The Allman Brothers concluded their short autumn tour of theatres with three sold out shows at The Orpheum in Boston that simultaneously re-affirmed their own passion for their music and justified the loyalty of their fan base.
A crackling cover of Delaney and Bonnie’s “Comin’ Home” was the only ‘new’ tune unveiled during the run. First debuted by the Trucks-Tedeschi Band at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival in July, it appeared not surprisingl on the first night in the midst of two sets that were otherwise populated with less-well know tunes given unusual twists. ABB standards were thus relegated to a compact reading of “Melissa” and an extended turn through “In memory of Elizabeth Reed,” the laser-like focus of which only partially dissipated by a static percussion interval.
“Revival” has in recent years been offered as a set piece like the final night’s “Don’t Keep Me Wondering,” but as the opening on Thursday night, the band immediately stretched out on it during which Warren Haynes teased “Mountain Jam” in the first of two instances that appeared before that jam vehicle made a full appearance in all its incandescent glory the final night. Haynes and Derek Trucks put a spin on what might otherwise had been a forceful but nonetheless de rigeur encore by coming out as a duo just prior to the famous ABB cover of Muddy Waters’ “Trouble No More”, to play a nasty but nonetheless wry version of Son House’s “Preachin’ Blues.” The de facto leader of Gov’t Mule also participated in an unusual turn on his familar “Rockin’ Horse,” foregoing the usual call and response with his guitar partner so that the latter could quote from Dickey Betts’ “Blue Sky”.
That fleeting moment presaged the highlights of thesecond night in Beantown which were songs written by the expatriate ABB guitarist. During “Jessica,” the presence of pianist Bruce Katz (from Gregg Allman’s solo band), almost but not quite tainted the purity of the guitar based arrangements of the last couple years; the audience rightfully applauded the smooth means by which the band navigated its changes. Shredding his way through the latter sections of the instrumental from Eat A Peach, Derek Trucks proved he now owns “Les Brers in A Minor” as much as he has come to own “Whipping Post,” the predictable but no less powerful encore on Saturday night. And “Southbound” proved an ideal encore as it allowed for quick turns by the guitarists and Katz.
The sleek streamlined approach of the middle night of the three found an ideal change of pace within two songs of Bob Dylan’s. The Allman Brothers nailed “Highway 61 Revisited” with a jaunty arrangement where Gregg captured the tongue-in-cheek quality of the lyrics. “Blind Willie McTell” presaged the blues flavor of closing night with its ominous solemnity, contrasting the brighter surroundings of the Betts tunes.
Saturday night’s show, conducted on Duane Allman’s birthday–the late founder of ABB would’ve been sixty-four years old– had an erratic flow unlike the consistency of its predecessors, but the high points more than compensated. The septet didn’t seem up for slashing its way through “Don’t Want You No More” to open the three hour show, though Allman, sounded stronger and more audible than on the preceding evenings (except for the quiet wistful take on “All My Friends” November 18th). That was true for bassist Oteil Burbridge who was, as usual, having a ball injecting nuance into old favorites like “Midnight Rider,” but was only intermittently felt or heard through the questionable house sound. “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” didn’t work as effectively as a change of pace as the Dylan tunes the night before, but an elegant exploration of “Dreams” found Haynes in particular at the top of his game. Alternately musical and raw, he reminded how complementary his style is with Trucks, not to mention how much he’s learned about finesse from the younger guitarist in the years they’ve worked together.
Their melodic ingenuity during the “Mountain Jam” that opened and closed the second set found reflection in a more abbreviated drum solo than the previous two nights, where charter members Butch Trucks and Jaimoe used their drum kits for sharp call and response and percussionist Marc Quinones reaffirmed how integral he’s come to be within The Allman Brothers’ signature sound.
Announcing their return to The Beacon Theater in New York this March was perfectly timed after the triumphant Orpheum shows in Boston. Anyone who saw any of these three performances would be inspired to travel to the similarly intimate confines in NYC for the chance to witness the redoubtable imagination and durability of The Allman Brothers Band.
