Watch Tedeschi Trucks Band & Duane Betts Play Allman Brothers Classics In Washington D.C.

Tedeschi Trucks Band concluded a three-night stand at Washington D.C.’s Warner Theatre on Thursday night. Guitarist Duane Betts kicked off the show as the opener and joined the TTB at the end of their main set on beloved The Allman Brothers Band songs “Blue Sky” and “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.”

The 12-piece ensemble led by Susan Tedeschi and her husband Derek Trucks played a total of 55 songs with no repeats at the Warner Theatre between Tuesday and Thursday. Twenty seven of those tunes were originals with the rest of each show devoted to an eclectic group of covers including their first take on George Harrison’s “Wah-Wah” since 2018 as part of Tuesday’s concert.

Duane Betts, the son of The Allman Brothers Band co-founding guitarist Dickey Betts, teamed with longtime collaborator Johnny Stachela and Tedeschi Trucks Band drummer Tyler “Falcon” Greenwell on percussion for an eight-song acoustic performance to get the action underway last night. When Susan Tedeschi introduced Duane at the tail end of the TTB set, she spoke about knowing him for over 25 years. Derek Trucks joined The Allman Brothers Band in 1999 and Tedeschi began a long relationship with the group and her future husband around that time when her band was touring with the ABB.

Last night’s “Blue Sky” was just the seventh performance of the Eat A Peach classic by the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Duane Betts and Derek Trucks combined to play the song’s signature dual leads before each guitarist took a solo. Trucks let it rip first and then Betts uncorked fretboard fireworks of his own.

The TTB wrapped their 14-song set in Washington D.C. last night with an 18-minute “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed,” which like “Blue Sky” was written by Dickey Betts. “Liz Reed” hadn’t been performed by the Tedeschi Trucks Band since Duane Betts last added to their version of the instrumental on November 16, 2021 in Clearwater, Florida.

“In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” began with Trucks and Betts trading licks and uniting on the main melody. Then, Derek Trucks delivered a powerful solo. The lengthy version continued with impressive solos from keyboardist Gabe Dixon, Duane Betts, the drumming duo of Greenwell and Isaac Eady as well as bassist Brandon Boone:

Watch Duane Betts collaborate with Tedeschi Trucks Band on “Blue Sky” and “Liz Reed” below:

Tedeschi Trucks Band opened their one-set performance by looking to their 2016 studio album, Let Me Get By, for “Just As Strange.” Other originals played on Thursday included oldies “Idle Wind” and “Midnight In Harlem” as well as three songs from their 2022 album cycle I Am The Moon. The evening’s encore consisted of I Am The Moon’s “Soul Sweet Song” and a Tedeschi-sung rendition of blues standard “How Blue Can You Get?”

Next up for the TTB is a concert in Baltimore on Saturday night. Betts will open again on March 14.

Setlist (via Setlist.FM)

Set: Just As Strange, Tell The Truth, Don’t Drift Away, Fall In, I Am The Moon, Idle Wind, It Ain’t Fair, Outside Woman Blues, Midnight In Harlem, Leaving Trunk > Volunteered Slavery, Just Won’t Burn, Blue Sky*, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed*

Encore: Soul Sweet Song, How Blue Can You Get?

* – w/ Duane Betts on guitar