Graphic created by Bill Underhill
The Allman Brothers at The World
8/26/'00
Tinley Park, Illinois
On August 26th 2000 Tina and I entered The World Theater in Tinley Park, Illinois.
On August 26th 2000 Allen Woody left the world in New York City, New York.
We should have known something was up; the pre-show music was exclusively
Gov't Mule. As it happens, we didn't find out until we got home Sunday evening to
an email mailbox full of sadness. Therefore I must ask your forgiveness if the
following review misses the mark somehow....
Saturday, August 26, 2000 was muggy and a bit warm in Tinley Park, Illinois.
Opening act The Pat McGee Band was a bit mellow for my tastes, but are
nonetheless accomplished musicians. For their last two songs they were joined
by a friend who's name I will not chance to misremember that added some depth
and fire to their endeavors.
Approximately a half an hour after The Pat McGee Band played their closing
number The Allman Brother's Band played their opener: Trouble No More.
Gregg's voice was strong and free from the first note.
Stand Back was nice and funky to follow, featuring an obviously confident
Derek Trucks leading the way through this song. Jessica was the next
selection played and Derek took the first lead on this old fave, playing like he'd
been working this song for all of his twenty-one years. Jimmy Herring took
second lead on the instrumental, his style isn't as round as the play we've
heard from Dickey Betts, but Mr. Herring has brought an edge to this tune
that bears a second listen. With Derek and Jimmy melding at the end of this
number, Jessica takes on a freshness and a vitality that I enjoyed immensely.
Gregg then took us into another place entirely with Fenton Robinson's
Somebody Loan Me a Dime. At times Gregg's voice flowed like honey,
at times it gritted through my being. At all times it was clear that while Mr. Allman
may not have written this blues anthem, he was certainly meant to sing it. Derek
Trucks played more fret than slide as he took second lead, and a fine job it was.
Done Somebody Wrong was next on the bill, short, snappy, and a little jazzier
than I'd heard before. This brought us to a very clean, sweetly played Melissa;
Jimmy Herring's playing nicely showcased.
Next served was The ABB's nod to the Grateful Dead, Franklin's Tower,
vocalized by Oteil Burbridge and twirled to by many members of the crowd.
Oteil has a good handle on the lyrics, and the harmony from the band for the
chorus was dead on... so to speak...
Gregg Allman introduced the next song as having been written by Warren Haynes,
and Allen Woody. There may have been more to the announcement, but I cannot
recall that there was as they swung into a very passionately played
Sailin' Cross The Devil's Sea. From the start of this number the percussion of
Butch Trucks, Jaimoe and Marc Quinones powered this song. Jimmy Herring
took first lead, only to be smoked by Derek's slide playing.
Don't Keep Me Wonderin'had the twin guitars locking as
The Allman Brother's Band continued to pour on the steam.
A fine rendition of Dreams I'll Never See was belted out by Gregg while Derek
continues to raise the bar on his slide solos during this piece. This was followed by a
Hot 'Lanta that came on like a tiger. Gregg ripped up the keys while
Derek Trucks and Jimmy Herring played stride for stride on their respective axes.
A hot version of Statesboro Blues was up following, and Gregg played a
slick piano for the crowd.
Then... a moment, a memory, a melody that I thought I could never witness was
offered to the crowd: on August 26th, 2000, just outside of Chicago,
The Allman Brothers Band bested the version of Mountain Jam that was
recorded at the Fillmore East 1971.
There, I said it, heresy it may seem, but the tapes will bear me out; the Mountain has
gotten higher, much, much higher.
The song bore some resemblance in parts to the version we know from the
Fillmore '71; it also borrowed from the '70 recordings of Fillmore and
Ludlow Garage. However, this piece was wholly owned by The Allman Brothers Band,
each member contributing more, better, harder, freer and sweeter than I have
heard any band do, ever. This moment will forever shine in my memory,
unless they transcend their own work yet again. If you ask me, this is not at
all outside the realms of possibility or reach for this band.
Derek and Jimmy didn't just lock while playing this number; they were in each
other's pockets. Gregg played the Hammond like a madman. The drum solo was
fluid and catchy. Oteil was on fire. And the re-entry to the Jam's back leg was a
piece of art, smooth and clean. Tina pointed out to me that Gregg was on his third
shirt for the evening, and still the band wrung notes from this tune I wasn't aware
were possible.
Perhaps this last number explains the very rocked up treatment that The Brothers
gave Revival. Highly charged as it was, the vocals of Gregg Allman still
reminded us that "love is everywhere."
The inevitable finally came to us: the goodnights from the band and the encores,
yes with an "s'.
Jimmy and Derek traded licks for an extended intro to You Don't Love Me,
whose tempo was faster than in recent years. And finally...
Whipping Post. The Allman Brother's Band took an extensive run with this one,
with Derek Trucks ramping the lead first up, then down, then back up again,
just to show us. The show ended with Gov't Mule to see us out to the parking lot,
leaving this writer wondering if they can possibly top themselves tomorrow night
at the Sandstone in KC.
One can only hope.
