The Allman Brothers Band played the Beacon Theater in New York for the last time on the evening of Tuesday, October 28, 2014. The band has announced they will tour no more, which generally translates to mean they have abdicated their reign over the kingdom of blues-rock after a mere forty-five year tenure. Their annual Beacon shows have been the stuff from which rock & roll legend is born, after an almost consistent twenty-three year residency. I’ve listened to the Allmans since the early 70’s, long before I understood from where their music came, and long before I became a die-hard fan.
Like any band that has weathered nearly half a century of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, the Brothers have a storied past, from forming in 1969, to losing founder Duane Allman in 1971 to a motorcycle accident, to losing bassist Barry Oakley a year later, also to a motorcycle accident and mere blocks from Duane’s accident, to turfing founding member and guitarist extraordinaire, Dickey Betts in the 90’s, not to mention Gregg’s personal issues with addiction, and what it was like for a bunch of mere lads to suddenly have money, lots of money. Alan Paul’s book “One Way Out” uses a unique interview format to help the reader live these tumultuous years with the band. It’s probably the best artist biography I’ve read, and there is stiff competition in Gregg Allman’s “My Cross to Bear”, Eric Clapton’s self titled autobiography, and of course, Keith Richards' “Life”. All are great reads, which will be my only Christmas plug for Amazon, or locally, Westminster Books on King St., open M-W 9-7, Th & F 9-9, Sat 9-5, Sun 12-5, 506-454-1442, just sayin’. . .
The first song they played as a band in 1969 was a cover of Muddy Waters’ “Trouble No More”. The last song they played, just after midnight in the early morning of October 29, 2014, was again “Trouble No More”, the timing of which was strategically planned to mark the 43rd anniversary of Duane’s death. This performance at the Beacon Theater was an epic, three hour, three set opus. I have ordered the CD from their merch site, Hittin’ The Note. I’m going to guess that it will also be out on DVD.
Brother Doug and I traveled to The Meadowbrook Pavillion in Gilford, New Hampshire to see the ABB in August of 2013. It was my first time seeing the complete ensemble, and I was blown away. Three originals, Gregg, Butch, and Jaimoe still play, or is it now played, in the band. They, along with Dickey Betts, also own the Allman Brothers Band corporately. Warren Haynes is a twenty-five year veteran, and co-guitarist, Derek Trucks is the newbie with fifteen years. Marc Quinones has been one of the three percussionists since signing on in 1991, and Oteil Burbridge has been on bass since 1997. This band plays with the precision, intensity, and intricacy of an orchestra. Their music is complex, while keeping the cherished sound of the south. I’ve got all of their key albums.
In March of 2014, Susan and I planned a sojourn to New York City around tickets to see the Allman’s at the Beacon. We were not disappointed, or at least I wasn’t. As I may have said before, appreciation of their work seems directly proportional to understanding the Brothers and what they have accomplished. Directly after each of their live performances, they do a really neat and crafty business thang and sell CD recordings of the performance you just saw. This is handled for them by Munck Music, and I’m not aware of any other band that does this, but then, this is characteristic of the ABB. I have CD’s from when I was at Meadowbrook and The Beacon, and I have ordered one on-line from the grand finale at The Beacon. The legacy of the Allman brothers Band will live on.
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