#Sky Zito Melissa

[theloniousbach]

THE ALLMAN BETTS FAMILY REVIVAL*, THE FACTORY, 25 NOVEMBER 2023

*The Allman Betts Band (Devon Allman and Duane Betts with maybe Berry Duane Oakley, John Ginty, Johnny Stachlea, John Lum, Alex Orbison, R. Scott Bryan) with TAL WILKENFELD and Jimmy Hall, Luther Dickinson, Jackie Greene, Anders Osborne, Larry McCray, Mike Zito, Maddie Schell, Ghalia Volt, Ally Venable, and Cody Dickinson)

I had passed on this show when my rock’n’roll proposed this one (mostly being extremely selective about such shows—last one was Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Labor Day 2022, before that Electric Hot Tuna at the Sheldon Fall 2019 and Phil Lesh and all of Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Festival at the local barn that summer, but also cost, the holiday weekend, and city provincialism as the venue is out in west West County). But one of us felt under the weather and miracled me (I’ll pick up his dinner and maybe even Jameson tab at Jazz St Louis sometime, sssh). So I went anyway and gladly.

Devon Allman is local (as are several members of the core band as well as guests Maddie Schell and Mike Zito) so he started this sprawling tour at home. The Factory is relatively new—swanky and comfortable, perhaps too much so—a bigger Pageant. But it was an old crowd, so good parking and easy out starts to matter. This is what rock’n’roll has become, but so has this fan.

And this fan’s rock’n’roll is largely nostalgic. I got to hear a wonderful repertoire very competently done. Devon Allman’s voice evokes his father’s, but sometimes Jimmy Hall handled the biggest tunes (Statesboro Blues which followed a tune—one of the band’s new ones?—and effectively kicked off the show and the Whipping Post closer). Duane Betts can sound like his father while Johnny Stachela does very nicely with the slide parts. I probably wouldn’t pay $30 to see them at a smaller venue, but that’s not what justifies this as a bigger ticket tour.

It’s an all-star revue with guests coming out to sing/play a tune or two. Thus, Jackie Greene (one of the people whom I regretted foregoing when I didn’t plan to go) played acoustic guitar (Greg’s old Gibson) and sang Melissa and then added a slide solo to One Way Out and Luther Dickinson (another one I was really glad to see) tore up the first set closer Dreams while opening the second set as part of a tune I didn’t know Sailing Away. He was also significant for Come and Go Blues (sung by Maddie Schell who played mandolin). Larry McCray had to plug in three different guitars while singing Soulshine which triply underscored its gospel roots. Anders Osborne sang Ramblin’ Man with gusto but left the soloing to Duane Betts.

Ally Venable did I’m No Angel and Ghalia Volt played slide and sang Pony Boy Blues. So there were deep cuts—or at least later career cuts, including No One To Run With Anymore.

The huge treat was to see TAL WILKENFELD who was both her wonderful self and, in doing so, reminded me/us how important Berry Oakley, Allen Woody, and Oteill Burbridge have been for these tunes. She just burbled under everything, not quite soloing but driving things with inventive idea after inventive idea.`At that—or any—Hot Tuna, I would frequently punctuate my notes with Jack! For this one, there are several Tals! She sang Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More adequately but Blue Sky and Ramblin’ Man stood out even as I often watched and listened for her. She had a full blown start from scratch solo that pushed her speakers to their limits that then, duh, kicked into Whipping Post where she continued to be spectacular. She elevated the entire gig.

I don’t quite get the economics—how much does Larry McCray get for singing Soulshine? Or Cody Dickinson for being the fourth (!) on the Midnight Rider all hands on deck closer? Or Jackie Greene or Luther Dickinson? It makes sense as a one off Thanksgiving weekend party at Devon’s, but they’re off for a dozen shows. Maybe on the road the absence of Schell and Zito will open up solo and singing space for others. The extravaganza as such generates interest in a way that even the Allman Betts Band with Wilkenfeld and, oh, Hall wouldn’t. But the core band is an effective tribute act and their own tunes, the opener maybe and definitely the first two tunes of the encore, are solid.

I don’t regret Jessica being in there but that probably took the In Memory of Elizabeth Reed slot. Otherwise my wishlist was met.

[skyzito]

Performing at Fire Street - Belton TX - 2 song compilation