Just got home from this show. It was a total break from my experience with the Allmans to date. There were two “sets” although it seems more like one really long set and an oversized encore. This was the 16th ABB show I’ve seen, but there were many things in the setlist I didn’t recognize, although I must admit that I greatly miss the Dickey songs that don’t seem to show up any more since his parting. For me, when I connect with the music, its there and its excellent, and when that connection isnt there, its not that I dont enjoy it, but it jsut doesnt light me up. When “Nobody Left to Run With” showed up so early in the first set, I was psyched and boogieing, but things seemed to slow down from there, with a mellow highlight of soulshine for the first set. Derek’s slide playing was first rate as always. But the real high point of the performance had to be Otiel’s solo. To borrow a phrase from MTV, it was OFF THE HOOK! Anyway, I’m eager to see what the actual setlist was from more educated folks. I was worried for a while that this was goign to be a short show with few favorites, but the long “encore”/short second set completely turned the show around for the better. I’ll be seeing them again in Pittsburgh and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens. This was a very different experience.
