Awesome...

Nice! I was at 3/09( and 06,08), loved it

My wife got me FW 71 for Chanukah

I love 3/9/13 with the Bill Evans guest appearances - one of my favourite shows from the 2010-2014 period of the band.

I love 3/9/13 with the Bill Evans guest appearances - one of my favourite shows from the 2010-2014 period of the band.

For me was the best repeat guest of the band's last years. Just amazing. I saw his first sit-in on 3/14/11, when he played for about half an hour on Spanish Key, Soulshine and Dreams, and that's well worth hearing, too.

My Christmas came early when a co-worker pal who loves the ABB got me 2 shows as a gift: Beacon March 9th and also March 12th, 2013.

This is a particularly nice pair because one has "Dusk til Dawn" and the other has "Spots of Time," and I really want to investigate those songs as I don't know them well.

If for some reason you're looking for second versions of those songs, the Dusk Til Dawn with Trombone Shorty (3/19/2014) is maybe my favorite. I think that's the only time Gregg sang the song and I've always wondered what prompted them to switch that up. And there's one Spots of Time I especially like. I'll double check the date when I have a minute but it might've been the introductory performance on 3/5/2013.

There is also only 1 repeated song between the two shows, which is amazing.

I saw ABB three consecutive nights @ The Warfield in San Francisco in 2002. They repeated ONE song all three nights.........that is IT. If I remember correctly, I believe it was One Way Out. I thought then and I've told other people............really now............HOW many bands could even do that? All 2-1/2 hour shows, so that adds up to 7-1/2 hours of music and other than one 5 minute tune, ALL of it was completely different. Really one of the most astonishing things I've ever witnessed.

And kind of sad in a way, too. The Warfield only holds 2,300. The balcony was only about 1/3 full all three nights. That means that max, ABB was only able to draw 1,500 people per night. I guess you could say that 4,500 over three nights for a band that was 33 years old at the time is not bad. Personally I think it's a reflection of the musical ignorance of the general public. A 2,300 seat theater should have been sold out all three nights.

[Edited on 12/25/2019 by robslob]

In the early 1970's the ABB was a big draw in San Francisco. And of course by 1973 the band was at its commercial pinnacle seeling out coliseums in San Francisco and coast to coast. In a way it was aggravating. Our favorite band in 69 and 70 had a smaller fan base and it was more informal. At many shows it was easy to talk with roadies, sound men and even the band with Berry Oakley being the one that more than the others would wander out into the crowd before the show or be hanging near the stage door checking to see how the fans were doing and how the band was doing. Back then nobody thought about radically different sets. I never heard any fans pushing for that or even thinking a band would do that. But what the band did of course was play the songs by improvising between the cues for the next part. And between those musical cues at times there would be radical departure from the time signature and cords typical of the song. I remember one Dreams that included a long solo by Berry Oakley with Duane eventually coming back. Then when Berry felt like singing they would do Hoochie Coochie Man and not often but occasionally Duane wanted to sing and they would do Dimples but Duane and Dickey would really improvise after the vocals.

By 1980 the Allman Brothers began to loose concert goers everywhere. They still had a crowd but couldn't see out those coliseums anymore.

When the band decided to get back on the road in 1989, not long the big crowds were back in New York, Boston, Atlanta and generally east of the Mississippi. But they didn't have those crowds in the west. They avoided the Pacific Northwest some years as it was slacker than California. I don't know why that was the case.

Plus their albums didnt sell in the 90's and 2000s like they did in the 70's. Except a 1991 release of old stuff including the Duane and Brothers and Sisters era called 1969-1979 A Decaade of Hits. It sold over 2 milion copies!!! Where It All Begins in 1994 was the ONLY one to sell 500 thousand and go gold. Hitting The Note was just short of 200,000. And their last three live albums, 2nd Set, Peaking At The Beacon and One Way Out didn't top 100 thousand. Peakin' and One Way Out were less than 50,000.

So the band had a real strong fan base east of the Mississippi but were no longer on The Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd level selling new albums.

