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Allman Brothers Band
Reviews and Setlists
Summer Tour 2004

Revival
Don't Want You No More
Not My Cross To Bear
Hoochie Coochie Man
Old Before My Time
Walk On Guilded Splinters (w/Chris Robinson)
Hot Lanta
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Black Hearted Woman
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (w/Thom Doucette)
High Cost of Low Living
Desdemona
Same Thing (w/Rob Barraco)
Impromtu blues jam (Gregg left the stage)
Statesboro Blues
Dreams
Liz Reed

Encore: 
One Way Out


REVIEW

Sometime last April, Tina and I informed our friend Vic from Wichita, Kansas that the ABB would be playing Red Rocks and the plans for our yearly foray were begun. Said plans were put into motion in stages; the buying of tickets, the fetching of Vic, and the leaving from Paola Kansas at 4:45 AM (CDT). With Colorado in front of us and too much coffee inside us, we made our way at illegal speeds towards Denver, The Rocks, and the Allman Brothers Band.

Our arrival at our temporary digs in Denver was only slightly overshadowed by a threat of evening rain, a threat that only slightly materialized in sporadic light sprinkles that must have made the altered in attendance feel that THEY were doing it. I'll never say that they didn't.

We had some dinner and drove the couple of exits towards Morrison, CO and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a small journey I always welcome as it's own tiny adventure, as the vistas afforded one upon entry into Red Rocks Park are almost otherwordly in their magnificence and splendor. Somehow, this year we found parking at the TOP of the park, BEHIND the Amphitheatre, and thus escaped the grueling climb we had prepared ourselves for since April. With the show starting at 5:00 PM, the crowd adopted a much more party atmosphere than usual, a feeling that was catching and even welcome.

Chris Robinson and New Earth Mud hit the stage at around 5:15 and the concert began. I really enjoy this new project Chris has put together with former Black Crowes bandmate Audley Freed. With a much bluesier sound than the Crowes had adopted, they seem to explore their talents singly and collectively with more freedom. Pick up their CD "This Magnificent Distance" and get yourself Muddy. The New Earth Mud played a 45 minute set allowing plenty of time for The ABB to stretch.

At 6:35, 7/10/04, Gregg, Butch, Jaimoe, Marc, Derek, and Warren took the stage. Opening with "Revival", they got the crowd involved with the show right away, turning the Rocks into one giant sing-along. The opener was followed by "Don't Want You No More" with Derek Trucks working the frets, followed by Mr. Haynes. The customary break and slide into "Not My Cross To Bear" was next, just as it should be and Gregg Allman's signature growl roared into the mountain. The percussion driven "Hoochie Coochie Man" was rolled out, allowing Warren Haynes to growl a little in return. The band took things down a bit with the soulful "Old Before My Time", a song that was certainly well known by a good portion of the crowd. Chris Robinson was asked to front the band's cover of "I Walk On Guilded Splinters". I've never heard this live before, and let me tell ya's, I want, no, I NEED to hear it again, it's that good. Warren and Derek used the song as their first excuse for some call and response, and Butch, Jaimoe, and Marc used it as their first excuse for a percussive mini-solo. "Hot 'Lanta" appeared next and you could hear the drum team lock.. The Allman Brothers then played "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" with Gregg on vocals, another treat you don't want to miss. "Black Hearted Woman" was our next listen, with it's power ending intact. Thom Doucette was introduced and the band swung into "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" with the harp player taking the first solo. One of my favorite vehicles for the young Mr. Trucks came next With "The High Cost of Low Living" and Derek's slide solo was just as sweet and moving as ever on this song. Gregg's softer side was displayed on the jam driven "Desdemona" next. Derek played both frets and slide during his solo and even managed a "My Favorite Things" quote into the bargain. Warren cut loose on the vocals on "The Same Thing" to follow, which included some killer keys from Rob Barraco of New Earth Mud. The song ended with a three way Round Robin involving Derek, Warren and Barraco; marking the first of the evening's real high points. The band begins a funky little vamp that seems to stretch a little when I notice that Gregg has left the stage. After maybe two or three minutes we see Gregg striding through the equipment backstage as he is just finishing getting a tee shirt over his head in exchange for the long-sleeved denim shirt he'd started the night in. The rest of the boys had never stopped and as Gregg approached his piano bench, he put his hand over his heart and bowed to his bandmates in appreciation of the patience and skill. Dreams was belted out by the keyboardist upon his return. During this number (and later during... no, you wait for it!), I realized my admiration for the accents that Marc Quinones adds to specific numbers; accents I'd truly miss were he not there. Next on the plate was a slice of something Tina and I hadn't heard in three (that's 3) years: "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed". The last time had also been in Denver, at the Ogden Theater, and it was almost more than I could stand. I think I frightened a few people with my reaction to the opening notes..... Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident played the first solo - a little different take on the song, maybe even a little distracting. Derek fired up next and played frets, then slide and threw in a Les Brers quote. Gregg played his B3, followed by Warren's solo and a call and response session with Warren and Michael Kang. The percussionists played a shortened drum set with Oteil also pulling an abbreviated solo of his own. The return to Liz Reed kicked in and the boys walked off stage only to immediately return with Audley Freed and Thom Doucette in tow. The expanded band launched into a fiery One Way Out with Freed capturing first solo, followed by Doucette, Haynes and Trucks in that order. The roar from the crowd at the end of this number may have been the evenings loudest, but Little Martha brought us all back to Earth again. At least, for those among us that could walk anyway.

