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The Allman Brothers Band at The Beacon, March 13, 2009

There was nothing but “good luck” flying around New York’s famed Beacon Theatre tonight, even if it was Friday the 13th. Jason was no where to be found.

The usual Duane slide show was projected by the band as they opened with “Midnight Rider,” which they followed up with a rousing “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin.’” Everyone was sounding really tight once again. Great singing, great playing. Great high energy rockin.’ "Don't Keep" was another extended jam, with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks both simply wailin.’

Warren introduced the Juke Horns, the ultra-tight horn section from Southside Johnny fame, and kicked into one of my favorites, an apt cover of Van Morrison’s “Into The Mystic.” Beautiful. Absolutely. 

For the next song, Warren cracked me up by introducing perhaps the biggest action star in movies as “Y’all know television’s Bruce Willis?”  Bruce blew some pretty nifty harp on a rockin’ “One Way Out,” and really outdid himself on a fabulous cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightning.”

Set one wrapped with a full tilt boogie onslaught as The Juke Horns joined the ABB on a rousing arrangement of “Southbound” that just blew the roof off of the Beacon baby. I got a kick out of seeing Derek detune his guitar on the tail end of his smokin’ solo. Reminded me of the way Earl Scruggs used to turn them tuning pegs when he was jammin’ with Lester Flatt.

After a short intermission, the Brothers returned to the stage and Warren introduced the one and only Boz Scaggs, and the band launched into “It's Takes a Lot To Laugh (It Takes A Train To Cry),” with Boz trading vocals with Gregg and lead licks with Derek and Warren.

Next came the old Ronnie Hawkins song “Sick and Tired,” with Warren singing his heart out and the Asbury Juke Horns wailing. At one point, each of the horn players took a solo run, and then they went into a real New Orleans Dixieland style. Oh by the way, Butch Trucks was indeed sporting his Moogis t-shirt tonight. Just thought I’d add that for all you fellow Moogis fans.

“Ain’t No Love (In The Heart of the City” found Boz alternating vocals with Gregg and Warren, and leading into the song we were all waiting on, “Loan Me a Dime,” perhaps Boz’s most famous collaboration with Duane Allman. Derek Trucks embodied the very spirit of Skydog on this one.

Boz left the stage to thunderous applause, and the entire band gave him a standing ovation, before burning into “Same Thing,” which sounded amazing with the Juke horns!

“Wasted Words” was good, but the energy seemed to die down on this one, if just for a moment. Of course it picked right back up on “Nobody Left to Run With,” which bled into another fine stellar jam to close out the show.

I was just telling one of my musician friends earlier today that the Brothers have not yet played “Whipping Post” during this Beacon run. Well sir, they just did, for the encore. Talk about space and psychedelic. It was kicking ass one minute and then going into a Syd Barrett like world of sound and vision the next. Warren even hit on a brief tease of “Norwegian Wood” before burning across the fretboard in typical Haynes fashion.

The show came to a bombastic end with all the passion, fire and professionalism we have enjoyed from the Brothers for the past 40 years. A simply astounding show. And to think, there’s another one tomorrow night!

Keep it Real! Keep it Southern!

Buffalo

PS: I want to remind everyone that March is Allman Brothers Month here at GRITZ, so check back daily for all sorts of Peachy things. We will also feature reviews and set lists of every Beacon show the day after the show. Just as a reminder, you may view these shows from the comfort of your own computer, or computer wired into the TV and stereo, by subscribing to Moogis, the awesome new service created by Butch Trucks. You can watch crystal clear live performances of all shows as they happen, and then go back and watch them again and again. Buffalo says, check it out.

SET  FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009
Midnight Rider
Don’t Keep Me Wonderin'’
New Instrumental
Done Somebody Wrong
Into The Mystic (w/ The Juke Horns)
One Way Out  (w/ Bruce Willis)
Smokestack Lightning  (w/ Bruce Willis)
Southbound  (w/ The Juke Horns)

SET TWO
It's Takes a Lot To Laugh (It Takes A Train To Cry) (w/ Boz Scaggs)
Sick & Tired (w/ Boz Scaggs and The Juke Horns)
Ain’t No Love (In The Heart of The City)   (w/ Boz Scaggs and The Juke Horns)
Loan Me a Dime   (w/ Boz Scaggs and The Juke Horns)
Same Thing  (w/ The Juke Horns)
Wasted Words
Nobody Left to Run With

ENCORE
Whipping Post

For further Allman Brothers Band interviews and articles please visit:

Six Degrees of Swampland: The Allman Brothers Band

 Please also visit our 2009 Beacon Page to see reviews of every show

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