As always, the Bros. were on top of their game. I can’t reconstruct the setlist from memory, but I do recall that they opened with Don’t Want You No More/ Not My Cross and closed with Whippin’ Post.
Along the way, they included many of the staples of an ABB show: Statesboro Blues, Jessica, Southbound, Midnight Rider, Melissa, etc. They also did The Weight (The Band) with Warren on vocals–great!
This was the last night of a nine day festival and the crowds were HUGE. The lines to the beer tent and (inevitably) the porta-potty were impossible.
Much or most of the crowd were not particularly there to hear the ABB but to see the spectacular fireworks display that followed. In fact, when the DTB played on the opposite stage earlier, MOST people in the crowd were seated in their lawn chairs with backs turned to the stage, drinking beer, talking, and in blissful ignorance of the fact that one of the best guitarists in the world was playing for them! It was just some band as far as they were concerned.
During the ABB show itself, there were small pockets of Bros and Sisters who were obviously having a good time. Generally speaking, the crowd might have appreciated that there was a stellar band on stage, but they were less than enthusiastic. In fact, the people working the concert went around telling those who had gotten to their feet to sit down. They never got over to where we were standing/dancing apparently.
It also seemed to me that the volume was a bit subdued. Rather than feeling that I was immersed in the music–a wave of sound sweeping over me–it was more like hearing a good quality nstereo system at some distance (perhaps combined with a concert DVD). It was a little hard really to engage in this show. Again, not the band’s fault. There were just features of the venue that weren’t all that great.
Ah, next week Dickey plays with Phil Lesh here in Atlanta. Think they’ll do Blue Sky? That was always the high point of my summers. The chemistry of the present lineup is undeniably excellent, but I still miss Dickey Betts pickin’ on that red guitar.
