The Brothers Osborne returned to Minnesota on Friday. The Country/Rock Duo, comprised of Brothers T.J. and John Osborne, brought a full band to the Mankato Civic Center in support of their excellent sophomore album, 2018’s Port Saint Joe. The show saw the band flex both their vocal and songwriting chops as well as their significant instrumental prowess.
Though the Brothers have found success in the “country” world (including on country radio), their music indicates a myriad of influences including, but not limited to, southern rock, outlaw country, and folk. These were all on display during Friday’s show and it was this sonic diversity, along with the band’s substantial chops, that propelled the show forward.
From the get-go, it was clear that the band came to play. Opener “Drank Like Hank” showcased John Osborne’s dexterous fretwork while hinting at what was to come. It would be the next run, however, which really set the tone. Said run, which consisted entirely of Port Saint Joe songs, included extended guitar workout “Shoot me Straight,” their album’s most recent single (“I Don’t Remember Me (Before you)”), and the reflective “Weed, Whiskey and Willie.”
All three are great, and each showcased a different facet of the band’s talents. From there, the band mixed more from Port Saint Joe with tunes from their debut (2016’s Pawn Shop). There were more highlights than you could count, but some of the best response came from the hit singles “Stay a Little Longer” and “It Ain’t My Fault,” the latter of which got turned into an extended jam of sorts, clocking in at over 10 minutes long.
The set only featured one cover, Steve Earle’s alt-country anthem “Copperhead Road,” but it was an interesting one, both for its inclusion and its execution, which was typically excellent.
There are lots of bands who do a few things well, but there aren’t many right now that do as many things well as The Brothers Osborne. Their singing, playing, and writing are all high-level. On this night, they put it all together in a show I won’t soon forget.
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