After an 11-month hiatus, the Allman Brothers Band came back firing on all cylinders and hittin’ the note as only they can. Some bands might be hesitant after such a long layoff, but the ABB didn’t have any training wheels on this tour, breaking out new songs and rearranging old ones to keep the music fresh and alive. A total of 56 songs (plus JaBuMa) were played over the course of the first 12 shows.
Willie Dixon’s blues classic “I Ain’t Superstitious” was given the full ABB treatment, with Warren’s gruff vocals and Derek’s stinging slide taking the song to new heights. Bob Dylan’s “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry” was reinvented as a hard-hitting rocker, with Gregg Allman belting out the lyrics with soulful, bluesy power. A number of shows featured special guest appearances from tour mates Bob Weir & Ratdog as well as other friends such as Roy Haynes, Jr. Mack, Bruce Katz from Gregg Allman and Friends, Danny Louis, Susan Tedeschi, Jay Collins, Scott Sharrard and Luther Dickinson.
As good as the August tour was, the Fall tour was even better! The mind-bending 9/30 show, with incredible versions of "Les Brers in A Minor" and "Dreams" among others, was an early indicator that this would be a very special tour. The band never let up from there, with each show offering highlights. The 10/1 show has an amazing "Afro Blue>JaMaBuBu>Jessica" sequence. The 10/3 Raleigh show had a version of "Rocking Horse" that may be the best ever. The 10/4 show in Charlotte featured one of the most exotic setlists of recent years, with rare covers like "Come On In My Kitchen" and Hendrix's "Manic Depression" alongside deep ABB cuts like "Gambler's Roll."
The 10/7 show from Pelham, Alabama has a great "Mountain Jam>Smokestack Lightning>Mountain Jam" sandwich that sounds as good as it looks. The 10/8 show from Orange Beach is one big highlight, with a best-ever version of "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?" and a great acoustic version of "Preachin' Blues." The band finished the tour with two great shows in Atlanta, both of which were two set "Evening With" shows. The "Mountain Jam" from 10/10 and the "Dreams" from 10/11 stand up to any other version of these classic songs, and both shows are full of great jams and noteworthy performances.
As you can tell, we think this was one of the finest tours in years! Please click on the images below to read more about each show and to order.