Hang on to those shows with Spots of Time and Dusk to Dawn. In 10 years Blue Sky, Whipping Post, Jessica and Midnight Rider will still be popular but most of Hitting the Note and songs on those live shows from the 2000s will be like Out Skirts Of Town, Dimples and One More Ride and Mike Lawler, David Toler, David Goldflies etc.. Forgotten by all but us hard core fans.

There is also only 1 repeated song between the two shows, which is amazing.

I saw ABB three consecutive nights @ The Warfield in San Francisco in 2002. They repeated ONE song all three nights.........that is IT. If I remember correctly, I believe it was One Way Out.

They did the same thing at the Fox in 2004. They played Dreams every night with a different soloist - Pearson, Trucks, Haynes - and morning other repeats. That was always my favorite ABB song, so it’s exactly how I would’ve drawn it up.

Marley. One First set, Gregg says Dreams was the only song he had with him when he showed up to join the band. That would be 1969. But Melissa was written by then. I think 31st of Feburary did a version but only a single from that early session was released in 1966. The rest of the session including that original recording of Melissa didnt come out until 1973 when ALL the pre ABB recordings came out to cash in on their success with Eat A Peach and Brothers and Sisters. I bought all that stuff except most of the 3rd but never released Hourglass album was on the two Duane Allman anthology albums. Those sessions seemed premature and not thought out and polished. Indeed Gregg was not happy that the 31st of Feburary and Hourglass material was suddenly being released or re-released in the case of the first two Hourglass albums. And he was especially pissed that the Hourglass re-release included some of the sides he recorded in LA after Duane had quit the band and Gregg stayed behind. Gregg agreed with how I felt. The pre-ABB sessions Gregg and Duane did were not that good and Gregg said in 1973 not to buy that stuff.

But the first Allman Brothers album did sound rehearsed and polished to me except Gregg has always said he wishes he could have recorded his vocals on all the songs over. Gregg was pleased with the playing on the first ABB album but not his singing. Gregg never liked the way he sang on the first album.

I don't have a problem with the way Gregg sounds on Dreams on the first album. Also the two drummers and Berry's bass is right on the money to me. And Duane's guitar solo to me is excellent.

Since Dreams is your favorite ABB song, what is your impression of Dreams recorded in 1969 for the first album?

[Edited on 12/26/2019 by blackey]

[Edited on 12/26/2019 by blackey]

I love 3/9/13 with the Bill Evans guest appearances - one of my favourite shows from the 2010-2014 period of the band.

For me was the best repeat guest of the band's last years. Just amazing. I saw his first sit-in on 3/14/11, when he played for about half an hour on Spanish Key, Soulshine and Dreams, and that's well worth hearing, too.

My Christmas came early when a co-worker pal who loves the ABB got me 2 shows as a gift: Beacon March 9th and also March 12th, 2013.

This is a particularly nice pair because one has "Dusk til Dawn" and the other has "Spots of Time," and I really want to investigate those songs as I don't know them well.

If for some reason you're looking for second versions of those songs, the Dusk Til Dawn with Trombone Shorty (3/19/2014) is maybe my favorite. I think that's the only time Gregg sang the song and I've always wondered what prompted them to switch that up.

Gregg actually sang this song on March 17, 2013, but I think that was the only one.

And there's one Spots of Time I especially like. I'll double check the date when I have a minute but it might've been the introductory performance on 3/5/2013.

It was 3/5/2013. Derek's solo on this one is gorgeous.

Marley. One First set, Gregg says Dreams was the only song he had with him when he showed up to join the band. That would be 1969. But Melissa was written by then. I think 31st of Feburary did a version but only a single from that early session was released in 1966.

That version of Melissa was recorded in 1968 - September 1968, according to Wikipedia - and released in 1972, after the band was getting famous and Duane was gone. Gregg always said he wrote Melissa in 1966. The way I remember it, he wrote Dreams on the Hammond organ the band gave him when he joined, but he brought a few other early ABB songs (Black Hearted Woman or Every Hungry Woman, or both) when he came to Macon from California. But these guys didn't always tell these stories the same ways. Anyhow...

