It really blows me away that something this good and such PRO quality was put up on YouTube less than three weeks after it happened. You know it's funny, only a few years back, I really couldn't have cared much at all about this band. Then I saw them @ Red Rocks summer 2023 and just went WHOA. They had definitely elevated their game, and two years after that, they just keep on elevating their game. The setlists change entirely every night, yet everyone in this incredible 12 piece ensemble knows all the breaks and transitions song to song seamlessly. That kind of musicianship just makes my jaw drop. Vocally, Susan, of course, is the focal point, and MAN, does she ever deliver, besides being a much better guitar player than she ever seems to get credit for. Bell Bottom Blues (54 minute mark) stunned me. She really wraps her voice around the intense emotion of that tune. And as always, backup singer Mike Mattison shines in the few lead vocal spots that he gets. Dude is just a monster vocalist to have in your hip pocket to showcase in spots. Derek? Not only one of the great guitar players alive, but without a doubt, the TTB musical director and bandleader.
They do no less than three Dominoes tunes: Anyday, then much later on, Bell Bottom Blues, which segues right into Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad. No, this was not a tribute to Bobby Whitlock. This show was recorded on 8/1 and Whitlock died on 8/10. They just happen to be way into the Dominoes. And I have no argument with that! Song For You (Leon Russell) was just drop dead gorgeous, featuring only Susan on vocals and the exquisite piano of Gabe Dixon. And what a monster replacement for Kofi Burbridge is Dixon. ADDED BONUS: The many aerial shots of Red Rocks at night are absolutely stunning, and add a LOT to this concert video.
I haven't had a true getaway vacation in years, but I already put a deposit down for Sun, Sand and Soul in Miramar Beach, Florida, April 23-25, 2026. Two nights of TTB, Thursday and Saturday. On Friday, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit headline, with The Drive-By Truckers as opener. Taj Mahal opens for TTB on Thursday, The Mavericks on Saturday. Already got my hotel and car rental booked as well. FYI, you can put $100 down and they'll let you make payments on the balance for your Festival "cove". Derek and Susan have been doing this for several years now, and they both said it's one of their favorite weekends of the year.
https://booking.topeka.live/pages/tedeschi-trucks-band-sun-sand-and-soul-26
Oh, this is the Jerry b-day show. That's one of Jerry's guitars Derek is playing on "Franklin's Tower".
TTB is an absolute beast, and it is nuts how they just keep getting better after 15 years. I just picked up a couple live shows from nugs the other day.
They keep it fresh. It helps that their latest album, the I Am the Moon material, is some of the best stuff they've made (20 minutes of Derek going off on "Pasaquan" is always epic).
Their Dominos stuff is fun, but their Mad Dogs & Englishmen material fits them even better. And Alicia singing Aretha's "It Ain't Fair" lately is one of my dream songs, seamlessly segues into "Dreams" these days. They've added "Gilded Splinters" recently, they just keep rolling out some of my favorite tunes so I don't have to. I might have to pull the trigger on St Augustine this Fall...
I haven't had a true getaway vacation in years, but I already put a deposit down for Sun, Sand and Soul in Miramar Beach, Florida, April 23-25, 2026. Two nights of TTB, Thursday and Saturday. On Friday, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit headline, with The Drive-By Truckers as opener. Taj Mahal opens for TTB on Thursday, The Mavericks on Saturday. Already got my hotel and car rental booked as well. FYI, you can put $100 down and they'll let you make payments on the balance for your Festival "cove". Derek and Susan have been doing this for several years now, and they both said it's one of their favorite weekends of the year.
https://booking.topeka.live/pages/tedeschi-trucks-band-sun-sand-and-soul-26
We've been talking about going to that, need to start looking for lodging
I Am The Moon is my favorite TTB album. Its a shame they and Gov't Mule don't seem to get any airplay on the album rock stations I can pick up. But neither does the Allman Brothers. The two so called classic rock stations used to play lots of Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd but I haven't heard any in over a year when I'm in the car. Eagles, Bad Company, Queen, AC-DC even Green Day often. Maybe so called "southern rock" is out now at these four stations.
Susan is a very good guitar player. First I saw of her was in Las Vegas in 1999 and she had her own band and played a blue/green Telecaster with signatures all over the body and she was surprisingly good and of course the vocals were very strong.
Derek as we know was named for Derek and the Dominos because Derek's father not only was Butch Trucks' brother but is a huge Duane Allman fan so the name DEREK Trucks. I'm sure Derek feels close to that album.
I just read an interview with Derek and he was asked about slides and Derek said you can use a lot of things for a slide and he picked up a television remote and played some notes with it.
Derek said the reason he uses a glass bottle rather than metal is because years ago he saw a picture of Duane Allman with a glass slide and that became his preference too. And nothing to do with a sound difference.
@fast43: I got Hilton Home2 Suites in Santa Rosa Beach only 5 miles from the show. A bit pricey, but I'm splurging for this vacation. Reviews were all 10/10, and you get a full breakfast, not the usual continental breakfast garbage. I usually stay in lower price range motels, but the reviews for La Quinta and Holiday Inn in that area were really, really bad. And for 5 nights, The Hilton was only $200 more than those. For two people, you'd save that $200 alone in a good free hot breakfast every morning vs. eating in a restaurant. I just cannot tolerate the continental breakfasts. www.hilton.com
@porkchopbob: Definitely keep me posted Bob, would be great to meet in person!
@fast43: I got Hilton Home2 Suites in Santa Rosa Beach only 5 miles from the show. A bit pricey, but I'm splurging for this vacation. Reviews were all 10/10, and you get a full breakfast, not the usual continental breakfast garbage. I usually stay in lower price range motels, but the reviews for La Quinta and Holiday Inn in that area were really, really bad. And for 5 nights, The Hilton was only $200 more than those. For two people, you'd save that $200 alone in a good free hot breakfast every morning vs. eating in a restaurant. I just cannot tolerate the continental breakfasts. www.hilton.com
That sounds pretty good. We were looking at VRBO's in walking distance but they don't have any rates posted
New interview with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks. They are going to do a few shows together!!
Derek Trucks & Warren Haynes: The album they call a game changer | GuitarPlayer https://www.guitarplayer.com/guitarists/derek-trucks-and-warren-haynes-the-guitar-album-they-call-a-game-changer
@fast43: Just an FYI, the Hilton was $1,157.93 for 5 nights, 4/22 -4/27 (I'm coming in one day early and leaving one day late). That is for a suite with two queen beds. Do the math, comes to $231.58 per night, and Hilton will let you pay on arrival. It is cancellable up until April 16th. That is more than I usually am willing to pay for accomodations, but as mentioned, I haven't had a proper vacation in many years and am splurging on this one. Betweeen the consistent 10/10 reviews, free full breakfast every morning, and only 5 miles from the show, it sounded worth it to me.