Goodnight Allen, God rest ye.
Cliff Lake
8/28/'00
Copyright © 2000 Clifford Lake
The Allman Brothers Band at The Beale Street Music Festival
Memphis, Tennessee - Saturday May 6, 2000
Memphis in May
The Beale Street Music Festival, an annual three-day event in Memphis, Tennessee
was prepped by almost a weeks' worth of rain, and yet that still couldn't keep the
record-breaking crowds away. 55,000 festival goers showed up on Saturday the
sixth to see such performers as Rat Dog, Isaac Hayes, The Foo Fighters, and our
own Allman Brothers Band.
After a short tour of Memphis by a favorite uncle, Tina and I arrived at the river front
venues around 6 P.M. The skies were clearing, the scent of barbecue was in the
air and the mud was practically universal. Did that matter? Not to us and 54,998
other people.
After locating the stage where the ABB was to play we learned we had arrived in
time to catch both Taj Mahal and Susan Tedeschi playing the same stage.
Finding a small drier patch, we settled in to watch Taj. Truly, some performers
never seem to lose their edge and Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues Band was a
nice way to start our evening.
Susan Tedeschi was next up. As the band was setting up, a tall blonde young man
came out on stage and gave her a hug; Derek Trucks was already getting the feel
of the stage. Throughout Susan's set, Derek could be seen prowling around
offstage, and halfway through Susan's gig we found out why. As Derek strapped
on his Gibson, Ms. Tedeschi introduced the young musician to the crowd, and
Tina and I couldn't wipe the grins from our faces. Derek played slide for
Susan's Looking For Answers and stepped offstage to resume his backstage
wanderings.
As I said last year, Susan Tedeschi is a fine way to start any Allman Brothers
show, and you'll be able to catch her opening for The Allman Brothers Band
several more times this year.
Finally, at just past 10 P.M. our boys hit the stage. Opening with Trouble No More
the Allman Brothers came on hard and strong. Gregg's voice was as vibrant as
ever, the percussion section was snappy and free, Oteil was as hot as only
he can be, and Dickey and Derek wielded their instruments both singly and
in unison like they'd been warming up all day. The band started the show
hot and as the night progressed they just kept pouring on more steam.
Don't Keep Me Wonderin' followed for their second selection and it seemed
to me that both lead guitarists were playing cleaner and sweeter than ever
before. The third selection this evening was Franklin's Tower/Blue Sky.
Derek nailed his lead on this one, bringing to mind the live version Warren
Haynes performs on the ABB's Evening With recording. Dickie's response
lead flowed like sweet wine and as a result the show seemed stepped up a notch.
The next tune up was Rave On, the latest of Mr. Betts' instrumentals,
and a hot tune it is, don't miss this one if you can help it. The next song
featured three guitarists as Susan Tedeschi was invited onstage to play
Feel So Bad receiving both a warm welcome and approval from the crowd.
The Brothers then returned to their Beginnings with a fired up rendition of
Every Hungry Woman, Dickey and Derek trading licks and keeping the
crowd moving. We were next treated to the sweet strains of
Jessica/Mountain Jam and again the twin guitars strutted their stuff.
In fact, by this time Dickey was so warmed up, that he never stopped playing.
As the last chord rang for Jessica, a single guitar blazed out loudly and there
was Dickey, almost on his knees, bending strings and pulling the band into
the old crowd fave, You Don't Love Me. Next on the bill was Rambling Man,
and this song exemplified the strengths of The Allman Brothers today.
The version we heard that night was a harder, jazzier rendition than is found
on the Brothers And Sisters album, proving once again that The Allman Brothers Band
are at their best when there is a crowd in front of them.
The next song had Gregg on his feet and behind his guitar as the band played
an electric version of Melissa. Gregg took his usual place behind the
Hammond as Dickey vocalized for the next number, Nobody Knows,
the hard-driving tune that always reminds me of Whipping Post.
Next up was one of the finest performances from the band's newest member I have
seen to date: the slide guitar workout of Dreams. Derek laid down a solo that
encompassed both the melancholy and the passion of this piece.
The subsequent number was one I have waited years to hear live, a tune that, in it's
complexity, would challenge any group of musicians especially in a stage
setting: High Falls. All I can say is, they NAILED it. Gregg's solo during this
number was sizzling as I have ever heard him, Derek's guitar rang,
Dickey was smooth and jazzy. The drums had their chance finally with this
instrumental, Jaimoe, Butch Trucks, and Marc Quinones displayed their
percussive virtuosity with conviction. Following them, Oteil Burbridge
took his bass to task with a fine version of Amazing Grace that somehow
melted back into the jazz rhythms of High Falls again. I need to hear this live
again, just to convince myself that what I heard was what I heard. Truly amazing.
The Allman Brothers closed their Memphis show with No One Left to Run With,
and once again, we left the show tired, happy and wondering what we're to do
with ourselves until our next ABB concert.
Come to Red Rocks if you can and we'll see you there!
Cliff Lake
5/14/00
Copyright © 2000 Clifford Lake
The Allman Brothers Band - Up To Speed 
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