There is a thread here about a possible upcoming Watkins Glen documentary. But I wanted to make sure everyone here is aware of this "audio only" of ABB's entire 2 hour 51 minute set @ WG. I figured I'd listen in chunks, but I put it on one evening and it was SO damn good that I listened all the way through. A mind-blowing 30 minute Whipping Post encore to close out their set. Too many other highlights to go into. And the audio is really QUITE good, obviously off the soundboard.
I just listen to the end of Blue Sky! Will pick up on the rest after I return from dinner!
Chuck Leavell makes the band sound so jazzy and his piano is always excellent. Dickey is very melodic and as usual has a killer tone and his own unique style.
It can't be overstated how key Dickey Betts was to the Allman Brothers Band. Duane Allman was the founder and leader and had the connection with Phil Walden. But Dickey's original material and guitar is as important to the ABB's sound and legacy as Gregg Allman.
And this is BEFORE Brothers and Sisters was released. The band was this big off of the sales of At Fillmore East and Eat A Peach and non stop touring that began in March of 1969
Finished this concert last night. Decent audio and the band was in fine form.
Dickey got lost on Ramblin' Man. May have been trying to get his guitar in tune. Eventually Dickey really gets it going and the song is cookin'.
About 90 minutes in the show and 4 songs off (so far) Brothers and Sisters, wonderful sound quality for live recording 50 years ago. Chuck is on fire, band is smoking.
Wow the audio from Watkins Glen was yanked on YouTube.
Violation of copyright claim!
@robertdee: This really surprises me, as taper friendly as ABB has always been (to my knowledge anyway). Maybe they are planning an official release for this. Glad I got to hear it before it was yanked!
@robslob Yes surprising. And silly I say. Probably hundreds of copies of that audio out there.
Said the Allman Brothers Band wanted it pulled. Who is that? Who is the Allman Brothers Band now?
Whoever they are I didn't get an archival release of a Jack Pearson show. Kirk West or whoever it was said they were going to let Jack Pearson pick the show or tracks from various shows if they do it that way and there were some really hot shows, especially from 1997, with the Jack, Dickey, Otiel lineup. Yes that is true. I saw four in 1997 and two of them were really smoking hot!
It's been about 9 years since I read that since the band didn't record a studio album or release a current live album while Jack was in the band, an archival live release of the Jack lineup is something they are going to do and the fans want it too!!!
Just one of several times whoever the Allman Brothers Band is has promised to put out something and years later ..NOTHING.
I doubt an archival Jack lineup would sell very well now. That should have happened by 2017 at the latest.
Gregg Allman was adamant the Allman Brothers Band would do one more studio album but Butch Trucks said NO because of Hitting The Note not selling well. Butch said they made their bread and butter off live shows these days.
Gregg Allman countered in the press " There will be another Allman Brothers Band album and if necessary we will do it WITHOUT BUTCH TRUCKS!"
How did you like that last album?? They indeed did it without Butch Trucks. Did it without Gregg Allman too. My copy is blank!! All the songs sound alike. Everything is mixed so low I can't hear nothing!!! 😁
X2 on Jack, something from 1997-98 when he was in the band should have been prioritized as a treat & a no brainer archive release -
he & Dickey were the most simpatico after Duane imo & every effort should’ve been made to document this - & to keep him in the band for a few more years as well
just glad for what we got, & thank you tapers & traders
🤙🎶yep that WG audio was good while it lasted alright🙏
The top 10 Allman Brothers Band songs!!
Odd they have a picture of the last lineup and all 10 songs were originally recorded before Warren, Derek and Oteil were members.
I don't agree with the list either.
https://singersroom.com/w27/best-the-allman-brothers-band-songs-of-all-time/
While disappointing that the WG material is not available, this entire setlist was performed at the Winterland show from the same year that was part of the deluxe Brothers and Sisters release. And that performance is smoking with absolute top notch audio! Undoubtedly, the best recording of that configuration of the band.
@dzobo RFK Stadium June 9 and 10 1973 is still on YouTube and very decent audio quality but not as good as Winterland San Francisco.
@robertdee, thanks for the heads-up. In the video description it's mentioned that some of the performances are from other venues in 1973. Can you or anyone else identify any of these?
I don't know which ones dzobo. I've only listened to the first set Waisted Words to In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. Good Ramblin' Man right before Liz Reed and Liz Reed is fantastic. Nice long and inspired solo from Dickey. And great drums.
The audio is good too it just needs to be mixed.
The Winterland tape was mixed by Johnny Sandlin and Sam Whiteside for release. On New Year's Eve 1973 about an hour and half was released to 150 radio stations for a New Year's Eve special.
Each station got it on reel to reel tape. Start it at 10:30 pm local time and it worked.
I did listen to (and actually taped) that broadcast in a psychedelic state of mind.
Some of the tracks from the Winterland show were included on the Capricorn live album Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas.
That album was released in 1976 and sold about 200 thousand copies and received lukewarm reviews.
The Allman Brothers Band had broken up a few months earlier and the album was criticized by some commentators as Capricorn trying to squeeze some more money of the Allman Brothers.
Jaimoe said he finally got to hear the album and Jaimoe really liked it. He said that version of the band was different than the Duane/Oakley band but was a very good band and could turn on a dime!!
It was also criticized for having another live version of Elizabeth Reed. It turns out that was Chuck Leavell who pushed for that. Dickey was no longer with Capricorn and Gregg was living on the West Coast. Butch Trucks was wasn't around at that point so Chuck was the only band member who had some input in putting the album together from good quality recordings of the Chuck/Lamar lineup. Chuck said the version of Liz Reed on the album is such a jazz type thing giving it a different vibe than the Fillmore East version. And Chuck was very pleased with how his piano solo turned out on that version and how wonderful the Allman Brothers rhythm section backed him up and performed throughout.
That Liz Reed you mention is a stunning, jazzy interpretation. One of my favorite Dickey solos. Love the way he continually builds it to its final climax.
Regarding the DC show, was really impressed by the Le Brers. The whole show is outstanding.
@dzobo Yes the RFK stadium show is very good. Chuck Leavell is outstanding as is the entire band. Very long and hot closing solo by Dickey on Ramblin' Man then a long and hot closing solo on Liz Reed!!
The Allman Brothers had just one Dickey. No other guitar player ever in the ABB could play those solos like Dickey back when he could really soar!
Duane and the others could really play too but nobody sounds like Dickey. Had his own unique style and sense of melody. Love most of the songs Dickey wrote for the band too.
