I never thought of this show that way. I do see what you mean. Stony Brook 9/19/71 was one of their last shows together. The band was getting stronger and more assertive individually and as a band.

While I don't know the answer to your question, I'd like to add my observations from someone who never got to see the original 6.

I learned how to play guitar by jamming along to Fillmore East and EAP every day for about a year. I had vinyl and one of those turntables with the strobe light so I could slightly change the rpm to be in tune because it seems like every Tom Dowd recording was just barely off of standard tuning. Anyway, what I wanted to say is that I would hear people who saw the original 6 talk about how amazing it was to see Duane and Dickey square off and trade riffs all the time. I didn't really hear this in the Fillmore East recordings, but when the archival releases started coming out, I finally got to hear what people were talking about. There's a lot more riff trading and the shows feel different than At Fillmore East, to my amateur ears.

So I am wondering shows like Stonybrook was more of the "norm" in style and if conscious decisions were made during the recording of Fillmore East to play a bit differently because it was going to be a live release? Stonybrook is one of my all time favorite albums I own.

I agree that Stonybrook has a harder edge to playing style, and it is probably my favorite ABB show. Below is post I made in October 2018 to thread about Blue Sky performance in that show:

This version of Blue Sky is my favorite version, and the show is at the top of my list of favorite live ABB performances. I frequently listen to this while mowing grass on Saturdays in the summer. I am not a guitar player myself, but I like the raw energy of this performance as much or even more than the tight, polished performance from Live at Filmore East (which is also an incredible performance). Duane's playing is awesome as usual, but Dickey's and Berry's playing seems more bold and in your face than in earlier concerts. The versions of blues covers Statesboro Blues, One Way Out, and Trouble No More are about the best ever in my mind. Then the 25 minute You Don't Love Me and jamming 19 minute versions of Dreams and Liz Reed are unbelievable. Even without Whipping Post and with some sound quality issues, this is an incredible live show.

I agree the original 6 was a bit more free wheeling in the concerts I saw and live recordings. But the energy level is as strong and there is lots of magical moments on Fillmore East and live Eat A. Peach. And there is not a shadow of doubt the best versions of these songs are on Fillmore East and Eat A Peach and not by later lineups of this band. The original 6 is without a doubt the high water mark of the band.

With that said I enjoy shows for all subsequent lineups. Been listening to Nassau Coliseum from 1973 for example. Very strong versions of these songs by the Chuck/Lamar lineup.

As to Fillmore East, Tom Down didn't like the first shows at all and stopped recording. After the show he went straight to Duane and paraphrasing said Juicy and the other horn players had to go. Out of tune and sync. Ace could stay on harp. If Ace needs to go Dowd said he can wipe him out but the horns are bleeding over to other mics and the recordings are ruined. Keep the energy level high but stay in your lane and make it clean and bring it if we are going to do an album.

After that talk from Tom Dowd it's likely the band may have felt a bit restrained from getting out on the edge and a lot of trading riffs.

Just my take.

I have always thought that Dickey, in particular, is aggressive in tone and approach on SB. His tone on OWO is snarling. Duane, on the other hand, has a fat, round tone - especially on Dreams and IMOER and his approach sounds to me as close as he ever got to his hero, John Coltrane.

Stonybrook - Harder Edge?

Kinda like the downright nasty version of "Dimples" from Ludlow?

Jimmy Herring said the tone Dickey has on his solo on OWO on Eat A Peach is probably the best tone he has heard. The live version of Trouble No More on Eat A Peach is out of the park. All 6 are razor sharp and absolutely naile that song. As good as it gets. Had to be some smoke coming off Dickey and Duane's guitars.

Jimmy Herring said the tone Dickey has on his solo on OWO on Eat A Peach is probably the best tone he has heard. The live version of Trouble No More on Eat A Peach is out of the park. All 6 are razor sharp and absolutely naile that song. As good as it gets. Had to be some smoke coming off Dickey and Duane's guitars.

