Sunday, 13 March 2011
Allman Brothers Band Beacon Theatre New York 12 March 2011
Well, here we go again. The fortieth anniversary of the recordings that gave us Live at the Fillmore East, no less, and there have already been suggestions from Butch Trucks that we're going to be in for a Mountain Jam of significant proportions.
That will, of course, unfold as it unfolds, but you'd expect that, given the anniversary, tonight's show will replicate either the actual Live at Fillmore East album, or possibly a setlist as per the reissue (The Fillmore Concerts). I'd plump for a reprise of the actual set lists (there were, after all two sets each night) from forty years ago, if the band has access to that sort of data with duplicates removed the second time around and the odd other track tacked on to fill things out.
Still, all will be revealed in the fullness of time.
On the technical side of things I thought I'd got things sorted on the laptop front, but a brief trial this morning revealed sound without pictures there while I could get both on the desktop machine, so it's obvious what platform we'll be using for the rest of the run. Might do a bit of tinkering and checking from time to time, but at least I've got something that works at the moment.
11:13 With Madam heading to an International Women's Day lunch within the next quarter hour or so, it 's time for a bit of diplomacy if we want to avoid being called in for cat herding duties as tonight's show starts.
11:29 Which turned out to be a bit of drama we definitely didn't need. Having located Mother Cat and Ninja Kit on the verandah, it was a case of rousing the other two out from their preferred refuge in the car, with show time approaching rapidly. Having succeeded the sound of jump blues emanating from the office was a source of considerable relief.
11:32 PA down, crowd noise, assorted bangs and thumps.
11:34 Fillmore Stage announcements leading into Statesboro Blues, surprise, surprise. Derek on Les Paul, which you don't see that often.
11:37 Derek's doing the keeping an eye on Gregg bit again, or at least that's the way it seems.
11:40 Done Somebody Wrong
11:42 Butch seems to have left the jam cam head gear at home. Reflect that lack of scribbled notes is a welcome sign of being absorbed in the music. Hope things stay that way.
11:44 Stormy Monday. Derek back on the familiar red SG (at least I seem to recall it being referred to that way. I'm not a gear head).
11:49 They don't come much better than this solo from Derek. Not that I'm putting him above anybody else, but I can't think of too many others who deliver solos you can say that about with the consistency he does. Reinforces my opinion that he's one of the all time greats.
A couple of minutes later, reflect that Warren ain't exactly too shabby either. But let's not get into comparisons.
112:54 You Don't Love Me. Well, looks like we're in for a decidedly retro set tonight. Maybe nothing later than '71? Interesting when you look at the relatively light (numerically) range of titles to draw from. Will probably need some ring ins or a mammoth Mountain Jam and a lengthy Whipping Post to get the distance. Fine with me it that's the way it has to be…
12:04 While the intention seems to be to stay as close as possible to forty years ago, there's plenty of contemporary feel. Maybe an intention to try to imagine how the original lineup might have sounded forty years on? Of course, you won't know for sure, but I definitely got the feeling the approach tonight is slightly different, possibly reflecting the occasion.
12:06 > Hot Lanta
12:09 Momentary glitch. First I've noticed tonight. Flow into country Australia is apparently getting through better than in parts of the States. Strange.
12:12 Into a quieter passage that I suspect is going to lead into
12:13 In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. Interesting to see whether there'll be the bass and drums bit. There isn't. Well there goes one way of padding out the two and a half hours. As I said, a monster Mountain Jam would be fine with me.
12:30 Whipping Post
12:37 Freeze in sound and vision forces an out and back in manoeuvre, right as Derek's solo is peaking. The manoeuvre doesn't work first time round, and another go brings me back to Gregg on the verse.
12:39 Another momentary pause as Warren's solo starts to develop.
12:41 Was that a Norwegian Wood tease?
12:45 Well, surely this'll be the break coming up, not least because it's hard to imagine what you could follow that Whipping Post with. Right on, though the drums roll out with the Mountain Jam theme, hopefully a statement of intent for the resumption.