I don't have a problem with the way Gregg sounds on Dreams on the first album. Also the two drummers and Berry's bass is right on the money to me. And Duane's guitar solo to me is excellent.

Since Dreams is your favorite ABB song, what is your impression of Dreams recorded in 1969 for the first album?

That's the version I fell in the love with and made me an ABB fan, so however Gregg felt about his performance on a personal level, I like it a lot. It's a great example of a lot of things that made the band great. The verses are so moody and restrained like a jazz song, the choruses are dramatic and dynamic, and then half the song is just a long guitar solo that let Duane and everyone who followed him express themselves in the purest way possible.

There is also only 1 repeated song between the two shows, which is amazing.

I saw ABB three consecutive nights @ The Warfield in San Francisco in 2002. They repeated ONE song all three nights.........that is IT. If I remember correctly, I believe it was One Way Out.

They did the same thing at the Fox in 2004. They played Dreams every night with a different soloist - Pearson, Trucks, Haynes - and morning other repeats. That was always my favorite ABB song, so it’s exactly how I would’ve drawn it up.

Those Warfield shows are amazing. Whoever recorded them did a great job.

The '04 Fox shows were, I would say, epic. As many times as I have been to The Beacon, I would say those three nights in Atlanta were the best. Marley, you are right. Three nights and only Dreams played more than once. I think you were helping Joe Bell and THN crew if I am not mistaken.

Pearson played a club one afternoon. I'm pretty sure The dTB played outside of the Falcons stadium before a game so that would have been the Sunday.

My only time making it to Macon, meeting both mamas a few times. The vibe around the neighborhood, the parties in our suite in The Georgian Terrace Hotel across the street from The Fox Theatre, Butch getting pissed because they played Blue Sky (from what I was told), it was a wonderful weekend.

Lee - I went to Fri & Sat shows at the Fox and attended the GABBA Sunday gathering in Piedmont Park. in 1998, I saw only 2 of the 5 Fox shows. I regretted not seeing all of them and immersing myself in the scene at the Ga Terrace & Gabba activities. I was already plugged into the Beacon Hotel festivities each March but I was busy with young kids and figured the Fox would become more a regular thing, but it didn't.

So when dTb and Susan T started playing the Fox on NYE, and later TTB there, I have gotten a hotel at the Ga Terrace & hosted preshow parties almost every single time. Have been a blast. I also never missed another ABB fan gathering at the remaining Atlanta shows at Lakewood & Chastain. Did the Beacon up to 2009 and 12 of 14 Wanee's with Banesh & co.

I miss those ABB gatherings! (even though getting together with a large group for Gabba and TTB shows & my 1 Peachfest tip have been fun too!)

Yes Lee Butch got pissed about Blue Sky. Butch was against it.

Butch had made it clear to the fans here on the site (Butch was the only member to post here with the latest news and would answer questions, I liked that) that now Dickey is gone NONE of the songs he sang would ever be played by the band again and that Butch was so sick of Ramblin'Man he never wanted to ever hear that song again anywhere. And Butch said as soon as they got a couple new instrumentals worked up, Dickey's instrumentals would be eliminated. That Dickey had held them hostage for years and ticket sales or no Dickey's songs would be history soon.

And indeed it wasn't long that more and more shows didn't have any Dickey songs.

I think at the Fox someone in the band wanted to do the entire Eat A Peach album which would go against what Butch wanted and Gregg said he would sing it. Not long afterward Warren wanted to sing Blue Sky and by 2007 they were doing a Dickey song or several at every show.

