Jesse Welles finds unity in protest at Beak & Skiff

In a time when political discord seems inescapable, fans found a sense of unity under Jesse Welles when he brought his “Red Tour” to Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard in LaFayette on Saturday for a captivating 36-song, two-hour-plus performance built on sharp, progressive protest lyrics.

Welles opened his set with a string of solo acoustic tracks he’s known for, including “Walmart,” “Fat,” “Philanthropist,” “Fentanyl” and “United Health,” before his full touring band quietly joined him onstage by the end of “Whirlwind.”

With Saturday marking the band’s 100th performance together, the five musicians powered through “Join Ice” and “The Ballad of Big Balls” before Welles worked in a run of faithful covers, including Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” and a singalong with The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Another highlight came when Australian guitarist and singer Steph Strings, who opened the show, returned to the stage for “Saint Steve Irwin,” followed by Welles’ tender take on Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” and the John Denver crowd-pleaser “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

The band returned once more for “Siddhartha,” which built from a solo intro into a full arrangement, and “Technopagans,” before two live debuts — “American Dreams” and “Rise and Shine” — gave the night added weight.

The main set closed with a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and “Fear Is the Mind Killer.”

The encore brought a second Nirvana cover of the night, “Heart-Shaped Box,” before Welles closed out solo again with “War Isn’t Murder.”