JESSE WELLES – LIVE AT THE SINCLAIR IN CAMBRIDGE
By James Marinaccio
If you are active on social media, there is a good chance you have come across a Jesse Welles clip. Jesse Welles is an Arkansas native folk musician that has been trending recently for his clips playing politically topical songs that he seems to create within a matter of days of an event occurring. The most obvious example being his song titled ‘United Health,’ which was released on Spotify on December 11th, 2024, a mere week after the assassination of Brian Thompson, the then-CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
Welles’ willingness to directly address political themes has made him extremely popular. He is very observational, and his music resonates with a lot of people. I have to imagine some of Welles’ recent success also has to do with the popularity of the 2024 Bob Dylan biopic, ‘A Complete Unknown’. Even if not direct, Jesse Welles himself would have a hard time denying the film at the least expanded the market for his musical style.
I will admit, as I walked into Jesse Welles’ sold out Saturday night show in Cambridge, I was skeptical. I like going to concerts in order to forget about the political strifes plaguing the US. Jesse Welles was going to have to win me over. And that he did, and quickly. The guy is extremely talented. Welles has a classic 60’s raw folk sound. He doesn’t hide behind any fancy production because he simply doesn’t have to.
He opened up with around fifteen acoustic songs. Just him, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica around his neck. The crowd ranged greatly in age. A testament to Welles’ recent online fame, and his nostalgic folk style. Everyone was enjoying the music, and ovations were very loud. It was very cool to see such a vast range of generations coming together to enjoy the same music.
A personal favorite song Welles performed was ‘That Can’t Be Right’. It was a great example of Welles’ ability to make you think a little while enjoying some skilled guitar picking. Welles also performed an amazing cover of ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,’ which, admittedly, up until writing this, I thought was a Guns N’ Roses song. For those in the same boat as me, it was released in 1973 by the man himself, Bob Dylan.
For the last ten or so songs, an electric bass guitar and drums joined Welles on stage. These additions brought tons of energy to the show. The show shifted more towards what I’d describe as “honky tonk fun”. The bass and drums coupled with Welles making a harmonica sing was very fun. The trio kicked it off with ‘I’m Sorry,’ a fantastic song choice that set an energetic tone for the rest of the night.
Jesse Welles is undoubtedly a superstar and I’m excited to see where his career goes. If you have the chance to see him I would highly recommend going. The next time he will be in the North East will be for the Newport Folk Festival, a place he certainly belongs.
To learn more about Jesse Welles, check out their Website
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