Apparently Gregg ignored Butch's feelings on that and not only did Warren and Derek want to do Dickey songs, they wanted Dickey to play with the band for the 2009 anniversary. Butch said in late 2008 there is no way Dickey would be invited and no way Dickey would ever play with the band again. Then by February the band listed all the musicians that played with Duane Allman they would invite and Dickey was one of them and so was Clapton. Dickey didn't show because according to Dickey he didn't get a phone call from Gregg himself. When asked about Dickey playing the 40th, Butch said Warren and Derek really think Dickey should be included if we are inviting people who played with Duane including Clapton so the band's manager got in touch with Dickey's manager and it is going to be tough to do but Butch said he wouldn't leave the stage while Dickey is out there.

Then Gregg was ready to do another ABB album and Butch said no. Next thing I read from Gregg was they would do another album and WITHOUT Butch if necessary.

Apparently the occasional rumors during the last lineup that Gregg and Butch began to clash on some band matters were true.

Gregg, Butch and Jaimoe were the owners and the rest were hired employees. But Warren began to push back on somethings. For example apparently Gregg wanted to fire Otiel but Warren pushed back and threatened to quit. According to one press piece when Warren strongly objected, the matter was dropped. Also I assume with Butch or Jaimoe would have had to vote with Gregg to get it done anyway.

Didn't Gregg get upset because Otiel was considering going with another band? Was it Zac Brown? Anyone remember?

Those Warfield shows are amazing. Whoever recorded them did a great job.

Do you or anyone else know where I might find an Instant Live of any of those shows? For those who missed my post here, that would be 3 consecutive nights @ The Warfield in San Francisco 2002.

I looked at Munck Music via the "merch" link here on this site and didn't see anything for sale prior to 2007.

I am going off of memory here but:

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but back then they were Instant Lives. I don't believe Munck Music was involved at the time.

But as for finding something from 2002 I think you are out of luck. I believe the first year of Instant Lives was 2003. I think they did three southeast shows, maybe Charlotte, Raleigh and another. Then in 2004 they started doing more of them. If memory serves, from 2004-2006 they did a lot of them.

I want to say that originally you could only get the show AT the show. As in, you couldn't order it after the fact. I believe that changed and you could order them. It seems to me that HTN sold them.

I have a bunch stored away somewhere and if I can find them I can shed a bit more light on this.

If Joe Bell was still around here he could certainly clarify.

I am going off of memory here but:

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but back then they were Instant Lives. I don't believe Munck Music was involved at the time.

But as for finding something from 2002 I think you are out of luck. I believe the first year of Instant Lives was 2003. I think they did three southeast shows, maybe Charlotte, Raleigh and another. Then in 2004 they started doing more of them. If memory serves, from 2004-2006 they did a lot of them.

I want to say that originally you could only get the show AT the show. As in, you couldn't order it after the fact. I believe that changed and you could order them. It seems to me that HTN sold them.

I have a bunch stored away somewhere and if I can find them I can shed a bit more light on this.

If Joe Bell was still around here he could certainly clarify.

Yes the instant lives started in 2003. There were 6 of them. I was at 3 of them and was able to get the other 3 later through kid glove. Then in 2004 they sold them all and I have that complete set. And no munck was not involved until later.

Yes the instant lives started in 2003. There were 6 of them. I was at 3 of them and was able to get the other 3 later through kid glove. Then in 2004 they sold them all and I have that complete set. And no munck was not involved until later.

Yeah that sounds right. Even in that first year of 2003 the Instant Live shows were eventually available to order online for those who didn't go to the show, which was actually better because they would spend time correcting mixes. The Raleigh and the 2004 Fox Box Instant Lives were actually what got me listening to the new lineup again. Even Dickey released one in 2004 with an electric jammed-out version of "Little Martha". They were available on HTN and I remember Instant Live selling them on Amazon as well. Not sure why they switched but 2007 was the first year Munck took over. I believe 2009 was the first Beacon run they released.

Oh, and if you are looking for 2003-2006 shows, nugs.net has a select number of those. Not sure why this site doesn't have a link to them: https://www.nugs.net/the-allman-brothers-band-concerts-live-downloads-in-mp3-flac-or-online-music-streaming/

[Edited on 12/28/2019 by porkchopbob]

Yes the instant lives started in 2003. There were 6 of them. I was at 3 of them and was able to get the other 3 later through kid glove. Then in 2004 they sold them all and I have that complete set. And no munck was not involved until later.

