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Allman Brothers Band
Fillmore East, February 1970
First Appeared in The Music Box,
August 1997, Volume 4, #8
Written by John Metzger
As long-time fans of the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers Band know, in February 1970, the
groups joined forces for three nights of epic performances at the Fillmore East in New York City. Portions of
the Grateful Dead's February 13th and 14th performances have already been released as Bear's
Choice and Dick's Picks Volume Four. Now, thanks to Bear and archivist Dick Latvala, some
outtakes from the Allman Brothers performances at these legendary concerts are now available through
Grateful Dead Merchandising.
Aptly titled Fillmore East, February 1970, the disc opens with a scorching
rendition of In Memory of Elizabeth Reed that simply grooves. Dickey Betts and
Duane Allman are magnificent, as they play with reckless abandon, yet tightly in synch. The highlight of
this album, however, is the nearly 31-minute Mountain Jam that drips with an
colorfully electrified
intensity. indeed, the Allman Brothers Band takes the Donovan-penned song and mutates it into
its own magical panorama of
sound. The dual guitars of Betts and Allman dodge and weave through Berry Oakley's bass line,
leading the ensemble to the outer reaches of the tune and beyond as its
traverses through a Miles Davis-style jam á la
Bitches Brew. 
This album is no longer available
from Amazon.com, Amazon-CA, Amazon-UK
or Grateful Dead Merchandising.
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 1997
The Music Box
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