Moogis promos through the break, as I wander down to the other end of the building to check the furry felines, snaffle a snack (pepperoni and cheese, glass of Lenton Brae No Way Rose, in case anybody's interested) and head back to the office to scan email with Moogis in small screen mode. Email seems remarkably light on.
1:09 Back to the PA, with some old blues. Bobby Bland?
1:12 But no question about this one. That's The Wolf! Back Door Man, cut short as the crowd noise swells and the ABB logo appears. Time to refill the Rose, and return to the office at
1:14 for that rolling tympani and familiar guitar lick. Mountain Jam!
1:28 Trouble No More. Well, that was remarkably short, given the advance publicity. Maybe the set will be a Mountain Jamwich with a reprise at the end.
1:32 We'd like to dedicate some of tonight's performance to Eddie Kirkland, who just passed away.
Thank you, Jaimoe.
1:34 The Sky Is Crying. Gregg flubs first line.
1:42 Another masterfully understated solo solo from Derek. Predictably when I start scribbling that note he cuts loose and at
1:44 drops right back to a call and response bit with Warren before it's back to the vocal. Plenty of light and shade here, folks.
Just noticed Butch has the Jam Cam headgear back on.
1:47 Put your hands together for, from Los Lobos, David Hidalgo.
Don't Keep Me Wonderin'? Well. it features in the Los Lobos setlist on a regular basis (or did, dunno about recent ones). Sure is.
1:54 Good Morning Little Schoolgirl. Hidalgo's still there, and at
1:59 as he goes into a solo recognise the WH guitar strap round his neck. Borrowed axe?
2:05 Every Hungry Woman. Well, by now they've done just about everything from the first two albums bar Dreams and Revival. At least that's the impression I get, though I'm not inclined to check at the moment. Dreams to round off the set with Revival as the encore would do nicely, thank you.
2:10 but no, it's > Oteil for the bass solo and at
2:12 the percussion switcheroo, which is starting, at least to these ears, to sound rather samey. Ponder the possibility of another Rose. Decide against it due to imminent typing.
2:17 Oteil starts to head back? No, two minutes later he's still there.
2:20 This time off he goes, first to the tympani, then
2:21 to the bass as the riffing guitars reemerge.
2:24 Gregg's vocal re-entry wasn't supposed to happen, but worked better than you might have thought as we seem to be heading back into the ranges for Mountain Jam.
2:27 At least I think that's where we're headed. Maybe just the end of Every Hungry Woman. The more I think about it I'm inclined towards the latter view, a feeling reinforced at
2:29 by the rolling tympani and that familiar theme. So I was sort of right, but we took a little detour along the way. Guess that'll be the end of the set. Drunken Hearted Boy for the encore?
2:31 Well that's it for the second set. For the encore?
2:35 Choppy rhythm that I suspect is going to be No One Left To Run With. It takes all of about thirty seconds to confirm the suspicion, though the dedications to those who have passed on the last two nights make it a logical choice.
2:40 Thank you. We'll see you Monday night. Hopefully. Y'all come back here. Thanks Gregg, that's definitely the intention.
Little Martha.
Which ended a rather pleasant three night run, and while I'm looking forward to another eleven shows, a day off tomorrow will be a nice break. There are matters that need attention in the garden, I suspect there's a wine shipment waiting at the Post Office and several other areas of the website need a bit of attention as well.
While I'll be having another gander at the on-going technical issues and would prefer to be watching in the living room on the wide screen TV, the office, with the 27-inch iMac ain't too shabby a substitute.
It's a hard life, but I'll try to ensure I don't weaken.
Set 1:
Duane: Hope this comes out all right, we're cutting our third Album tonight! then All Right! The Allman Brothers Band!
Statesboro Blues
Done Somebody Wrong
Stormy Monday
You Don't Love Me> Hot Lanta
In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
Whipping Post
Set 2:
Mountain Jam> Trouble No More
The Sky is Crying
Don't Keep Me Wonderin' (David Hidalgo, Guitar)
Good Morning Little School Girl (David Hidalgo, Guitar)
Every Hungry Woman> JaBuMaOt> Every Hungry Woman>
Mountain Jam (Reprise)
Encore:
No One Left To Run With
