Some concerts feel like a familiar reunion. Others feel like you’re seeing an artist through an entirely different lens. JJ Grey & Mofro’s return to Massachusetts at South Shore Music Circus somehow managed to be both.
Sharing the bill with The Wood Brothers, the evening paired two bands rooted in Americana traditions but approaching them from completely different directions.
Photos and review provided by Max Cross.
I had only seen The Wood Brothers once before, during their set at Levitate Music Festival in Marshfield, so it was fun to revisit the trio. I’ll admit I’m generally not the biggest bluegrass or country fan, but Chris Wood has long been one of my favorite bass players from Medeski Martin & Wood, so there was already a built-in reason to pay attention.
What surprised me most was just how expansive their live sound was. Their studio recordings don’t fully prepare you for the amount of groove and improvisation they bring to the stage. The songs stretched comfortably into funky, experimental jams while still maintaining the intimate, heartfelt songwriting that has become their trademark.
The night’s biggest revelation, though, was drummer Jano Rix. Calling him a drummer barely scratches the surface. Throughout the set he bounced between drums, keyboards, vocals, and an array of pedals and effects, constantly shaping the band’s sound in real time. Watching him sing while simultaneously playing drums, triggering keyboards, and twisting knobs with effortless precision was mesmerizing. He’s the kind of musician you find yourself watching almost as much as the frontman.
When JJ Grey & Mofro took the rotating stage, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
Having covered quite a few JJ Grey shows over the years, one thing has become increasingly clear: you never quite know which version of JJ you’re going to get.
Earlier this year at The Cabot, the evening felt deeply intimate. It was like spending two hours on JJ’s southern front porch while he shared stories, songs, and hard-earned wisdom.
South Shore Music Circus offered almost the complete opposite experience.
The theater-in-the-round and constantly rotating stage meant JJ couldn’t settle into one spot. Instead, he remained on his feet nearly the entire night, dancing, conducting his eleven-piece band, swapping stories between songs, sipping from his ever-present whiskey, and making sure every section of the audience felt included. The circular venue almost demanded a more animated performance, and JJ embraced it wholeheartedly.
The result was one of the most energetic shows I’ve seen from him.
The band sounded enormous. Eleven musicians filled every inch of the room with thick layers of horns, keyboards, guitars, and the swampy Southern funk that has become JJ Grey & Mofro’s signature. Songs like “Olustee,” “Higher You Climb,” “Lochloosa,” and “This River” landed with tremendous warmth and soul, while “Rooster,” “Lazy Fo Acre,” and “On Fire” kept the party atmosphere rolling.
Despite the celebratory vibe, JJ never loses sight of the emotional core that makes his music resonate.
That moment arrived during “The Sun Is Shining Down.”
As the song reached its closing moments, you could feel the emotional weight settle over both the band and the audience. Rather than lingering for applause, JJ quietly walked offstage, allowing the song to stand on its own. Anyone who’s followed him knows this is often where the evening ends, making it an especially moving conclusion.
Except this time it wasn’t.
Moments later the band returned for an encore, launching into a joyous rendition of “Orange Blossoms,” still my favorite JJ Grey song after all these years. It completely changed the emotional trajectory of the evening, lifting everyone back into celebration and sending the crowd home smiling.
That may be what makes JJ Grey such a compelling live performer. His concerts are never carbon copies of one another. One night feels like an intimate conversation on a back porch. Another becomes a full-fledged Southern revival complete with dancing, storytelling, whiskey, and an eleven-piece band throwing one joyful musical party.
Either way, you’re never seeing the same show twice.
JJ Grey & Mofro Setlist
- Olustee
- Higher You Climb
- War
- Top of the World
- Lochloosa
- Hide & Seek
- The Sweetest Thing
- This River
- Rooster
- Lazy Fo Acre
- On Fire
- The Sun Is Shining Down
- Encore: Orange Blossoms
JJ GREY & MOFRO – WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – X – SPOTIFY – YOUTUBE
SOUTH SHORE MUSIC CIRCUS – WEBSITE – FACEBOOK – X – INSTAGRAM – YOUTUBE
MAX CROSS PHOTOGRAPHY – WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM
DANCE YOUR FACE OFF – WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – X – YOUTUBE