Yeah that sounds right. Even in that first year of 2003 the Instant Live shows were eventually available to order online for those who didn't go to the show, which was actually better because they would spend time correcting mixes. The Raleigh and the 2004 Fox Box Instant Lives were actually what got me listening to the new lineup again. Even Dickey released one in 2004 with an electric jammed-out version of "Little Martha". They were available on HTN and I remember Instant Live selling them on Amazon as well. Not sure why they switched but 2007 was the first year Munck took over. I believe 2009 was the first Beacon run they released.

Oh, and if you are looking for 2003-2006 shows, nugs.net has a select number of those. Not sure why this site doesn't have a link to them: https://www.nugs.net/the-allman-brothers-band-concerts-live-downloads-in-mp3-flac-or-online-music-streaming/

[Edited on 12/28/2019 by porkchopbob]

If I recall correctly clear channel ( live nation ) tried to have a patent on the technology but that was rejected in 2007 and they got out of it.

Those Warfield shows are amazing. Whoever recorded them did a great job.

The '04 Fox shows were, I would say, epic. As many times as I have been to The Beacon, I would say those three nights in Atlanta were the best. Marley, you are right. Three nights and only Dreams played more than once. I think you were helping Joe Bell and THN crew if I am not mistaken.

I was working on my big Derek Trucks Band piece for HTN at the time, so I saw their shows in Milwaukee and Chicago and then road tripped to Atlanta, and spent two weeks helping the HTN folks over that period. Ron and Joe were kind enough to put me up.

Pearson played a club one afternoon. I'm pretty sure The dTB played outside of the Falcons stadium before a game so that would have been the Sunday.

The Cotton Club. There were a couple of shows there over that weekend. I tried to find the show at the Falcons stadium, but the complex was so huge they were finished before I got there.

If I recall correctly clear channel ( live nation ) tried to have a patent on the technology but that was rejected in 2007 and they got out of it.

I don't think I ever heard about that! What sleazebags. They tried to gain a monopoly over the business with a patent, and then gave up when they couldn't stamp out all the competition. And downloads were replacing CD sales anyway. Anyway the timeline described here sounds right: Instant Live started in 2003, Live Nation bought it a couple of years later, and then it looks like they shut it down and sold some of their archives to Munck Music.

Butch had made it clear to the fans here on the site (Butch was the only member to post here with the latest news and would answer questions, I liked that) that now Dickey is gone NONE of the songs he sang would ever be played by the band again and that Butch was so sick of Ramblin'Man he never wanted to ever hear that song again anywhere. And Butch said as soon as they got a couple new instrumentals worked up, Dickey's instrumentals would be eliminated. That Dickey had held them hostage for years and ticket sales or no Dickey's songs would be history soon.

And indeed it wasn't long that more and more shows didn't have any Dickey songs.

That may have been the plan or what Butch wanted, but it was never very realistic. Gregg hadn't been a prolific writer in a long time, and even if he had been, people wanted to hear those songs. I think there were very few shows that didn't have at least one song Dickey had co-written.

I think at the Fox someone in the band wanted to do the entire Eat A Peach album which would go against what Butch wanted and Gregg said he would sing it. Not long afterward Warren wanted to sing Blue Sky and by 2007 they were doing a Dickey song or several at every show.

Right after the Fox shows they played a live version of Eat a Peach for a satellite radio station. They had to work up Blue Sky to do that. It went in and out of the rotation after that.

Then Gregg was ready to do another ABB album

He wasn't. He said he was, which is a different thing.

Next thing I read from Gregg was they would do another album and WITHOUT Butch if necessary.

Which was a sarcastic comment not to be taken at face value. They were not going to do an album without Butch, and if Gregg had really wanted to do another album he'd have recorded more with his own band. He might have liked the idea, but nothing was ever going to happen if he didn't write the songs, and he didn't write a lot of songs in that time.

