Opening Night | Allman Brothers Band At The Beacon

Tonight, The Allman Brothers Band continued a tradition that started back in 1989 with their first of 14 sold-out performances at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. This evening’s show unbelievably marked the band’s 223rd at the venue since the tradition began. However, this year the stakes are higher as at the very least it is expected to be guitarists Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes’s last run at the Beacon as members of the Allman Brothers Band and it could be the final run for the group in general.

In a fitting start, Trucks and Haynes took the stage without the other members of the group for “Old Friend.” The rest of the band joined in on another song that speaks to the situation the Brothers find themselves in -“No One To Run With.” Next up was the blues-heavy run of “Trouble No More,” “Leave My Blues At Home” and “Worried Down With The Blues.” From there, the capacity crowd was treated to the biggest surprise of the evening, when the Allmans dusted off the Betts/Haynes instrumental “True Gravity” for the first time since June 25, 2000. “True Gravity” had only been performed once since Dickey Betts left the band’s employ in May of 2000. Gregg Allman then led a stirring rendition of “Midnight Rider,” before the set concluded with the “You Don’t Love Me,” “Dusk Til Dawn, “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” (with a bit of a freshened up arrangement) triumvirate.

Allman was also in the spotlight for Friday night’s second set opener, arguably his signature song -“Melissa.” A cover of Dr. John’s “I Walk On Gilded Splinters” came next and led into a pair of improv-heavy stalwarts in “Dreams” and “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.” Haynes let it all hang out on “Liz Reed” garnering applause from drummer Jaimoe at the end of the song. Trucks took his own opportunity to shine on a cover of “The Sky Is Crying” that gave way to the “Revival” second set closer. The band finished off opening night with a “Whipping Post” encore.

If you missed the news from earlier today, Butch Trucks revealed the Allman Brothers Band are working on closing out the year at another historic New York City venue -Madison Square Garden. The Beacon residency continues tomorrow night.

Here’s the setlist from tonight followed by a running tally we’ll keep of the songs the Allman Brothers Band play during the 14-show residency:

Set One: Old Friend, No One to Run With, Trouble Mo More, Leave My Blues at Home, Worried Down with the Blues, True Gravity, Midnight Rider, You Don’t Love Me, Dusk Til Dawn, Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More

Set Two: Melissa, I Walk On Gilded Splinters, Dreams, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, The Sky Is Crying, Revival

Encore: Whipping Post

The Songs – Allman Brothers Band Beacon Run 2014:

Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More -1
Dreams -1
Dusk Till Dawn -1
In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed -1
I Walk On Gilded Splinters -1
Leave My Blues At Home -1
Melissa -1
Midnight Rider -1
No One To Run With -1
Old Friend -1
Revival -1
The Sky Is Crying -1
Trouble No More -1
True Gravity -1
Whipping Post -1
Worried Down With The Blues -1
You Don’t Love Me -1