When I noticed today's date I realized this is the 24th anniversary of my first trip to the Beacon for an ABB show. I think the following night was quite similar. Here is the setlist:
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
My first year was the Clapton year, whichever that was. Didn’t see him. I went to the first show of the run. Taj Mahal was there and Levon Helm.
Went to one other, which I does not really stick out. And went to a United Palace show, where I got a front row seat which was really cool.
My first year was the Clapton year, whichever that was. Didn’t see him. I went to the first show of the run. Taj Mahal was there and Levon Helm.
Went to one other, which I does not really stick out. And went to a United Palace show, where I got a front row seat which was really cool.
2009 was the year Clapton sat in with the band during the 40th Anniversary run ... I was fortunate enough to be at both shows ... I had mentioned in a thread on the old "blue" site that I wasn't sure which weekend my friends and I should come over from the UK and Butch messaged me and told me to come over for the weekend of 19th, 20th and 21st ... no mention of who would be sitting in with the band, but he said that I wouldn't be disappointed .......... I wasn't !!!
My first trip over the pond to the Beacon was 2004
My first ABB gig was at Knebworth in 1974 ... the first time the band came to the UK ... sadly I never had the opportunity to see the Duane era of the band.
@harvey My first Beacon show was 1992. I saw the Clapton show in 2009. I guy next to me said " The band should feel blessed by this. Eric Clapton is a hundred times more famous than Warren and Derek and 50 times more famous than Gregg". I countered with " Clapton is here out of respect for Duane Allman. He knows he is far more famous and richer than the guys in the band". Didn't know what else to say.
Well I was 24 when I first saw the band in 1970 and I'm 77 now. So be glad you're not that old. But I must say you missed the real deal. The Duane era band had an edge and energy the later lineups never had.
My first Beacon show was 2006. I think the sit-ins were Leslie West and, as Warren put it, "Television's Bruce Willis". Oh, and the debut of a kid named Tal Wilkenfield who blew everyone away on bass, which was good because it was a actually a pretty mediocre show until that point.
I went to 3 shows during the 2009 run. I didn't see Clapton, which is totally fine with me, but I will always be bummed I missed the "jazz night" 3/14 show and the Kingpins 3/23 show. But I made it to a number of the final 2014 Spring and October runs, including the last show. Glad for the shows I did see, and for the recordings of the shows I didn't.
My first Beacon shows were in 2003. I showed up with tickets for one show (3/13 ... I think). At this point, I'd only "met" a handful of the residents of the old site on-line, so I really didn't know anybody. After that show, I met ...MANY of the people I'd been chatting with on the site in the lobby of the Hotel Beacon. I was given an amazing Beacon poster (framed and on the wall right behind me as I type), and even got turned on to free tickets for the next show (a couple of nights later if I remember correctly). It was also my first trip to NYC - so this was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! I think Bruce Willis sat in at one of these shows. too.
I went home with souvenirs, memories and new friends - who started sending me CDs of live ABB shows!
Back when "March Madness" meant something besides basketball! Many, many more Beacon shows after this!
@harvey Some wonderful folks in that photograph! Thanks for sharing! Proud to be standing next to Bup'! I miss that guy!
Yep, me too ... I had the pleasure of accompanying Bup down to BB Kings on the Saturday night after the ABB show to see Lefty Collins playing ... Happy Days!
Only Beacon run for me was March 2013, saw 3 shows. Highlight was 2nd set of the Friday show, with Blue Sky, Dreams, Merman I should be > MJ.
1st ABB show summer 1974, the last was Peach Fest 2014.
Long Live ABB
Yes, my Jam for Duane tshirt dated 10/6/2012 has “For Buppalo” embroidered on the sleeve - the Jam for Duane in Gadsden AL every year were great while they lasted - can’t believe I don’t recall the brother’s name who organized them -
never did make a Beacon Show - I love the ABB
My first Beacon show was 3/16/1997. Last few shows with Warren and Woody
Never made a Beacon show; life happens... (Should have said f -it but that's today!). That said, on the 35th anniversary of AFE, the band was playing at the Beacon and I was hanging out on the site enjoying the thread. Almost felt like I was there. The power of the internet!
If anyone has the cd from that show, I'd love a copy. Please let me know. The road goes on forever...
@stephen Jam For Duane (JFD) was the work of Brent S. (Skydog...?). Those JFDs were some great gatherings, too!
They sure were. I went to the 2011 JFD and it was such a great time for all sorts of reasons. Still have my shirts plus some other JFDs. Cheers!
@stephen Jam For Duane (JFD) was the work of Brent S. (Skydog...?). Those JFDs were some great gatherings, too!
Do you mean Brent Sibley = skyponydogboy ?
YES, thanks for the reminder!🤙🎵
so many good people like Buppalo, skydogponyboy, Ron Currens, Marty Willette, Joanne Zangrilli, many many others have been on this site
- ….& still are, tho nothing like in the photo, thx again🎶🍄
@robertdee ... Thanks for that link, Robert ... I actually have a recording of the full show, it was supposedly recorded for broadcast by the BBC but something went wrong with the set up and although Gregg, Dickey and Chuck are up in the mix, the drums and bass are virtually inaudible and so it never happened ... still nice for me to hear though ...
