Allman Brothers Band Live

OUt of that list, the last one is the only one with the current lineup. Heavy on the solos, the melodic "noodling" of Dickey is gone, replaced by a Jeff Beck-style flash from both Warren and Derek which takes the band in different directions. Oteil Burbridge the bass player is fantastic, an awesome addition to the band.

While I do miss Dickey's melody on lead, I recommend this one.

 

An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: First Set is great. It's my second favorite live ABB live album (after Fillmore). 2nd Set isn't nearly as good. I haven't listened much to the other two, but was more impressed with One Way Out.

 

I'd rank 'em in the following order:

1) First Set
2) 2nd Set
3) One Way Out
4) Peakin'

Coincidentally, I just listened to part of First Set YESTERDAY. The "Nobody Knows" on there is stellar. A bold statement I know, but I believe that this is the finest official live performance of the Brothers career. Yes, even better than, say, "Elizabeth Reed" from Fillmore.

Moving on to 2nd Set, the highlight for me is "Back Where It All Begins", another one of their great epic tracks from the re-union years. "Jessica" also won a grammy for best instrumental, but I feel that version is putrid.

Now "One Way Out". This one SHOULD be better than it is. I've seen this lineup of the band many times and I love it. While it's hard to argue that they're BETTER than the Duane/Dickey band, it really is a stellar lineup. Yet for some reason this live album doesn't do it for me. I can't identify what's missing for me, but something is. Still, it's great to hear some of the newer tracks in a live setting, particularly "Desdemona" which is every bit as good as something that would been recorded by the original lineup.

Finally, "Peakin' At The Beacon" is something you probably want to avoid altogether until you reach the point of being a completist. What's interesting about it is that it's from a transitional lineup; the only recording from the Dickey/Derek lineup. It's also interesting in that it has tracks that are not on other live albums very often such as "Black Hearted Woman" and "Please Call Home". Unfortunately, most of the tracks simply aren't performed well. Dickey was fired from the band shortly after this album was recorded but before it was released and you can really hear why. The one song that *I* like that makes it worthwhile is the 27 minute closer "High Falls". Many will see this one as a bore since the bulk of it is a drums/bass solo, but I love it for some reason. Salvages the album for me.

 

one way out is some killer stuff but yeah it has trucks and haynes. whereas the others all have i think, dickie betts. i think betts makes the allman bros very cool and coupled with duane they were unique in their apprach and melding of styles.

 

I really like the 1st Set and 2nd Set discs. Both are very good. The other two - One Way Out and Peakin - not so much. Both of these had the potential to be better than they are. If I had it to do over, I would pass on the last two titles.

 

Incited by the discussion on the Winterland 1973 show included in the Super Deluxe edition of "Brothers & Sisters" I decided to take the plunge into that year with the ABB. As the whole B&S box is out of print and commands insane prices now, I went for Nassau Coliseum Uniondale, NY 5/1/73 double disc from the band's vault.

What a great great show - I really do not know why this period has been overlooked and undervalued! The first disc features lengthy, breezy renditions of Jessica and Elisabeth Reed, but it is the second set that steals the spotlight. It is dominated by the majestic trio of "Les Brers in A Minor", "Whipping Post" and "Mountain Jam", which form a continuous 70 minute journey across variety of moods and rhythms. Chuck Leavell's keyboard work brings the jazz flair to the sound, which makes up for the absence of the trademark twin guitar attack. I love how they sound in this lineup!

Now I cannot wait to compare it to Grateful Dead's "Dave's Pick #9" (still in transit), whose lengthy "Weather Report Suite", "Dark Star" and "China Doll" combo promises equally compelling jazzy trip.

We will see, but in the meanwhile I am already deliberating what should be the next move with the 70s ABB. Macon City Auditorium 2/11/72 or Deluxe Edition of Eat the Peach? That is the question!

 

I'm in the same boat as you. I missed out on the "Brothers & Sisters" Super Deluxe Edition, which I should have just ordered from Amazon for $4o when it came out, but I foolishly waited thinking the price would come down eventually .......... & look what happened. So I got a copy of the Nassau 2CD set on Ebay for about $13 & I am very happy with it as well.
The tracklisting is very similar to the 9/26/73 Winterland show as well.

Although some don't care for it that much, I would certainly recommend a copy of "Wipe The Windows, Check The Oil, Dollar Gas" if you are interested in hearing more from the Chuck Leavell version of the band. I don't think it's as bad as its' reputation suggests.

Also, be aware that the bonus disc of the "Eat A Peach" Deluxe Edition DOES feature Duane Allman, as it is from June, 1971.

 

That second disc is truly wonderful, isn't it??