Didn't Gregg get upset because Otiel was considering going with another band? Was it Zac Brown? Anyone remember?

I remember one year there was a rumor someone was replacing Oteil (I can't remember his name), and then in 2014 Gregg said Oteil was quitting to play with Zac Brown, and Oteil almost immediately made a blog post that said he wasn't quitting.

Butch had made it clear to the fans here on the site (Butch was the only member to post here with the latest news and would answer questions, I liked that) that now Dickey is gone NONE of the songs he sang would ever be played by the band again and that Butch was so sick of Ramblin'Man he never wanted to ever hear that song again anywhere. And Butch said as soon as they got a couple new instrumentals worked up, Dickey's instrumentals would be eliminated. That Dickey had held them hostage for years and ticket sales or no Dickey's songs would be history soon.

And indeed it wasn't long that more and more shows didn't have any Dickey songs.

That may have been the plan or what Butch wanted, but it was never very realistic. Gregg hadn't been a prolific writer in a long time, and even if he had been, people wanted to hear those songs. I think there were very few shows that didn't have at least one song Dickey had co-written.

I think at the Fox someone in the band wanted to do the entire Eat A Peach album which would go against what Butch wanted and Gregg said he would sing it. Not long afterward Warren wanted to sing Blue Sky and by 2007 they were doing a Dickey song or several at every show.

Right after the Fox shows they played a live version of Eat a Peach for a satellite radio station. They had to work up Blue Sky to do that. It went in and out of the rotation after that.

Then Gregg was ready to do another ABB album

He wasn't. He said he was, which is a different thing.

Next thing I read from Gregg was they would do another album and WITHOUT Butch if necessary.

Which was a sarcastic comment not to be taken at face value. They were not going to do an album without Butch, and if Gregg had really wanted to do another album he'd have recorded more with his own band. He might have liked the idea, but nothing was ever going to happen if he didn't write the songs, and he didn't write a lot of songs in that time.

Didn't Gregg get upset because Otiel was considering going with another band? Was it Zac Brown? Anyone remember?

I remember one year there was a rumor someone was replacing Oteil (I can't remember his name), and then in 2014 Gregg said Oteil was quitting to play with Zac Brown, and Oteil almost immediately made a blog post that said he wasn't quitting.

Yup. His post about it still remains.

https://oteilburbridge.com/happy-new-year/

Then Gregg was ready to do another ABB album

He wasn't. He said he was, which is a different thing.

Yeah, Gregg would say a lot of things in interviews that were wishful thinking. I think he wanted to appease whomever he was talking to, stir up excitement. Always talk of new material, new albums, etc. I remember Galadrielle, Butch, and Gregg were on stage at Wanee for a chat promoting Please Be With Me in 2014. Gregg told the crowd something to the effect of, the rumors of the Allman Brothers being over were just rumors. Even though their final shows were supposed to have been the previous month, and were basically scheduled for a few farewell appearances that summer before their final Beacon run that Fall. I can only imagine he wanted to make the crowd happy.

Then Gregg was ready to do another ABB album

He wasn't. He said he was, which is a different thing.

Yeah, Gregg would say a lot of things in interviews that were wishful thinking. I think he wanted to appease whomever he was talking to, stir up excitement. Always talk of new material, new albums, etc. I remember Galadrielle, Butch, and Gregg were on stage at Wanee for a chat promoting Please Be With Me in 2014. Gregg told the crowd something to the effect of, the rumors of the Allman Brothers being over were just rumors. Even though their final shows were supposed to have been the previous month, and were basically scheduled for a few farewell appearances that summer before their final Beacon run that Fall. I can only imagine he wanted to make the crowd happy.

He definitely told people whatever they wanted to hear a lot of the time. And just like Butch he had some obvious and understandable second thoughts about the band calling it quits. Anyway that whole last year was very confused. I remember at one point around the spring of 2014, people on this site were saying the ABB was auditioning new guitar players - specific names were mentioned - and I've always wondered if that really happened.

