Sunday, 27 March 2011
Allman Brothers Band Beacon Theatre New York 25 March 2011
Eight minutes past ten would, on the surface, seem a little early for the getting ready bangs and thumps, and the revised operating procedures would've had me logging in at least seven minutes later, were it not for some confusion as to whether yesterday's show was actually #200 for the ABBeacon Experience.
And when somebody on the Allman mailing list drew attention to an email suggesting an 8 p.m. start I put two and two together and decided it was better to be safe than sorry. After all, if this one is #200 they could well be planning on going on a little longer than usual, so they'd be looking at an early start, wouldn't they?
Then again, they're all apparently a notional eight o'clock start, though actual blast off time can be up to three-quarters of an hour late.
But you can never tell, and it's better to be safe than sorry.
The possibility that today's (or tonight's, or whatever's) show is yer actual #200 again raise the possibility of the rumoured Fillmore East run through in order, but as noted yesterday they've already done that during the run. Mind you, they could repeat it with a different guest on each track, or, say Jack Pearson on guitar for the whole show.
Personally, while that Jack idea would be a definite blast, I hope this rumour proves to be a total furphy, because doing that would remove one opportunity for a Blind Willie McTell, Ain't Wastin' Time No More, Old Before My Time or a Walk On Gilded Splinters.
10:17 Very strong bass line that seems to be coming from the stage has me switching to full screen mode, and taking a quick check of the horizon for visitors.A phone call from Byrnesy suggested he was likely to lob, so we've got to keep our eyes peeled.
The Fillmore East scenario would, of course, deliver a Whipping Post, which must be just about due to reappear. Personally, he said, taking a glance at the 2009 run stats I'd be holding out hopes for something different. Perhaps a Franklin's Tower, I Shall Be Released, Loan Me A Dime or Please Call Home. Wouldn't mind Afro Blue either.
The reflection of a car pulling up outside has me checking the horizon again, and a few minutes later I'm ushering Byrnesy into the office and answering predictable questions about what's in store. With a visitor on the premises and wide-ranging discussions on musical matters as events unfold, there's a significant reduction in notes jotted.
10:34 ABB logo.
10:35 Trouble No More. Immediate loss of feed, get out and log back in. Hope this will not turn out to be par for the course.
10:41 Midnight Rider
10:45 Who To Believe. Byrnesy's impressed, as I expected he would be.
10:54 Long instrumental time? There's something familiar about this little jam, which turns out to be the intro to Rockin' Horse.
11:04 Broach the subject of Long Instrumental again, though I suspect we're in the quiet bit that's often inserted in the middle of Rockin' Horse.
11:09 > Rockin' Horse theme.
11:11 Statesboro Blues
11:17 Sailin' 'Cross The Devil's Sea
11:23 Now it's Long Instrumental time. Remain clueless as to identity but kind of suspect avian title. Probably wrong, but there you go.
11:31 Movement from Butch, which may be taking him to the tympani or making way for a guest. Warren introduces Duane Trucks on drums and Col. Bruce Hampton. Turn On Your Lovelight. Rather tasty, despite an 11:37 freeze.
11:41 Leave My Blues At Home
11:48 As we head into the break, Byrnesy makes his escape, pleading other things to do.
12:23 ABB logo as PA cuts out. Shadowy movement on stage. I have a sneaking suspicion we're in for a Spanish Key restart.
12:27 No, Dreams.
12:37 Feed drops out. Out and back in.
12:40 Come & Go Blues.
12:48 Worried Down With The Blues.
12:57 There's a Guitar-less Susan. Anyday. Oteil takes the first verse, Susan the second.
1:03 > Blue Sky? Momentary glitch, but definitely sounds that way. Missed the bit inserted into No One Left To Run With the other day due to half a mind preoccupied with bandwidth calculations, but don't think I missed this one, though the sound and vision cut out frequently over the next couple of minutes.
1:06 > Anyday
1:07 Liz Reed with unannounced guest on guitar.
1:25 > Bass
1:29 > Drums
1:35 Oteil heads back
1:36 > Liz Reed
1:39 Freeze prompts the out and back in manoeuvre, which concludes as Warren announces on guitar. If we’d been back fifteen seconds earlier and we'd have had a name, though subsequent email identifies him as one Oz Noy.
1:40 That's it for the second set.
1:42 All right. What a great bunch y'all are.
1:43 Into the Mystic
1:53 Thank y'all so much. We'll be here tomorrow night. It'll be our last night. Come back and see us. Goodnight and God bless.
1:54 Little Martha
And the setlist:
Set 1
Trouble No More
Midnight Rider
Who to Believe
Rocking Horse
Statesboro Blues
Sailin' 'Cross The Devil's Sea
Egypt
Turn On Your Love Light (Col. Bruce Hampton, Vocals; Duane Trucks, Drums)
Leave My Blues at Home
Set 2:
Dreams
Come and Go Blues
Worried Down With The Blues
Anyday (Susan Tedeschi, Vocals)
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Oz Noy, Guitar)
Encore:
Into The Mystic
