Allmans Do It Again

The Allman Brothers passed through Chicago in early September, and put on its best show at the World Music Theater to date.  Indeed, in riding its latest upswing, the group seems to improve every year, and this time around it hit an incredible peak from the first note of the first song Don't Want You No More. Somehow, the ensemble amazingly was able to keep the momentum high throughout the entire show. Every note was perfect as Gregg's soulful vocals played the perfect match for Warren Haynes' stinging slide. Dickey Betts threw in a twangy, countrified twist, and Allen Woody tossed in more than his share of wild bass patterns.

This year's tour is completely revamped from those of the past few years, and without ruining all of the surprises, it should be noted that  Ramblin' Man and Southbound made more than welcome appearances. Unfortunately, they came at a cost -- Elizabeth Reed, once again became a memory, and Blue Sky failed to appear.

The highlight was, once again, a superb version of Back Where It All Begins, which continues to grow and expand into an epic masterpiece. Whipping Post seemed to enjoy a sense of rejuvenation and powered by Woody's bass and the percussive efforts of Butch Trucks, it was more than just the Allman Brothers Band going through the motions.

Rusted Root opened the show, and the group had the audience dancing from its first riffs. The Moody Blues-inspired Cruel Sun was a dreamy centerpiece to the rest of the South African-inspired set, which began with Martyr and was capped by a killer drum solo/Ecstasy combination.

The Allman Brothers Band's Where It All Begins is
available from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!

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Rusted Root's When I Woke is available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!