Jesse Welles brought a powerful buzz to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Saturday, March 7 for a sold out show. The excitement in the building was palpable. After spending the summer building momentum on the festival and club circuit, curiosity about Welles had clearly reached a new level, and fans packed The Cap eager to hear what he had to say.
From the moment he stepped on stage with just a guitar and a spotlight, it was clear the night would be something special. Welles has a way of pulling the room into his orbit almost instantly. As he began to sing, the crowd seemed frozen in place, hanging on every lyric—whether it was a line they had heard countless times or one they were hearing for the very first time.
His songs move rapidly between subjects—life, politics, humanity, and the strange corners of everyday existence. The words seem to pour out of him effortlessly, as if his mind is constantly generating new material. It’s easy to see why comparisons to classic songwriters like Bob Dylan have surfaced, but Welles feels like something more than a throwback. His voice and perspective feel distinctly his own.
The vibe inside the Capitol Theatre was electric yet focused. Everyone seemed fully locked in, listening closely to the stories unfolding through his lyrics.
Welles’ band deserves equal credit for the night’s energy. The rhythm section held everything together with a powerful groove, while the electric guitar lines danced around Welles’ acoustic playing, weaving in textures that elevated the songs throughout the set.
By the end of the night, the crowd knew they had witnessed something memorable. A sense of joy filled the room as fans spilled out of the venue. The merch line stretched a mile long, with people eager to take home a piece of the night. Outside the theatre, fans gathered near the tour bus hoping for a quick hello or autograph. Judging by the energy in and around the Capitol Theatre, the connection between Jesse Welles and his audience is clearly growing.
Moments like that make it clear: Jesse Welles is building something real. If the reaction at the Capitol Theatre was any indication, his following will only continue to grow, and the future for Welles and his band looks very bright.
Jesse Welles Setlist 3/7/26 Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY:
Setlist: Sometimes You Bomb Iran, The Great Caucasian God, Join ICE, The List, United Health, The Poor, Domestic Error, Philanthropist, Red, God, Abraham & Xanax, Paranoid (Black Sabbath), War Is a God, Masks Off, Change Is in the Air, Wild Onions, Malaise, It Don’t Come Easy, Wheel, Have You Ever Seen the Rain (CCR).
Encore: Bugs, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan), Gilgamesh, Witness Me Starfarer, Anything But Me, Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver), Fear Is the Mind Killer, War Isn’t Murder.
Review and Photos by Cory Schwartz
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