It's a shame that the Chuck-era lineup gets pigeonholed as the "country Allmans", as though that goodtime C&W-flavoured rock'n'roll is all they did. Yes, they did it and did it extremely well, but Chuck Leavell could play great jazz (especially when he digs deep into the Fender Rhodes on the longer jams) and had a stellar cast working around him - the Wipe the Windows album barely touches on this aspect (though he Liz Reed is great), but you get a full-blown jazz-rock-fusion workout on that Archive release.

It's essential.

 

the release is taken from the 2nd night of a two night stand. it was their first time at the nassau coliseum. i scalped tickets for the first night and it was as good as the released show.

 

Any comments on the Amazon review that says the Nassau release is off pitch?

 

Yeah, the reviewer needs to go back on his meds.

 

Macon City Auditorium is from the 5 man lineup...Berry Oakley is on fire on that set

The Deluxe Edition Of Eat A Peach...the original 6 man lineup,

Why not get both?

Edit:

OMG...the super deluxe edition is out of print? Why? I am glad I bought 2 copies...one for me and one for dad.

It might still be available here for a reasonable price:

http://www.amazon.ca/Brothers-Siste...eywords=alllman+brothers+brothers+and+sisters

or here:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-l...980/ref=dp_change_lang?ie=UTF8&language=en_JP

 

This may be heresy, but in the era of Audacity, drum solos are gone - all my Mountain Jams are 10 minute light - and better for it!

 

I like having the option to skip. I've gotten too lazy but about 10 years ago when I was trading live Zeppelin shows I'd edit "Moby Dick" so I had the choice of skipping the bulk of the drums only part and get back to the guitars. (Of course bootleggers often stopped taping during it). I'd better stop w/ other examples before I anger purists & drummers (and I don't always skip the drum solos).

This is a good thread to revisit with the upcoming releases & reissues.

 

I always skip drum solos. My apologies to drummers, but I'm just not into them. On a road trip a few weeks ago with a couple of friends, I skiped past a drum solo. One of the guys said I reminded him of his wife who also insists on skipping drum solos. I thought that was funny.

I highly recommend the Brothers and Sisters Super Deluxe set if it comes back in print or you can get it at a decent price. The live portion is incredible.

 

I liked the Winterland concert but to me the gem was the second disc of jams & outtakes. I recommend the non deluxe version as a good alternative.

 

Speaking of the post-1970's shows, I still think 1st Set and 2nd Set are the two finest traditional live releases ABB has released.

 

I started reading Gregg's autobiography a few days ago, & I've been listening to lots of Allman Brothers music lately.

Today I listened to disc 2 of the "Eat A Peach" Deluxe Edition. I don't ever want to not hear what Berry Oakley is contributing, but does anyone else
agree that the bass is ridiculously high in the mix? I actually don't know if it is a mixing or a mastering issue, but the bass is just overwhelming on many tracks,
to the detriment of the overall sound IMO, which is a shame because the performance is excellent & this is a nice alternative to the March 1971 Fillmore shows
documented on "At Fillmore East".

I also listened to just a few tracks off of the Nassau 2CD set, and for a non-multi tracked recording, this sounds better than it has any right to.
It's not perfect, but I can certainly live with it. I really, really wish I hadn't hesitated on picking up the "Brothers & Sisters" Super Deluxe Edition.
I would love to have a copy of the Winterland show on discs 3 & 4, but the going rate on that set is prohibitively expensive for me, unfortunately.

 

I listened to "First Set" a few days ago & will probably pull out "Second Set" for a listen one of these days. I'm curious as to how the new 2CD set "Play All Night" (coming out in a week or two)
will compare to "First Set" & "Second Set". There is quite a bit of overlap, but there are a number of tracks on "Play All Night" that were not on "First Set" or "Second Set".

 

Agreed. I'm looking forward to the upcoming release as well -- it is an underrepresented live period of the band when they were clearly playing very well.

 

Only First Set has recordings from the Beacon. Second Set does not.
When comparing the track listings from the upcoming CD, and First Set, the song End Of The Line, appears to be the only track that is possibly repeated.

 

HDTracks still has the Brothers and Sisters Super Deluxe available for $39. It also has the booklet and is in a high resolution than the CD set. This is the way to go at this point.

http://www.hdtracks.com/brothers-and-sisters-super-deluxe

 

I understand that they will be different performances. My point was that about half of the songs on "Play All Night" already appeared on "1st Set" & "2nd Set".
I realize that they will be different performances, but I would have preferred to have seen different songs that weren't already featured on "1st Set" & "2nd Set".

 

I just thought of something interesting that some may not be aware of. On March 12th & 13th 1971, the shows from which "At Fillmore East" was recorded,
The Allman Brothers Band was not the headliner. Elvin Bishop opened the shows, followed by The Allman Brothers, & Johnny Winter was actually the headliner.
I find it fascinating that this is the case for one of the classic live albums of all time. I can't think of any other examples of a live album where this is the case, although I'm sure there are a
bunch of them. But one this good???