The ABB and the DTB in Kansas City, KS 6/25/02
Memorial hall in Kansas City, Kansas is one of those venerable, slightly embattled
looking intimate arenas that look as if they’d be just as at home hosting a
4-H livestock show as they were hosting two of the hottest touring bands going.
Tina and I were blessed to have picked up third row seats for this show, right in
front of Gregg as it happened.
Sorry, I’ve gotten ahead of myself… you see, it was the Derek Trucks Band that
opened this night’s proceedings. Perhaps the first thing I noticed as they took the
stage is that interim singer Mike Mattison and Kofi seemed to be competing for the
largest Afro On Stage Award. Appropriate, given the material played. To me it
seemed that the band was taking a more easygoing approach to their playing
on this evening, not sloppy play mind you, they were as tight as ever, just more
laid back, more relaxed in their various roles onstage. I regret that I cannot provide
you with a setlist for their performance, but I can tell you that they played new material
as well as old standbys, for instance they closed with Ain’t That Lovin’ You? ,
a tune well known to Derek Trucks Band fans. They were loose and funky and the
perfect warm-up for the headlining act.
The Allman Brothers Band took the stage to the usual welcoming cries… that
soon became a roar with the opener: Midnight Rider. This was followed
with Trouble No More, and then All Night Train. It was this tune that
gave a taste of things to come for this show; there was an edge to this number that I’d
not heard before, especially the ending with Derek and Warren trading licks back and
forth. This was just the preliminary…
Worried Down With the Blues was the next tune on the block, Warren’s
vocals were just as gritty as always, but it was Derek’s solo on slide that made this
song sweat. Dreams followed and Derek PLAYED the first solo.
Warren came on as strongly as always on this tune, however it just about this time
that I noticed that all three percussionists were locked, and they stayed that way
for the rest of the night. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’ was the next selection
with Oteil just pumping that rhythm out. Gregg took it down a bit with
Old Before My Time. A friend whose first ABB experience just happened
to be this concert (now how did THAT happen?) told me that it was this song that
he found one of the most impressive all evening. Perhaps it was the contrast.
Woman Across the River came next with its signature changes and it was
on this song first that Warren and Derek literally ganged up on the audience.
Trading lick after lick, then finally both playing complimenting leads at once; the two
guitarists made this song the first highlight of the evening. There would be more.
Following Come and Go Blues, another new Allman Brothers Band
song was presented with Who To Believe. Derek owned this one with his
slide guitar prowess in full force. Following that was Done Somebody Wrong.
This was a WAY different version than what we’re used to from the ABB, more
swing, more bounce, definitely tasty, and VERY tightly played. By now, I was
listening to everybody on every song, taking a moment to single out Oteil’s bass
work, now Marc on percussion, listening to Gregg’s counterpointing on the keys,
trying to get a sense of HOW this band knits it all together, because they were
pulled together TIGHT.
After the break, the next evening high point was a very edgy version of No
One Left To Run With. Derek owned this song too. Just Before the Bullets Fly
was next, giving Warren ample time to answer Derek’s previous solo in style.
Oteil’s turn to turn it on came with the new instrumental; he was on fire and he
was leading the band through this number. I found this evening’s performance
of this tune to have a flow that I hadn’t heard in previous renditions, by the time this
one gets out of the studio, it’ll be tweaked just right.
Gregg then provided us with one of the best versions of Stormy Monday
I’ve heard him sing yet, and Derek’s solo was locked into the song like I’ve never
heard. Rocking Horse was played after this and it just gets better with every
performance. From the way it’s played, my guess is that this is a band favorite;
the drum corps certainly seemed to like it. Derek took the second solo on this song,
playing with a broken string for at least a couple minutes that I knew of.
He didn’t switch his guitar until the SONG had ended, not just his solo. That’s dedication.
The Brothers then climbed up on the Mountain for the second time this night: oh,
yes, Mountain Jam. Warren quoted Norwegian Wood just before
the drummers took their romp. Oteil’s solo included America the Beautiful
on bass as well as an extended scat session. Warren, Gregg and Derek returned
to the stage for the Jam’s out-tro, which included bird calls from Warren and a
Third Stone From the Sun quote.
The Allman Brothers Band bid us goodnight and returned to encore with
Revival before letting us out into a warm Kansas night that seemed a
little quieter than usual… and that was just fine.
