50 Years Later: Watch Lebo & Friends Revisit 1974 In Music At High Sierra

As reported, ALO guitarist Lebo (Dan Lebowitz) continued a tradition of curating “50 Years In The Rearview” playshops at the High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, California earlier this month. High-quality fan-shot video of the full-set tribute to the music of 1974 has surfaced and can be viewed below.

The first “Lebo: 50 Years In The Rearview” playshop took place in 2018 and Dan has presented the tributes at each HSMF since. This year’s installment saw Lebo joined by a core band consisting of keyboardist Holly Bowling, drummer Ezra Lipp, percussionist Gary Kehoe and bassist Mark “Murph” Murphy as well as a parade of special guests.

High Sierra co-owner and co-producer Dave Margulies introduced Lebo and the playshop. The guitarist explained the setlist was based on songs recorded and released in 1974, others that were recorded in late 1973 and came out in 1974 and some that were recorded at the end of 1974 and arrived the following year. All three parameters were fair game. “The aim here is to take you to 1974,” Lebo added. Murph stepped in at the last minute after Reed Mathis became ill and had to miss the festival.

To open, Steve Poltz fronted the band on a version of The Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane” akin to the one that appeared on Lou Reed’s 1974 album Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal. Next the Handmade Moments duo of Anna Moss and Joel Ludford emerged to sing the John Lennon classic “#9 Dream” before the core band with Jordan Feinstein on glockenspiel performed Shuggie Otis’ “Strawberry Letter 23.”

Lebo went on to bring Moss and Ludford back for Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.” The set rolled on with a take on Robert Palmer’s “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley” featuring Lebo, Bowling, Kehoe and Eggy. The core band then stepped back in with Feinstein filling Bowling’s set at the keyboards on Elton John’s “Bennie & The Jets.”

Guitarist Scott Pemberton, Lebo’s fellow HSMF artist at large, was showcased on the extended “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” that followed the Elton John cover. Lebo & Friends fit a run through The Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” within “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.” The core band and Ludford then tackled “Rebel Rebel” by David Bowie to close the set. Bo Carper of New Monsoon teamed with Lebo’s ensemble on the encore of Gram Parsons’ “In My Hour Of Darkess.”

Watch Lebo & Friends’ “50 Years In The Rearview” tribute to 1974 from July 6, 2024 below:

Setlist

Set: Sweet Jane (w/ Steve Poltz), #9 Dream (w/ Anna Moss & Joel Ludford), Strawberry Letter 23 (w/ Jordan Feinstein), Jolene (w/ Anna Moss), Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley (w/ Eggy), Bennie & The Jets (w/ Jordan Feinstein), That’s What Love With Make You Do > Black Water > That’s What Love Will Make You Do (w/ Scott Pemberton), Rebel Rebel (w/ Joel Ludford)

Encore: In My Hour Of Darkness (w/ Bo Carper)