March of 2003 i lost my Beacon "virginity". Saw epic shows and met equally epic people. we threw some legendary parties as well. Left Coast pre show gatherings were rivaled only by the "Sweeties". who can forget the year Scotty rented out a banquet room (2004) and held a jam. Oteil showed up and jammed!
@harvey I noticed that on the Blue Sky performance from that show. Drums and bass barely heard. I assumed it was an audience recording.
Maybe that is why Dickey's Blue Sky solo is so long and repetitive in spots. He hoped they would get the sound straightened out.
But likely the band didn't know it until the tape of the show was played back.
I have several audience recordings of 1970's Allman Brothers Band shows where Gregg can be heard between songs complaining about the monitors not being loud enough. They seemed to often have sound system problems back then.
I remember the first time my wife and I went to the Beacon to see ABB. First time I had been to NYC also. We were only in town for 2 or 3 nights. Must've just been two nights now I think about it. I only had tickets to one show, I'd have to go back through my ticket stubs. Loved the show obviously! It was the same time they were filming for the DVD, they had signs on the doors about video recording. So the other night, I don't know what we were doing, nothing really, sitting in some midtown bar and I said...what are we doing here? Why aren't we going to the show tonight? We got in a cab went up Broadway and bought two upper balcony tickets and had a blast! I was hooked. I would make it back for many many more ABB Beacon shows all the way up until the end. Now my last show, well. For the last show fall of 2014, sshhhh - I told my wife I could only get one ticket! I was on the floor fairly close. But I did get a second ticket, believe it was lower balcony. Had to help a brother out - what's up Andy! She stayed in the hotel watching the world series. She probably wouldn't have wanted to be in a seat alone anyway 😉
Nice to read the comments of folks! For some of them I was actually present. That wasn't my intention when I first posted but I like how it has turned out! As I said, the date just occurred to me.
A thing I didn't mention was that the two shows I saw that weekend were the worst out of the 25-ish I saw at the Beacon. My favorite ABB song is Dreams which they played both nights and didn't do a good job on, to say the least.
Still a great indoctrination to the beautiful theater.
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
My first Beacon show was in 1999. Wonwayout Gary held his annual Gin Mill party that Saturday night which I went to and it was a gas to meet a bunch of folks from here.
I was lucky to go every year 1999-2009 (they didn't play '08). I saw between 1-3 shows each year for a total of 16 I think.
One year I saw the ABB at the Beacon on Thursday (St Paddy's Day), Van Morrison at the Apollo Friday (front row balcony), then ABB Saturday night. With a bunch of Hotel Beacon shenanigans all weekend long.
We roomed together in a suite one year Lee!
My final year was 2009. Snuck up on Amtrak after business trip to DC. Saw Clapton night 1. Preparty that night with 30 friends (and new friends) in Hotel Beacon suite. Good seats. incredible vibe with all the friends in the building. Mindblowing show and experience. Hung with the crew after in stunned amazement. Woke the next morning early to jog in Central Park with it snowing huge flakes in 36F temps. Did quick turnaround at hotel, jumped in cab to Laguardia and I was back in Atlanta mid-afternoon on my street talking to neighbors about it. An incredible 22 hour whirlwind and a hellava way to experience my last every ABB show!
Today is the anniversary of my first Beacon show! 1997 I stopped going in 2009 Probably got 30 shows in. They kicked ass every time!
My first show 1992 and my final 2014, I was lucky enough to get to 80 some shows. I loved every one of them!
It has Berry Oakley!!! With all due respect to the wonderful bass players you were in the band over the years, only BO has the original ABB sound and style on bass.
Obiviously because BO was in the original band!! 
@robertdee I give the 5-man band a lot of credit, but "One Way Out" with no slide just sounds empty to me.
@porkchopbob I saw the 5 man band a few times in 1972 and they had their first platinum ( 1 million copies) album Eat A Peach that year which I bought in February of 72 and the only songs that sounded like the album were Ain't Waisting Time No More and Les Brer in A minor. Never heard the 5 man play Melissa. And Gregg in a few interviews was so hurt that his brother is all over their first million selling album but isn't there to participate in the Eat A Peach tour and enjoy their big success. But the word back then was Berry Oakley took Duane's death the hardest and eventually couldn't function to the point in later years Butch Trucks said he was ready to call a band meeting suggesting Berry be replaced then he too was killed. But Berry Oakley was playing fine the times I saw the 5 man. Even took a few solos in songs that didn't usually have a bass solo.
Dickey played two slide solos on Statesboro Blues and Gregg played a double organ solo on Stormy Monday ( played where Duane played then his usual place after the tempo change.
After Chuck and Lamar joined they continued to play One Way Out with no slide. I too missed the driving slide Duane played all through the song.
The 5 man played with a lot of determination and drive when I saw them but you could tell by the poker faces on all 5 that they were grieving Duane and missing him.
I appreciate you giving the 5 man a lot of credit. They played their butts off but the look and mood on stage was somber. It was moving and sad at the same time.
