It's finally March, and the undisputed kings of Southern rock have once again taken over the Beacon Theatre in New York. For thirteen nights, they consistently sell out shows as fans clamor to hear live versions of "Ramblin' Man," "Melissa," "Blue Sky," "Midnight Rider," "One Way Out," and "Whipping Post," to name a few. After several reincarnations, the band is still going strong, with front man Gregg Allman at the organ and Dickey Betts on lead guitar.

On March 9th, the band began their annual crusade at the Beacon with a packed house of fans, both young and old. Despite a few technical glitches that occurred throughout the second set due to the recent death (1/8) of Joe Dan Petty, the Allman Brothers Band's much-loved brother and guitar technician, Gregg's organ and Dickey's guitar kept the entire crowd on their feet for over two and a half hours. Their opening songs, "Statesboro Blues" and "Leave my Blues at Home," were slightly weak, but the band warmed up quickly as they cranked out a beautiful Dickey Betts ballad, titled "Shady Streets,” and the amazingly complex instrumental "J.J.'s Alley.”

Other highlights of the concert included an in depth tribute to Memphis Slim, as well as a percussion ensemble late in the second set which combined timpani drums and a large gong. "Love Is Everywhere" put the crowd in the realm of true Allman mastery, and the encore combo of "One Way Out" and "Whipping Post" took us back to their classic days. If you still can’t quite see how they manage to sell out so many shows on a regular basis, attending of the many Beacon Theatre shows will make you understand.
Allman Brothers Band

Beacon Theatre

(New York, NY)

review and photo by Brett Richards