Tonight's show, the second in a row without Gregg, was jam-packed, double-stuffed, and frankly one of the best of the run. Rob Barraco and Kofi Burbridge again filled in on keyboards-- Kofi mostly on organ, Rob mostly on piano across the stage, taking the Chuck Leavell role. And again, a cavalcade of guests sat in and more than ably filled in for the ailing brother Gregg. Jimmy Hall on vocals and harp, along with Susan Tedeschi on vocals and sometimes guitar, augmented the band as needed all night long; in fact as the lights dimmed, there was a mic set up for each of them.
Jimmy Hall gently ushered in the show with a greasy harp vamp, that turned over into "Done Somebody Wrong." Then quickly the opening keyboard lines to "Come and Go Blues," both sung by Warren. Gregg's and Warren's vocal personas each combine defiance with world-weariness, making it easy for Warren to inhabit Gregg's songs-- although where Gregg leans more toward world-weary, Warren leans more toward defiant. Two songs in, it was clear this was to be a special night.
Interestingly, even though Gregg was absent, his presence was felt on the song selection; it almost seemed as if the set list was crafted to pay tribute to his songbook, not unlike the January tribute show in Atlanta. A couple of songs either written or sung by Gregg made their 2014 debuts tonight, including a lovely Susan vocal on "All My Friends," and a bluesy Jimmy Hall take on "Can't Lose What You Never Had."
"Dusk Till Dawn" was an extended, jazzy highlight, with a stylish Barraco piano solo, echoed by Kofi on flute, and followed by a Derek sunburst. Jay Collins on sax blew like he was hanging out of a Bourbon Street window at 2AM. On “True Gravity;" the drums scattered like a flock of birds, Oteil riding with the flock, Derek painting across the sky. "She Caught the Katy," the old Taj Mahal blues that was a highlight of the 3/25/12 show (another night where Jimmy Hall helped fill in for an ailing Gregg), was again a highlight, with Jimmy giving a clinic in classic Chicago blues harp. Jimmy and Susan augmented the band for a set-closing "Revival," with everyone singing the refrain, until the Beacon has become a church.
A bluesy "You Don't Love Me" featuring Jimmy Hall opened the second set, followed by a Junior Mack-led "Ain't Wastin' Time No More." Later Susan sang a rousing "Feel So Bad," and "Dreams," with Warren singing and both guitarists joining forces on the midsection, was a shimmering highlight. As was the nearly-30-minute segue from "Les Brers" to the drum solo, into a sweet "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?" featuring Jimmy Vivino along side Warren and Derek, finally back into "Les Brers." By the time "Southbound" brought the night to a furious, sweaty close, it was well after midnight.
Disc 1
1. Done Somebody Wrong (with Jimmy Hall, harp) (6:56)
2. Come and Go Blues (7:51)
3. End Of The Line (6:24)
4. Dusk till Dawn (with Kofi Burbridge, flute; Jay Collins, sax) (13:03)
5. Can't Lose What You Never Had (with Jimmy Hall, vocal and harp (6:51)
6. True Gravity (11:35)
7. All My Friends (with Susan Tedeschi, guitar and vocals; Jimmy Hall, harp) (5:31)
8. She Caught the Katy (with Jimmy Hall, vocals and harp) (5:31)
9. Revival (with Jimmy Hall, harp and vocals; Susan Tedeschi, vocal) (10:25)
BREAK
Disc 2
1. You Don't Love Me (with Jimmy Hall, vocals and harp) (10:48)
2. Ain't Wastin’ Time No More (with Jr Mack; guitar and vocals) (9:44)
3. Black Hearted Woman (12:54)
4. Feel So Bad (with Susan Tedeschi, guitar and vocals) 9:32)
Disc 3
1. Dreams (with kofi Burbridge, flute) (12:07)
2. Les Brers in A Minor (9:02
3. JaMa BuBu (8:00)
4. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad (with Jimmy Vivino, guitar; Jay Collins and Jimmy Hall, sax; Susan Tedeschi, background vocals) (8:52)
5. Les Brers in A Minor (reprise) (2:58)
Encore
6. Southbound (with Jr Mack, guitar and vocals; Jimmy Vivino, guitar; Jimmy Hall, harp; Jay Collins, sax; Rob Barraco, piano) (8:49)
