Don’t want to derail thread and I haven’t really ventured into his music! But I found it interesting that he basically stated that if you don’t like his political stance he’d rather not have you as a fan, I’m paraphrasing but it was along those lines
It's performance art around what everyone already knows: very few people will stop engaging with an artist strictly over politics. If they were a fan in the first place anyway. You see it with Pearl Jam - some fans have been bitching about their politics for 30 years but can't quit the shows, music, merch.
Don’t want to derail thread and I haven’t really ventured into his music! But I found it interesting that he basically stated that if you don’t like his political stance he’d rather not have you as a fan, I’m paraphrasing but it was along those lines
Yeah, Drive By Truckers took this stance, especially after their classic American Band album (super underrated).
Some people in the audience didn’t quite like the messages and Patterson told them not kindly to leave. First time I saw them was 2016 just after the election and their show/comments were much appreciated. Basically, this is who we are, this is what we play, and if you don’t like it, that’s okay to leave.
And if it runs some people off — I’m going to tell you, this might not sound like the truth here, but it is — if it runs people off, I would like them to go.
“I don’t want people out there who are going to make it uncomfortable for the rest of my audience. And if you’re not open to hearing what I have to say, then you’re probably not going to be open to somebody standing by you who is different from you, and that’s not the kind of room I want to be in. I don’t care how big it is or how many tickets I’ve sold.”
From the part in bold, I don't think he is completely against having fans with different view points from him, but is against fans who are belligerent and confrontational about it, especially if it is directed towards other fans.
It’s more if you don’t like him voicing his politics, then he doesn’t need you as a fan (as those type of people tend to complain about shutting up and play), because he’s just gonna keep doing it
Obviously he makes public statements so everyone knows where he stands, but the overwhelming majority of his music does a great job of doing the job without beating you over the head with it. Seems like he had a song per album thats pretty blunt. Those are coincidentally some of my least favorite songs of his, because he typically does such a great job of getting his point across with his storytelling.
I do appreciate that such songs get people to tell on themselves more than the subtler stuff.
1996: Ft Lauderdale
1998: Birmingham
2000: Charlotte, Tampa
2003: Tampa, Atlanta, Phoenix
2004: Kissimmee
2008: West Palm Beach, Bonnaroo, Columbia
2010: MSG2
2012: Music Midtown
2014: Memphis
2016: Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Jacksonville, JazzFest 2018: Wrigley 1, Fenway 1 2022: Nashville 2023: Ft. Worth II 2024: Baltimore
For now I am passing on this spring/summer tour. They’re still advertising it as a Weathervanes tour and if the setlists remain stagnant, I’ll be OK tonsit this out. If I see variation night to night, or even some rarities mixed in, I may reconsider
Kinda wish he would just drop the album whole if it’s all him and a guitar. Can’t see myself going back much in the next month and a half for just a 3 minute acoustic track.
He had a pretty wild year and you never know how that will play out artistically but post-Southeastern his simpler low tempo stuff hasn't really grabbed me
Comments
Some people in the audience didn’t quite like the messages and Patterson told them not kindly to leave. First time I saw them was 2016 just after the election and their show/comments were much appreciated. Basically, this is who we are, this is what we play, and if you don’t like it, that’s okay to leave.
And if it runs some people off — I’m going to tell you, this might not sound like the truth here, but it is — if it runs people off, I would like them to go.
“I don’t want people out there who are going to make it uncomfortable for the rest of my audience. And if you’re not open to hearing what I have to say, then you’re probably not going to be open to somebody standing by you who is different from you, and that’s not the kind of room I want to be in. I don’t care how big it is or how many tickets I’ve sold.”
From the part in bold, I don't think he is completely against having fans with different view points from him, but is against fans who are belligerent and confrontational about it, especially if it is directed towards other fans.
Edit: Noticed this is an older article
1996; 9/28 New York
1997: 11/14 Oakland, 11/15 Oakland
1998: 7/5 Dallas, 7/7 Albuquerque, 7/8 Phoenix, 7/10 San Diego, 7/11 Las Vegas
2000: 10/17 Dallas
2003: 4/3 OKC
2012: 11/17 Tulsa(EV), 11/18 Tulsa(EV)
2013: 11/16 OKC
2014: 10/8 Tulsa
2022: 9/20 OKC
2023: 9/13 Ft Worth, 9/15 Ft Worth
1996: Ft Lauderdale
1998: Birmingham
2000: Charlotte, Tampa
2003: Tampa, Atlanta, Phoenix
2004: Kissimmee
2008: West Palm Beach, Bonnaroo, Columbia
2010: MSG2
2012: Music Midtown
2014: Memphis
2018: Wrigley 1, Fenway 1
2022: Nashville
2023: Ft. Worth II
2024: Baltimore
Upcoming: 2025 Hollywood, FL Night 2
He had a pretty wild year and you never know how that will play out artistically but post-Southeastern his simpler low tempo stuff hasn't really grabbed me