He definitely told people whatever they wanted to hear a lot of the time. And just like Butch he had some obvious and understandable second thoughts about the band calling it quits. Anyway that whole last year was very confused. I remember at one point around the spring of 2014, people on this site were saying the ABB was auditioning new guitar players - specific names were mentioned - and I've always wondered if that really happened.

I forgot about that. Yeah, the rumor mill was kind of wild. I always thought the audition rumors came from hopeful fans. No one really seemed to know anything for sure except that Derek and Warren were both leaving. I wonder what would have happened had Gregg not gotten sick in March - those were supposed to be the final shows. Once it was over, Gregg seemed super content working with his own band for those final 2 years.

If I recall correctly clear channel ( live nation ) tried to have a patent on the technology but that was rejected in 2007 and they got out of it.

I don't think I ever heard about that! What sleazebags. They tried to gain a monopoly over the business with a patent, and then gave up when they couldn't stamp out all the competition. And downloads were replacing CD sales anyway. Anyway the timeline described here sounds right: Instant Live started in 2003, Live Nation bought it a couple of years later, and then it looks like they shut it down and sold some of their archives to Munck Music.

Instant Live was Live Nation's own baby, and the patent was eventually rejected which opened the door for competitors. I don't think Munck has any ILs (the re-released Fox Box and Best of 2003 were by Peach Records), their catalogue starts in 2007 when the Allman Bros switched concert recording companies. However, nugs.net has both IL and Munck recordings for some reason.

Regarding IL, you guys are right, there were six in 2003. I seem to recall it started with three and then went to six, but I could be wrong. Regarding Dickey, I believe there was one, at The Odeon in Cleveland.

If I recall correctly clear channel ( live nation ) tried to have a patent on the technology but that was rejected in 2007 and they got out of it.

I don't think I ever heard about that! What sleazebags. They tried to gain a monopoly over the business with a patent, and then gave up when they couldn't stamp out all the competition. And downloads were replacing CD sales anyway. Anyway the timeline described here sounds right: Instant Live started in 2003, Live Nation bought it a couple of years later, and then it looks like they shut it down and sold some of their archives to Munck Music.

Instant Live was Live Nation's own baby, and the patent was eventually rejected which opened the door for competitors. I don't think Munck has any ILs (the re-released Fox Box and Best of 2003 were by Peach Records), their catalogue starts in 2007 when the Allman Bros switched concert recording companies. However, nugs.net has both IL and Munck recordings for some reason.

That's correct. I think I got confused by the ClearChannel/SFX/Ticketmaster dealings and Munck Music's acquisition of some of the stuff HTN/Kid Glove had been selling.

I forgot about that. Yeah, the rumor mill was kind of wild. I always thought the audition rumors came from hopeful fans.

Sometimes I wondered if someone with connections just got garbled information. But on the internet you never know when someone's going to take something seriously even though they shouldn't. There was a year in the early 2000s that the fans heard Butch was retiring and Matt Abts was joining. Then there was that Oteil thing I mentioned around 2008. I think the rumored replacement was named Chuck Adams or something similar?

No one really seemed to know anything for sure except that Derek and Warren were both leaving. I wonder what would have happened had Gregg not gotten sick in March - those were supposed to be the final shows.

I am pretty sure they were not announced as the final shows, because I remember a lot of people wondering what the final show was actually going to be. A lot of people felt an October 29 date at the MSG Theater made sense, but of course it would've felt weird for them to play their last shows anywhere other than the Beacon.

Regarding IL, you guys are right, there were six in 2003. I seem to recall it started with three and then went to six, but I could be wrong. Regarding Dickey, I believe there was one, at The Odeon in Cleveland.

Yes I have that Odeon so you are correct.

As for the other here from right here is the original announcement.

