After playing one of the instrumentals from their album, Celestun, released last year, Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel told the audience at Jammin’ Java, “If you were spacing out during that one, you were supposed to.” (A small joke: when you’re on oxycodone, you’re spacing out during all of them.) Tuesday’s night performance, which also featured an opening set by the golden-voiced indie folk singer-songwriter Maggie Halfman, was a night of lovely, relaxing music and peaceful vibes, a welcome oasis in these troubled, tense times.
Perhaps unusual for this kind of show, it was general admission standing, which Tyler joked about, saying, “For once I get to sit down and you have to stand up.” (This is likely a reference to the more muscular, intense, heavy shows he plays as a member of My Morning Jacket.)
On Feb. 24, Tyler and Carl injected gentle humor throughout the show, with comments like, “Eddie Van Halen is clearly the biggest influence,” and “Don’t make me play ‘Crazy Train.'” To which I say, you have free will, no one can make you play anything! “In the Willows,” Tyler mentioned, was named by his daughter, and it was just added to a playlist by Joe Jonas; “We didn’t used to know what each other were listening to.” To which I’d say, music nerds have always been eager to tell you what they’re listening to, and often to mansplain it in great detail. I’m not innocent of this, but I try to keep from talking incessantly at people about my special interests. (I once told my ex about how David Lynch was approached to direct Return of the Jedi. I suggested that would’ve been amazing, to which she replied, “Maybe for us!” Lesson there.)
Watch Tyler Ramsey and Carol Broemel perform “In the Willows” live on YouTube:
Tyler’s daughter came up again with “Flying Things,” which is based on the children’s book Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey, by Emily Winfield Martin. The lone cover of the night, Neil Young’s “Sail Away,” was particularly appropriate, as his work looms over both this low-key project and their work in other bands. Speaking of other bands, they did Ramsey’s “Evening Kitchen,” a song he wrote for Band of Horses during his tenure with them. After “Nevermind,” they talked about how’ve they’ve “seen so much” in the month they’ve been on tour. They also talked how inspiring they found the displays of athleticism and sportsmanship at the Olympics.
Maggie Halfman got the evening started with a lovely set. She introduced the unreleased “Wide Eyed” as my happy song, expressing the belief that the glass is half full. (The question is, full of what?) “Birds,” she said, is the only one she’s written with a little comedy, about how, after she got a concussion in a car accident, the birds kept waking her up. She finished up with “Underdogs,” after mentioning that she’s recording her second album. (I am proud of myself for not screaming “Halfman!” in imitation of Game of Thrones; it’s the derogatory nickname given to Peter Dinklage’s character, the dwarf Tyrion Lannister.)
Maggie’s set was lovely and charming, just as was Tyler and Carl’s. It’s a departure from what they’ve done in other projects, but a welcome one.
Here are some photos of Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel performing live at Jammin’ Java on Feb. 24, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Casey Vock.
Here are some photos of Maggie Halfman performing live at Jammin’ Java on Feb. 24, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Casey Vock.