I actually prefer DB's tone on the SB version of OWO, but they're both fantastic. What's interesting to me is how much DB's tone changed right after Duane's death. During the Chuck/Lamar era he seemed to dial way back in terms of tone and attack. More Jerry Garcia-ish. I guess that also was around the time he was doing Highway Call and really getting into his country side. When the band reformed with Toler and Goldflies, Dickey got more aggressive again - so maybe having another guitar player around brought that out.

Dickey changed guitars a lot in the early days. ES-335 then a Strat then an SG then Dickey went through several Les Paul's apparently not happy with them and the Goldtop he had red added to the outer edges had a harder edge tone, a metallic tone to me, and is said to be the guitar he used on Fillmore East. ( that is suppose to be the guitar he gave Dan Toler around 1979 and Toler sold to a Japanese collector in the 2000's). Next was a Goltop that sounded fantastic to me and it is apparently on OWO on Eat A Peach. But when Duane died Dickey got a sunburst Les Paul with zebra pickups. This guitar had a softer more jazz tone and Dickey began using the neck pickup which he mostly did with all Les Paul guitars from then on which made it even softer. But by the Win, Loose or Draw tour Dickey had Goldie which was his number one for 20 years. The sound man at the first show where I saw Goldie, probably the best tone of any guitar Dickey ever owned, said Dickey found it at an antique shop in New York City in 1974 and gave up on the zebra pickup sunburst Les Paul because it was hard to keep in tune. He stayed with Goldie until 94 when he suddenly went to a Paul Reed Smith then an ES-335 then two Strats for 3 years then he used Goldie some but he had painted it red because it turned a sicking green while sitting in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But Dickey continued using his old road worn 1955 hardtail Strat he picked up about 1990 most of the time until he got his custom shop signature Goldtop in 2001. That guitar is Duane Betts' number one now and Duane Betts also takes the 55 Strat and the 61 ES-335 on the road. Duane calls them his favorites and family guitars.

Yes, no doubt the cherry sunburst with the zebra pickups definitely had a softer tone, and that was a factor - but it was also a matter of style and approach. When Duane was there, whether Dickey was on the Strat, 335, SG/LP, or Goldtop - his approach was just more balls the the wall - firey. Of course tone does impact style and the mellower guitar probably did contribute to that, but I think it went beyond gear.

Your point is good. The guitar Dickey used as his number 1 from 72 to late 74 did have a softer tone, different from the Les Pauls and other type guitars he used while Duane was in the band, but now that I think back, Dickey played like Dickey but backed off a little and had more of a Larry Carlton or George Benson approach. When Danny Toler joined and later with Warren Haynes, Dickey went back to a more pedal to the metal attack.

I also think he may have changed his amp set up too after Duane died. He had been using 2 50W, or 1 100W Marshall - but as the venues got bigger I think he was using multiple 100W heads and more cabs loaded with JBLs, rather than just 2 cabs.

The period right after they reunited with Toler is underrated in terms of Dickey's tone and playing, IMO. The show from the Capitol Theatre in '79 is a good example - Dickey is smokin'! (To paraphrase Duane). 😉

Listened to this show today (thanks for the reminder!!)

agree with comments about Dickey's tone. Also, to me, his sound on Blue Sky is different than the other tunes. Does anyone else hear that? Any ideas what he might of changed for that song - different guitar, etc?

Listened to this show today (thanks for the reminder!!)

agree with comments about Dickey's tone. Also, to me, his sound on Blue Sky is different than the other tunes. Does anyone else hear that? Any ideas what he might of changed for that song - different guitar, etc?

You mean the studio version? The rumor is Duane played through a small, brown era (early 60's) Fender for that- maybe Dickey used something similar? I will have to do some poking around on that.

Actually, both. Especially the studio version. But even on the live version his sound is different to my ears, which is what I was referring to given the topic if the thread

Actually, both. Especially the studio version. But even on the live version his sound is different to my ears, which is what I was referring to given the topic if the thread

Right. I agree his tone is different on BS and in general throughout the SB show. I don't know why. I remember reading that at different points he experimented with using 50w heads, like Duane did - maybe this was one of those times. His tone does sound more overdriven. There are also pics of him using HiWatt heads back then. All speculation, but something was definitely different.