Business Wire
July 29, 2003

Today, Clear Channel Entertainment's innovative new program Instant Live announced a collaboration with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legends, The Allman Brothers Band. Instant Live will record and duplicate live Allman Brothers Band performances during their current U.S. tour, which supports their latest album, Hittin' the Note. A test run of the duplication process will first take place at shows in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Hartford for future sales of the live recordings at other venues. After completion of the test run, Instant Live will make available a limited number of live CD recordings immediately following the shows in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina.

"The Allman Brothers Band is a perfect artist for Instant Live and we are thrilled to be working with them," said Steve Simon, Instant Live project director and executive vice president of Clear Channel Entertainment- Music. "We have sought their participation since the project inception. Their nightly set list variation, their trademark sound and improvisational style will ensure something unique for every show. I am also a huge fan, and the band was one of the inspirations for the creation of the Instant Live program. They have been a pleasure to work with; the road crew, sound engineers, management and musicians are examples of the best this industry has to offer. We hope to create something special together for their fans."

"The Brothers have over the past few years multitrack recorded their live concert performances with the intention of making every show available on an individual basis to their fans. The Instant Live program has now given us the opportunity to do that on an immediate basis," said Allman Brothers Band manager, Bert Holman. "Now regular fans as well as the 'tapers' can enjoy the show without the hassle or making their own audience tapes with a better quality recording boot. The Allman Brothers Band is excited to be in the vanguard of contemporaneous recording and delivery of their live concert experience. No longer will a fan have to rely on memory or primitive live tapes to relive a specific concert, they can pop it in the cd player and groove on the way home from what they just saw."

Instant Live, previously tested in clubs in Boston, offers fans the opportunity to purchase and walk away with a CD of the concert they just attended before they leave the venue. Instant Live concerts are recorded using a combination of ambient microphones and feeds from the soundboard. The program employs state-of-the-art technology to duplicate, package and deliver CDs in as few as five minutes after a show. Fans will soon be given the option of pre-ordering the CD when they purchase concert tickets or purchasing the CD immediately following the performance.

With a secure place in history as a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Allman Brothers Band are considered legends. Not many groups have been around as long as the Allman Brothers Band. If you're talking about a band that has both legs and heart, whose experience feeds an intensity that's rare even among the greenest newbies, that narrows the field pretty much down to these psychedelic sons of the South. The band, with its mix of down-home groove and instrumental virtuosity, blues-drenched soul and guitar-driven rock, and dedication to all-night jamming, laid the groundwork for what became known as the Southern Rock movement. Since 1989, The Allman Brothers Band have been touring nationally every year, averaging more than 60 live shows per year. This summer they are on the road in support of their newest release in nine years titled Hittin' the Note. The album contains eleven new songs, which range from "intimate acoustic" to their "trademark extended jam" and also includes a new lineup of band members that can be described as a perfect fit. The album includes the amazing talents of Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe on drums, Warren Haynes and newcomer Derek Trucks on guitar, Marc Quinones on congas and percussion and Oteil Burbridge on bass. The Wall Street Journal wrote that their latest masterpiece "may be their best studio album in almost 30 years," and that "the new lineup is incendiary."

Now the tradition will continue on in 2003 with a new vision for the future - Instant Live and the Allman Brothers Band together preserving live performances that can never be replicated!

No one really seemed to know anything for sure except that Derek and Warren were both leaving. I wonder what would have happened had Gregg not gotten sick in March - those were supposed to be the final shows.

I am pretty sure they were not announced as the final shows, because I remember a lot of people wondering what the final show was actually going to be. A lot of people felt an October 29 date at the MSG Theater made sense, but of course it would've felt weird for them to play their last shows anywhere other than the Beacon.

Ha, Yeah you're right, something like that. I think they were already on the Summer festival bills for Mountain Jam, Wanee, and Peach Fest. The March shows were the final Beacon shows scheduled, I wonder what they would have done had they not had to post-poned several of them. Everyone expected something big in the Fall in NYC, but who knows if it would have been another Beacon run. Maybe just a single farewell show.