawk Tuesday night (Aug. 14). throughout his set of tough and tender tunes off his solo debut, Sirens of the Ditch. He threw in some much appreciated DBT covers, penned during his six years with the band, such as the lamenting southern rock song "Goddamn Lonely Love," which was met with the cheers of almost an entire crowd mouthing the words.

Between requests for more whiskey with a southern draw (and a killer cover of Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer!"), Isbell blasted away with gritty guitars on the raucous "Try" and switched to acoustic guitar, strumming through the wounded words of "Dress Blues." Prior to his set, Isbell helped out on guitar duties for who he called one of his favorite bands, Centro-Matic. The crowd was attentively wrapped up in their Texas-flavored indie rock. Memphis-born troubadour Micah P. Hinson also opened with a voice as deep and tragic as the well where he draws his soulful folk tunes. 

We asked: Jason Isbell's album is entitled Sirens of the Ditch, so in tribute, what would be your final words just before the sirens had brought your ship to crash upon the rocks?

Name: Dan Hille
Age: 25
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Occupation: Graduate student
"Rosebud!"

Name: Eric Smith
Age: 30
Hometown: Austin, TX
Occupation: Musician
"Oh sh*%!"

Name: Darra Rightmer
Age: 38
Hometown: Azle, TX
Occupation: Project manager
"I'm gonna get wet!"

Name: Kerry Heintz
Age: 26
Hometown: Dobbin, TX
Occupation: Bookstore clerk/waitress
"I would think about it too long. I'd already be shipwrecked."

Name: Claire Barbier
Age: 21
Hometown: Houston, TX
Occupation: Student
"Merde!"

Name: Valerie Bishop
Age: 20
Hometown: Plano, TX
Occupation: Student/intern
"Bummer…wah, wah, wah."

Name: Matt Leer
Age: 33
Hometown: Austin, TX
Occupation: Outdoorsman
"It wasn't my fault!"

Name: Andy Young
Age: 30
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Occupation: Shepherd
"I wish I would have been more of an outdoorsman!"

Jason Isbell with The 400 Unit / Photo by Mark C. Austin

A sweat-drenched Isbell plays the Mohawk / Photo by Mark C. Austin

With a cig in his mouth, Isbell and Co. play on / Photo by Mark C. Austin

Centro-Matic / Photo by Mark C. Austin

Singer/songwriter Micah P. Hinson / Photo by Mark C. Austin