Saturday, 12 March 2011
Allman Brothers Band Beacon Theatre New York 11 March 2011
11:07 After all the to-ing and fro-ing over the past twenty-four hours it's a relief to be sitting in the living room in front of what appears to be a working Moogis stream. With things comfortably in full screen mode, you'd probably expect things to be hunky dory, but it's hard to escape the suspicion that fate is lurking around the corner, slipping the lead into the boxing glove. Actually, I don't think I'll be breathing too easy until I see that ABB logo on the screen, which remains a worrying shade of black. At least the sound's coming through loud and clear.
The process of getting things right after yesterday's drama was thrown severely out of kilter with news of the tsunamis in Japan. Nowhere near as severely as things were thrown out of kilter over there, of course, but given Madam's origin it was a case of straight over to the 24 hour news channel and dedicating the laptop to catching further detail as events unfolded. Like just about everyone else I find the sheer magnitude of what has transpired almost impossible to comprehend, but we'll just have to wait and see how things work out.
Between the floods across central and southern Queensland, Cyclone Yasi a few hundred kilometres to the north of us, a continuing downpour in the same area, the earthquake in Christchurch and now this, I suspect that there won't be to many people waving a tearful goodbye to 2011 when New Year's Eve rolls around.
Still, when your feelings need healing, music can do wonders, and wonders are certainly needed.
Those musings got us to 11:24, and I'd be a lot happier if I could see that ABB logo. Tenterhooks is the operative word as I tap this out on the iPad. A sample of last night's first set suggested everything was OK, at least as far as archived content is concerned, but we want the live action, don't we?
My Antipodean bloody oath we do, but a bit of the Jeremy Spencer-era Fleetwood Mac always goes down well. Pity they chose I Can't Hold Out, though. A little too close to the bone for my liking. The following track, a Tony Joe White unless I'm very much mistaken, has crowd noise in the background. Where's that bloody logo?
Assorted bangs and thumps suggest an impending start, but I'd still like to actually see something on the screen.
11:31 Swelling noise, and percussive elements continue, a chord here, a guitar lick there. Looks like we're going to be eased into it, but I wish they'd ease into something on screen.
Don't Want You No More failed to bring visuals with it, while a check on the desktop in the office revealed everything working well, so I guess it's goodbye to the laptop for the time being. With those matters seemingly resolved, let's enjoy the rest of the run in the air-conditioned office.
11:41 To the easy chair and notebook mode. Everything from here on can be tapped out after the event.
Ain't My Cross To Bear was crossed to during the transition from living room to office, and at
11:42 Ain't Wastin' Time No More seems appropriate after the foregoing, and, based on recent events both here and around the world I'm inclined to make it a theme to live by. That, and Bobby Charles' Before I Grow Too Old, which I’d love to see Gregg or Warren do, along with the Jukes horns or a similar aggregation. Eat, drink and be merry while you still can.
As Derek heads into a trademark solo, I note that Butch seems to have acquired a penchant for wearing British related sports apparel. Yesterday it was Arsenal, today there seems to be a Cross of St George in the logo on the badge, though lack of familiarity with English soccer paraphernalia has me scratching the head. I’m sure I’ve seen that somewhere, but stuffed if I know where it was. Strange what you notice.
Having moved away from the big TV in the living run I've lost the on-screen clock, so the mobile phone gets enlisted for timekeeping purposes.
11:48 By the looks Oteil isn't about to be wasting any time either. Seems particularly animated this evening.
11:49 ABB logo. Wish I'd sighted it much earlier. Seems to be much more ambient comment between tracks than I can remember from last year. Like listening to an audience recording at home when there's someone talking near the taper. You find yourself (or at least I do) turning round to see whether there's anyone at the front door.
11:50 So what's this? A new one? Definitely don't recall hearing this at an ABB show before, though it could well be a Mule number. Haven't been keeping up with Warren as much as I could. The River's Gonna Rise? Well, from the way that phrase keeps turning up in the chorus you'd guess that's what it is.
Actually, that's why you want to be hearing or seeing this as it happens, the whole what's that? bit. Big part of the reason I'm here anyway. You can trade, buy, download or whatever, but when you do, you know what you're getting.
11:55 Visual freezes are a bit more frequent than I'd like and I was part way through noting that least the sound was still with us when it goes as well. You'd think a bloke would know better.
11:57 Derek changes guitars as the music continues. Dunno why, but he does. Nice understated play out.
12:01 Warren: How ya doin? Welcome to Night Number Two. Guest coming? Nope. Stand Back.
12:07 The climax of another one of this great multilayered Derek solos takes us out of Stand Back.
12:09 Is that tympani in the background? Mountain Jam? Sax in there as well. There are those ambient comments again.
Welcome my friend Randall Bramblett over here on the saxophone.
12:10 Desdemona.
12:12 Understated sax under the second verse. The guy's got taste.
12:15 Another one of those Derek solos.
