SPIN Magazine interview-5 albums I can’t live without
SPIN Magazine
“Jesse Ahern kicked off the night with a raw and soulful performance. His acoustic guitar, harmonica and raspy vocals were all that was needed to grab the attention of the crowd. The audience was singing along and bobbing their heads to the rhythm of Jesse’s root rock anthems. Jesse’s musical style is a unique mixture of americana, folk and rockabilly that, among other things, tells stories about the struggles of the working class. I was reminded of Social Distortion throughout Jesse’s performance – Mike Ness meets Bob Dylan if you will. His latest album “Roots Rock Rebel” was featured heavily in his set with songs like “Bankrobber”, “Back Against The Wall”, “The Older I Get” and “Highway of Life”. I enjoyed the stripped down, raw performance that Jesse brought to the evening.”
Americana Highways by Andrew Guldan
“Jesse Ahern is the sort of fella who takes nothing for granted. His deep appreciation for being able to stand in front of a crowd and sing his words to them is clearly evident. With his harmonica and guitar, Jesse opened the show, and right off the bat conveyed with charm and humor, various tales about his life and experiences. An incredibly down to earth fellow, he definitely has the ability to raise his voice without making compromises. He will speak his mind and stands up for himself. This was made clear to us when he announced he had one more song and asked us to enjoy it, he then added, “not like the two MFers who just got up and walked away.” His set was only 30 minutes, but it was a brilliant 30 minutes. A perfect opener. His distinctive voice and musical styling gave off a real Irish pub vibe. No matter what type of venue he shows up in the Omaha area, I will be there, and I urge all of you to be there too. Check out his page ” - Robert Chadwick
“Jesse Ahern opened the night with a nearly 35-minute acoustic performance, which is the opposite of what you might expect to see at a punk rock show. However, the Massachusetts-based singer was able to pull off a fun set that those on hand seemed to enjoy. What made things more fun was Ahern’s ability to connect with the audience. He would tell stories about his career and get the crowd involved with quips here and there in between songs. Those on hand responded well as the opener did his job and got the crowd revved up and ready for the rest of the night. ” - Zach Birdsong
“Ahern had entertaining interactions with the crowd who really responded to him. He joked with the audience, especially those from the Boston area, and was not afraid of a little banter when someone piped up between songs. He even gave away one of his albums to one lucky audience member. I really loved his interaction with the crowd. Ahern sang an entire set of new songs from an album he plans on releasing in 2023, each of them reminiscent of so many greats before him like Jennings, Cash, and Springsteen, along with a little punk rock attitude. He wrapped his set up with the song “Logging Miles” (Woody Guthrie of “Hard Travelin'”, “Going Down the Road”, and “This Land is Your Land”).” - Ian Pase
“Being that this was the last night of the tour for the Dropkicks, and it was a Sunday show, it was an early night for everyone. First to the stage was local artist, Jesse Ahern, from the city of Quincy. A man who has a pretty impressive following, the venue was almost halfway full before he even took the stage. Acoustic folk punk on full display. A man who genuinely had the most heartfelt appreciation for the audience and for DKM for having him on the show. You could feel his heart go every time he spoke to the audience because he was just in such a euphoric trance with his music and fans. Definitely an artist to pay attention to!” - Chris Latta