Cliff Lake
6/27/02
Copyright © Clifford Lake 2002
Setlist for Memorial Hall, Kansas City, Kansas - June 25, 2002
Midnight Rider
Trouble No More
All Night Train
Worried Down With the Blues
Dreams
Don't Keep Me Wonderin
Old Before My Time
Woman Across the River
Come and Go Blues
Who To Believe
Done Somebody Wrong
No One Left To Run With
New Instrumental
Just Before the Bullets Fly
Stormy Monday
Rocking Horse
Mountain Jam
Encore:
Revival
The DTB and ABB in Nashville, TN 7/4/02
It is hot in Nashville, Tennessee this Fourth of July.
Tina and I get to our hotel in the early afternoon gasping for a shower,
some colder AC than our car could provide, and enough time to wind
down from the nine-hour drive. The television is screaming about gunmen
and downed airplanes in LA and I make a mental note not to allow those
who cannot enjoy to ruin my fun.
Showered, changed and refreshed, Tina and I drive the fifteen minutes
or so to the AmSouth Amphitheatre. The venue is clean and well supplied
with various overpriced eateries, Slurpee stations, water vendors, and
purveyors of many things alcoholic. The lawn is a vast green expanse that
looks well tended. Our seats in the third row are under cover and thus shaded,
allowing us to sweat heavily in relative comfort.
The opening band is announced: a local outfit calling themselves
Government Cheese whose drummer is a DJ on one of Nashville’s radio
stations. They’d have served themselves better opening for any number
of bands less concerned with music and more concerned with image,
but that is only the opinion of myself and many others in the gathering
crowd. They and their gear clear the stage soon enough and it isn’t long
before Tina and I are yelling hello to:
Yonrico Scott, Todd Smalley, Kofi Burbridge, Derek Trucks,
AND Susan Tedeschi as they take the stage. Derek makes my day
immediately by strapping on his SG, and off we go. Susan takes
vocals on Joyful Noise for their opener, while Kofi bobs his Don King
coiffure at the keys. Yonrico solos on Kam A Lay, and Todd
struts his bass solo on Chicken. Tina points to the side stage
where she spies Oteil rocking out as his brother and the DTB lay it down.
Susan rejoins the band to belt out Feel So Bad and to play an
SG of her own. Kofi smokes on the keyboard during
Ain’t That Loving You, and then again on flute for Afro Blue.
Tina and I go in search of more water and are pleasantly surprised to see
the lawn filling nicely.
Back in our seats I turn around to see CeeCee waving at us and it’s
now I that I meet Great Scott, Goliath, Lana, and a couple or three more
whose names are soon to be driven out of my head. A few minutes later
Rob Hynes appears in front of us and so another name from the Internet
gains a face. A few minutes after that we are treated to:
The Allman Brothers Band. A score of individuals are sitting on the
sidelines on stage. Gregg, Warren, Derek, Marc, and Oteil find their
spots. Butch and Jaimoe have been on and off stage for the last twenty
minutes. Derek wears the SG again and the ABB Ain’t Wasting Time No More.
All I’ll be able to say about this song is: DEREK!! We are served with
some Black Hearted Woman next to warm up the rhythm section
and we can literally hear Warren and Derek lock in for the evening.
We find ourselves with the Come and Go Blues and I wonder how
it is that Gregg can sound gruff and sweet at once. Warren sounds gritty as
he laments the Woman Across the River and spends his solo watching
Oteil funk it up on bass. Derek takes his shot and just plain BUSTS OUT.
Again. Tina is smiling at every note, but her jaw drops at the conclusion of this
song as Derek and Warren trade dynamite back and forth, each incapable of
outdoing each other, but between them outdoing themselves. Gregg takes us
down with Old Before My Time, and I realize that this plaintive melody
is really growing on me. Warren’s slide playing sounds incredibly like a lap steel
and Derek’s fills are both unobtrusive and still necessary. This is pure Gregg
Allman; a fine piece to be sure. We’re ready now for some Dreams and
do we get some. Warren takes two solos: one fretted, one slid. Somehow, he plays
one of the best solos I have yet heard for this number, but it’s not just him, the whole
band has locked long and hard this night and I am just now realizing it. Marc
Quinones accents add so much to the totality of this number; now driving, now
filling, now backing Warren’s plays. People have asked me why the Allman
Brothers need three drummers. Because they do, or they do to sound like THIS.
Warren tells us that he’s Worried Down With the Blues, but it’s Derek that tells
us how much this time. It’s just as Derek and Warren are handing off to each
other again that I realize I only hear one drummer: ONE GREAT BIG FREAKIN’
DRUMMER. There are several times all night that Butch, Jaimoe and Marc have
one mind and six arms and the rest of the band HAVE TO follow them. Gregg lets
us know that there’s No One Left to Run With, but you can’t tell that by
watching Oteil bouncing and bopping and working that bass for all he’s worth.