Reviewer: Clifford Lake©, 2004

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8:45 - 11:35 with no break

Statesboro Blues
Ain't Wastin' Time No More
Don't Keep Me Wonderin'
Who's Been Talkin'?
Melissa
Instrumental Illness
Key To The Highway (with Chris Robinson vox and harp)
Rockin' Horse
Every Hungry Woman
Desdemona
44 Blues
Midnight Rider
Elizabeth Reed
Revival
Encore:
Southbound (with Audley Freed and Rob Barraco)

REVIEW

What does one do after hauling ass to Red Rocks on Saturday, then hauling that same ass back to Kansas on Sunday, then dragging that ass to work Monday morning? Go to the Uptown in Kansas City to see the Allman Brothers Monday night, that's what!

That's what Tina and I did, and was it worth it? Why yes, yes it was!

The Uptown Theater is one of those grand old places built back in the '20's. Refurbished and updated, the place is comfortable and welcoming, although a tad warm when it's been sold out in July. And sold out it was, friends, and the excitement in the air was thick enough to taste.

Opening again this evening was Chris Robinson and New Earth Mud. They started their set with the funky, high energy song "Ride" and never looked back. These guys are a great band and a perfect opener for the Brothers; there's no excuse to skip 'em in favor of seeing the headliner only, you'll be missing out, trust me. Leaning more towards electric selections than I'd seen previously from them, they had the place boppin' and groovin' from the show's onset.

Shortly before they started, Tina and I were pleased to see a family in the row in front of us with a young girl of perhaps four years of age in an Eat a Peach tee shirt. I asked her who her favorite was and she smartly answered: "The Allman Brothers!" What I was trying to learn from her was WHICH Allman Brother, so I asked again. Misunderstanding, she thought I meant which album, and, indicating her apparel, this time responded: "Eat a Peach!" This time Mom interceded and when I asked again, with a glow in her eye, she confidently told me: "Gregg!" I later learned that the little girl's name is Mariah, and that she can dance almost all night long. She certainly appreciated what New Earth Mud had to offer and rightly so.

The Allman Brothers hit the stage at 8:45 and grabbed the crowd right off the bat with a hot "Statesboro Blues". "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" made the stage next with a killer slide solo from the younger Trucks. Warren finished the song with his own fretted solo and the song ended allowing the Whipping Post Shouter to be clearly heard. The old faves list continued with "Don't Keep Me Wonderin'". First new cover of the evening was "Who's Been Talkin'" with Warren handling the vocals and starting his solo off with a Carlos Santana riff. Derek's fret work continues to improve and he took great pains to demonstrate just that fact during this song. As the next song was set up, Marc, Jaimoe, and Derek left the stage as Gregg removed himself from behind the keys and strapped on an acoustic guitar. "Melissa" was served up with Warren taking the first extended solo on this song I've been witness to. The rest of the band returned for a slick version of "Instrumental Illness". A gentleman named Juan sitting next to me thought Warren quoted "Eleanor Rigby" and until I hear the tape, I won't dispute it. The Percussion team took an opportunity for a mini-solo and Oteil got a little power play of his own off. Chris Robinson and his harmonica came to the mike and he and Gregg shared vocals on "Key to the Highway." Robinson took the first solo on harp and just tore it up. "Rocking Horse" was let loose and Warren dropped some "Les Brers" into his solo for us. Derek tore up his SG and the band slid into "Every Hungry Woman". Derek and Warren traded licks almost all the way through this number. Gregg worked the vocals on the mournful "Desdemona" and the jazz mid-section was a thing of beauty with the entire band just locked in. "Stand Back" was our next sampling with young Mr. Trucks smoking his solo. The quirky bass lines of ".44 Blues" and warren and Derek treated us to a slide fest with Warren throwing "Eddie's Got a Boyfriend" quotes at Derek, making Oteil crack up. The whole band threw themselves into a fine version of "Midnight Rider" before slipping into our second "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed in as many shows. Gregg kicked a little extra into his solo before Derek went into places unknown with his solo. Warren played a few stray lines at Oteil just to get the bass player laughing again, quoted "Les Brers", again, and launched into blaze of screaming Les Paul glory. This was the first song that young Mariah sat for. Maybe it was the drums that woke her up again; as the triple terror played at least three separate movements before letting Oteil step up with that six string bass. Oteil scatted for some few minutes before launching his own musical rocket with some HEAVY bass acumen. The band brought all back around and Liz Reed was done in some thirty minutes or so. The crowd got their own opportunity to perform and Mariah was back on her feet for "Revival". Goodnights were said, but the crowd wasn't ready to go home quite yet, and back out came the ABB with Audley Freed and Rob Barraco in tow. With that many people on stage one just assumes that "Southbound" is about to ring through the air and so it was. Derek took the first solo, followed by Barraco, then Freed, then Haynes. Rob Barraco never stopped smiling, even as Warren led them all into one of the cleaner Round Robins I've seen performed. The last brilliant burst of energy of this song took us to a second set of good nights and "Little Martha" showed us the way home.

But the tour ain't over yet. Not by a long shot.

Reviewer: Clifford Lake©, 2004

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