To set the scene for the night, as soon as you walk up to the door, the line is already down the block, filled with people who are not only excited but dressed in standout outfits. It immediately sets the tone for the night ahead—one full of deep soul, energy, and hard-hitting guitar riffs.

The band enters the stage in white long johns, just like in the “Click Bait” and “Dirty Dog” music videos from JMSN’s latest studio album, …it’s only about you if you think it is. As they begin to play, the air in the room vibrates with the deep grooves coming from their instruments, and the crowd starts to come alive. JMSN then charges the stage and croons to the audience with smooth vocals that enchant the room and guide everyone on a sonic journey for the next hour and a half.

You are taken on an expedition of melodic expression spanning JMSN’s entire career, beginning with the intro to his latest album, “Blow Up the Spot,” and continuing into other standouts from the record, such as “I Don’t Even Think About You.” The lights shift, and with them, the atmosphere transforms. A red hue rises from the stage, and JMSN trades his electric guitar for a tambourine as the band transitions into songs from his 10th album, Soft Spot, playing classics like the title track.

A highlight for the sea of fans in Seattle came when JMSN reached even further into the past and performed a crowd favorite from Velvet, my personal favorite album and the one that first introduced me to his music back in 2018. At this point in the show, he could’ve set the microphone on the stand—the audience sang every word.

To end the night, the ensemble delivers a hard-hitting, extended version of “Stirrin’ Up,” and the throng of concertgoers smiles ear-to-ear, cheering as the band exits stage left. It was true vision and artistry on display, and a reminder of why JMSN has been making incredible music for over a decade.