October 8, 1971, my first real, rock concert; it made quite an impression on this 16-yr old. My friend, Ron, had played an 8-track of Whipping Post in his ol’ station wagon a couple weeks before the Allman Brothers came to Winterland, and I KNEW I had to go! So I didn’t know their music well, my recollection of all of what they played that night may be blurred by my purchase of the At Fillmore East LP soon after attending the show. I couldn’t make a set list, have never found a recording, but I KNOW these songs were played:
Done Somebody Wrong: it had the same ‘hound dog barking’ sound about it that I hear on the Fillmore album.
You Don’t Love Me: Duane’s guitar cadenza in the middle-I wondered how he did not break a string with those sweet, sustained bends?! And…the “Joy to the World” part at the end. Wow.
Hot ‘Lanta: To me, this song goes so joyously in so many directions, and no other song ends in this way. The floor of Winterland began to rumble, with tonic and sweet major third tones, as the volume swelled up-only to evaporate into silence…and then the crowd’s cheer!
Whipping Post: I was looking right at Berry Oakley when he suddenly swung his head over to a mic to add his “YEAH” to the gang chant! On the Fillmore East CD, it’s at about 9:11 into the song. I’ve never forgotten that moment. Being a drummer, the intro’s in 11 also caught my attention. And I’d actually heard that song before!
I THINK they played Statesboro Blues, Stormy Monday and Elizabeth Reed, but I am less sure than the songs listed above. Other impressions: Cowboy was great; I love acoustic rock and they were very good! Jo Baker’s strong singing with Elvin Bishop Group. The song, So Fine, was on radio at the time! Elvin saying, “Excuse me while I water my brain!” as he picked up a can of beer off his amp and took a swig.
Gregg made a comment about ‘feedback in the monitors’ early in the set, should that help ID a recording. Seeming rather out of place, there was a black gentleman in a suit, playing both a soprano and tenor sax at the same time, for some of the set. I honestly couldn’t hear him in the mix, don’t remember an introduction. Despite internet searches, I have never been able to figure out who he was. It was after King Curtis died. Butch and Jaimoe played with so much strength and finesse! Duane, cigarette pinched between the headstock and strings of his Les Paul… I believe he was wearing the pea*****/dragon shirt as on the Layla album pics, too. If not that shirt, one similar. In Galadrielle’s book, she describes a confrontation and revelation between Butch and Duane after the next night’s show, but on Friday, the 8th of October, Duane was on fire, full of energy and passion all through the long concert and encore. Dickey too. Great, psychedelic light show, as I learned was the standard at Winterland. I’ve seen ABB many times, but that first show was an amazing highlight in my life!
