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local press for the Waneefest! I never thought I would see this in my neck of the woods. I'm off to Live Oak in a few. Posted on Fri, Apr. 15, 2005 Allman Brothers family and friends will jam at the river By Kati Schardl DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER It's a family affair - both musical and actual - at this weekend's inaugural Wanee Fest. The event features the legendary Allman Brothers Band and a host of auxiliary units, including Oteil & the Peacemakers, Gov't Mule, the Derek Trucks Band, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, the John Popper Project with DJ Logic, Galactic and others that have imbibed the Allmans vibe and helped keep it alive. The festival is a dream come true for ABB drummer Butch Trucks. "This weekend is the result of me bugging a lot of people," said Trucks, who lived in Tallahassee for 16 years during the '80s and '90s, from his office in West Palm Beach. "I had the idea to do a festival with the Allman Brothers and related bands about four or five years ago. It didn't work out then. "A friend had been telling me about this spot on the Suwannee River and how drop-dead gorgeous it is, so I figured it was time to do it." The main branches of the Allman family tree will be spread over the festival's two stages throughout the two-day event. Trucks expects that'll lead to some piping-hot jam sessions. "I'm looking forward to having all of us plus all the related bands and good friends like Robert Randolph on a stage where we can just set up and jam any time we want to," Trucks said. "I've got a strong feeling we'll be jamming late into the night." The current ABB lineup lends itself to such cross-pollination. It features Trucks on drums and tympani with fellow original ABB drummer Jaimoe, Gregg Allman on vocals and Hammond B3 organ, Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule on lead and slide guitar and vocals, Marc Quinones on congas and percussion, Oteil Burbridge on bass and Trucks' nephew Derek Trucks on lead and slide guitar. It's enough to make a hard-core ABB fan break out in a cold sweat, especially after reading reviews of recent performances such as a weeklong run in March at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. Even jaded Big Apple music critics lard their reviews with words like "jaw-dropping," "effortless" and "cavalcade of technical proficiency and house-party excitement." "I think back on the first few years of the band, when Duane (Allman) was still alive, and it floors me to think of the amount of living packed into that time," Trucks said. "Every single day was an epic. The band I'm in now, we've been together for 16 years and we've done a lot to re-establish what Duane started and we got away from after he died (in a 1971 motorcycle accident). "With Duane, the focus was the music. And this band is back on track with that. We take it to new places every single night. After 36 years, playing music still doesn't suck. I'm absolutely having a ball." IF YOU GO What: Wanee Festival, featuring the Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, the Derek Trucks Band and much more. When: Gates open at 1 p.m. today and 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Check the Web site for an up-to-date schedule of who plays when. Where: Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park near Live Oak. Cost: $125 for two-day tickets, which include parking and camping; available at www.ticketmaster.com. Contact: Go to the Web site at www.wanee festival.com. Recent performances by the Allman Brothers Band in New York garnered rave reviews.