Derek gets WAY OUT in front on that SG and this song slams its way to a big finish.
Gregg then informs us that he’s still the Midnight Rider, sounding just good
as he ever has. Now the time has come for Oteil to drive the bus. He ups the tempo
about a half a beat and the Allman Brothers Band takes a head on run at
“The New Instrumental”. Gregg solos first, scatty and certain. Derek dives in and
just NAILS his solo. I’m watching the light show and it occurs to me: can the lighting
sequence be providing clues as to the title of this song? We may never know….
The drum corps is one big machine and Warren goes over the top with his solo.
This tune is well crafted and not to be missed. Tina and I have been wondering
all evening if on this, our nation’s birthday, the ABB will be bringing on any special
guests. Our answer comes in the form of Johnny Neel AND Jack Pearson!!
Why are they here? Because we’re all Southbound!! Pearson takes the
first solo and his melodic style sends us. Neel answers with some, no, a LOT of
gritty honky-tonk piano. Warren and Derek solo, but as we run for the finish line,
Warren sets up a four-way call and response that goes like: Warren, Derek, Jack,
Johnny, Warren, Derek, Jack, Johnny, Warren, Derek, Jack, Johnny, Warren
Derek Jack Johnny Warren Derek Jack JohnnyWarrenDerekJackJohnnyWarren
DerekJackJohnnyWDJJWDJJWDJJ!!THESONGISAFRIGGINMONSTER!!!
How Warren climbs on his Rockin’ Horse after this is beyond me,
but the band rides it just as hard as always with Warren finishing his solo with
a broken guitar string. Gregg allows us to let our Soulshine as Warren
helps out on vocals. Chris Anderson, once of the Outlaws, joins the band as
Gregg claims You Don’t Love Me. Harmonica great Jimmy Hall helps
Gregg give us the Statesboro Blues. Gregg still sounds as if he could
sing all night. He doesn’t have to as the band serves us some Mountain Jam.
Derek teases Third Stone for just a second. It’s somewhere during the intro that
Nick Graham and I realize that we’ve been sitting next to each other for much of
the night. I also realize that this evening’s crowd is one of the most appreciative
that Tina and I have been a part of… and contributed to. The drum solo is tight and
powerful. Oteil plays a perfect rendition of America the Beautiful and while he’s
scatting, a security person approaches a woman in the second row and speaks to
her for a minute. His cap is orange with white lettering that reads: MJPD. It’s nice
to know that the Mountain Jam has it’s own Police Department. The out-tro is well
played and we are taken to a Revival for the encore.
Fourth of July fireworks attempt to rival what we have just witnessed
on stage, but of course, they can’t. However, their falls to Earth guide our own.
We might never have made it back on our own….
Cliff Lake
7/7/02
Copyright © 2002 by Clifford Lake
Setlist for Nashville, TN- July 4, 2002
Ain't Wastin' Time No More
Black Hearted Woman
Come and Go Blues
Woman Across The River
Old Before My Time
Dreams
Worried Down With The Blues
No One To Run With
Midnight Rider
Instrumental (untitled)
Southbound
Soulshine
Rocking Horse
You Don't Love Me
Statesboro Blues
Mountain Jam
Encore:
Revival
Gregory Lenoir Allman - keyboards, lead vocals
Born December 8, 1947 in Nashville, Tennessee
Warren Haynes
Lead and slide guitar
Jai Johanny Johanson "Jaimoe" - percussion
Born July 8, 1944 in Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Claude Hudson "Butch" Trucks - percussion
Born May 11, 1947 in Jacksonville, Florida
Derek Trucks - lead and slide guitar
Marc Quinones - percussion
Oteil Burbridge - bass
Archives:
To view past reviews click on these links:
The Allman Brothers Band at Louisville Motor Speedway 6/17/01
The Allman Brothers Band at Tinley Park, IL 8/26/00
The Allman Brothers Band at Red Rocks 7/3/00
The Allman Brothers Band at Memphis in May, Memphis, TN 5/6/00
The Allman Brothers Band at The Coca-Cola Starplex
Dallas, Texas 7/24/1999
The Allman Brothers Band at Red Rocks Amphitheater in
Morrison, Colorado 6/12/99 and Sandstone Amphitheater in Bonner Springs,KS 6/16/99
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