12:19 My Favourite Things tease? Nine minutes of music with just the odd scribbled comment is, I think, an indication of how much I'm into the music today (as opposed to the first set yesterday, where the lack of vision meant it was easier to be distracted).
12:24 Gregg: Now we'd like to bring up a piece of the family here. My son Devon Allman on guitar.
12:25 Key To The Highway? Yep. Note that Derek seems to be exercising some degree of supervisory capacity where Gregg's concerned. Seems to be wandering over that way rather frequently.
12:34 Marc highlighted on percussion as the lead in to what? A new instrumental? Given my track record in that field I'm probably wrong. Should be forced to spend a week listening to repeats of all the long instrumentals so I can tell the little devils apart. Need more recent recordings.
Subsequent comments suggest it’s Egypt.
12:44 Is that the break? Should be about due. Nope. Introducing Jimmy Vivino.
12:45 Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?
12:52 Break.
Half time rolled around with Madam advising she was off to consult the Dragon Lady about kitchen renovations, which means I need to head out to the carport to help ensure that the Feral Furry Feline Fraternity haven't made their way back into the engine compartment of the car. We nursed them through two bloody cyclones so there’s no way we’re going to have the little critters mangled in a car engine. Actually it's more a case of ensuring they don't get back in once they've been roused out of there. What was that about herding cats?
Back into the kitchen to grab some pasta leftovers from last night and a glass of Hay Shed Hill Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, also left over from last night. Extended opening has made it a little on the sharp side. Resolve not to make the same mistake twice. Pasta reheats nicely though.
1:21 Back for Set 2. Timed that nicely. Lunch out of the way, and I was about to resume tapping out a lunchtime summary when the ABB logo appeared, along with a percussive accompaniment that resolved itself into
1:23 The ABB logo. Still, there's definitely something going on there.
1:24 Acoustic guitar strums suggest Melissa. Or maybe an acoustic mini set. Who, apart from The Shadow, knows?
1:25 Melissa. Would have preferred the acoustic mini set, but we’ll gratefully accept what we’re given.
1:31 Maydell
1:36 > Manic Depression? Yep. Oteil vocals. There are bands who's be glad to use that voice as a lead and here he is doing occasional harmonies and the odd lead.
1:41 Two sound/vision freezes, predictably as we're finishing one song. Going out and getting back in means I miss the introduction (or reintroduction of Randall Bramblett, who's back for
1:43 The Same Thing
1:48 > Oteil
> Derek > Randall. So far lost in the flow that I neglect to note times. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned (he said as he filled in the details after the fact).
1:54 > three way interplay between guitars and sax. Classy.
1:56 Warren acknowledges RB and at the same time Oteil seems to leave the stage, which has me hoping for a guest bassist. Tal Wilkenfeld would be nice, in more ways than one (get your mind out of the gutter you old goat). Oteil is, however, back for
1:57 Black Hearted Woman
Gregg into multiple senior moments in the lyrical department. Recall those comments about Derek and apparent supervision. Still, it's not like this sort of thing is a recent development.
2:00 > Drums and the percussive switcheroo. Madam's not back from The Dragon Lady's, so consider an extra glass of something.
2:06 > Derek > Warren with the vocal bit > a much lighter play out around 2:09, though that gradually builds in intensity and resolves itself into
2:19 Jessica
2:30 Is this headed towards a Mountain Jam tease?
2:33 Butch > Tympani
2:35 Is that it? Looks that way. So, what's the encore.
2:39 Preachin' Blues starts up as neighbour arrives to check whether the concert has finished. He wants to mow the footpath, but doesn't want to intrude on the concert enjoyment. Nice bloke, eh?
2:43 One Way Out
2:49 Thank y'all. Good night. God bless ya.
2:50 Little Martha.
Well, there you go. From my perspective, much more enjoyable than yesterday, as the scarcity of scribble towards the end attests. I try to jot down notes that can be fleshed out later, but when you're getting into it…
Technical issues remain as far as the laptop is concerned. The Firefox issue got shelved into the too hard basket, and I figured I'd use Safari instead. Checked the archived version of yesterday's show and everything was fine, so I figured I could just switch to the live stream. Nothing wrong with watching in the office, but the living room has better scenery outside, not that was an issue on an overcast day, and greater flexibility in the snack department.
The setlist:
Set 1.
Don't Want You No More> It's Not My Cross to Bear
Ain't Wastin' Time No More
The River's Gonna Rise
Stand Back
Desdemona (Randall Bramblett, Sax)
Key To The Highway (Devon Allman, Guitar)
Egypt
Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad (Jimmy Vivino, Guitar)
Set 2.
Melissa
Maydell > Manic Depression (Oteil Vocal)
The Same Thing (Randall Bramblett, Sax)
Black Hearted Woman> JaBuMaOt> Black Hearted Woman> The Other One Jam> Black Hearted Woman
Jessica
Encore:
Preachin' Blues (Warren & Derek)
One Way Out
