Allman Bros concert

With no disrepect to Horseface - The Allman Brothers Band has NOT been the same since Dickey Betts got fired ( okay since Duane and Berry passed on ) I have been following them since the early to mid seventies when my older brother was listening to them - wanted to go to Watkins Glenn with my brother at 16 untill my parents put their feet down....but the '' original sound '' is gone, it lacks that soul that was there. Warren and Derek are great guitarists - they really are - but somehow their style of slide is just too schreeeechy for me. I find myself going ....stop the slide and just play. Dickey and Duane had a smoothness together that was music to my ears. I am lucky to see Dicky's band come through my town at least once a year and I get to hear those old classics Dickey / ABB tunes and my brother and look at each other and give it that ; '' yeaaaah '' this is more like it. Hey, the ABB is still great to see and I have made the pilgramidge to The Beacon Theatre but I find myself passing on them and instead going to see Gregg on this own. It's more fun and with more spontenaity. I got like this with the Grateful Dead.....where I found myself going to see Jerry more on this own as the Dead towards the end where just not all that fun to see anymore. I realize everything changes and these are still great musicians to see - especially in this world now where the only ones that seem to get the the spot light are the entertainers of the world and not the great muscians. That's who I go to see these days. Check out Widespread Panic who even after Charlie Houser's passing ( Jimmy Herring of ABB took his place after a little auditions ) is a great band to see.

You should check out the ABB recordings from the New Orleans jazz fest. You can order them from the jazz fest website. I have one from 2004 that has Chuck Leavel sitting in with them. They play a really tasty version of Jessica and do a great cover of Van morrison's Into the Mystic. The sound quality is excellent.

I am w/ Garebear on this one. I saw the Gregg Allman Band in January '10 this year. I was just able to enjoy them more
than my last couple of ABB concerts from recent years.

I too am an early ABB fan. Nothing and I mean nothing compares to At Fillmore East and Eat a Peach. The Allmans were a completely different band up to and including Brothers and Sisters when in my opinon the remnants of the original magic faded away.

Yes the newer iterations of the band are comprised of extremely competent musicians. But the magic is gone. The innovative slide work of Duane, the interplay between he and Dickey, the jazz like subtleties of JJ and Butch and the underpinnings of Greg all propelled by Berry. These guys were innovators, exploring new territory and creating a new genre all at the same time.

No band accomplished what they had in such a short period of time. Duane was the leader and after his loss it was obvious the band was a shadow of its former self after Brothers and Sisters. So I agree with Garebear. I saw them many times in my youth, including Watkins Glen. Even without Duane they out shown both the Dead and Band.

Duane was a genious when it came to slide. He is even credited with coming up with those famous opening licks in Layla.

A good read about Duane and the band is Skydog by Randy Poe.

Best

Dave

Never heard 'em with Betts, let alone with Duane. Heard lots of records, however, and many are terrific, especially Fillmore, which I think is as good a live album as has ever been done. And I will even admit that Derek Trucks's got an annoying habit of running his slide back down the neck every phrase or two that sometimes makes me wince; and I'm not a big fan of Warren Haynes's voice for that matter. That said, I've seen the current line-up several times, and they kick ass. If they don't have the original magic, they have some other magic. Every one is a fantastic musician, and they play hard and great together. All substance, no posing. Go hear 'em.