I was in DC yesterday. I had tickets for a matinee performance of the theatrical production of George Orwell's, 1984. Since I couldn't make it to Richmond I went to the Birchmere and caught Branford Marsalis. It was a good show but I would have liked to have seen Gregg.
Any reviews?
Review from the Richmond Times Dispatch
http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/music/article_6822b897-75d9-5388-a920-b61934579dd1.html
Though the Allman Brothers Band played their final show in 2014, Gregg Allman is hardly resting on his laurels these days. A sold-out crowd had the opportunity Sunday night to see this iconic figure in a more intimate setting, joined by a band that played The National like it was the Bonnaroo Festival.
As Allman settled behind his Hammond B-3 organ, he and the band took off with “Don’t Keep Me Wondering.†Free from the Brothers structure, Allman spent the evening exploring his solo material along with a generous selection of early favorites. Allman’s first solo album, 1973’s “Laid Back,†was given the attention it deserves, while his 1987 hit “I’m No Angel†drew one of the evening’s biggest receptions.
Five decades into his career, Allman’s voice is a true blues instrument, and he gave a fine performance for his Richmond stop. As the rear screen flashed images of Gregg with his brother and Allman Brothers co-founder, the late Duane Allman, the audience was reminded of the importance of that sibling connection during “Sweet Feelin’.†This was Gregg’s night, but the inclusion of his brother was a poignant reminder of the family bond as well as Duane’s historic musical contributions.
An eight-piece band, which featured Allman Brothers percussionist Marc Quiñones, brought Allman’s songs to life before backdrop screen ablaze with kaleidoscopic patterns. A three-piece horn section added a wicked punch to “Stand Back,†with lead guitarist Scott Sharrard jumping onto their train for an instrumental break, and when the tempo shifted on the bluesy “Queen of Hearts,†the brass stretched out for a jazzy run.
When keyboard player Peter Levin began a quiet passage, the room erupted when the audience picked up on his sudden leap into “Ain’t Wastin’ Time†from the Allman Brothers’ classic 1972 album “Eat A Peach.†Allman further heightened the mood as he stepped away from his organ to grab a guitar, joining Sharrard as the latter took one of the night’s most memorable solos.
The audience was alternately rowdy and spellbound when the band took off on some of the anticipated Allman Brothers songs, and it was nearly impossible for anyone to keep still for a take on “One Way Out†that had everyone on the stage working up a real sweat. And as Allman began “Midnight Rider,†it was easy to see him as the living embodiment of the elusive figure that first appeared on “Laid Back†more than forty years ago.
