deranger

I don't understand much of the praise heaped on many bands by hipster press rags. Probably cause there is lots of music out there and I can't like everything. I do like Arcade Fire a lot though. I also like Flaming Lips a lot. In fact, 2 of the more interesting shows for me were my first Arcade Fire show and first (and only) Flaming Lips show. fuckin mindblowing.

I was there last night. Good times, though some songs go over better in the show than live. The encore songs kinda sucked too. Not funny. The best parts were when they were improving and interacting with the audience. Eugene Merman was the opener, and he was fuckin hilarious. I actually laughed more during his opening set than during the Conchords. All in all, a great show.

did anyone listen to the tunes on their website? It's pretty much what you would expect, lots and lots of cock-rock swagger but with musicians of their caliber a bit more developed. Just a bit. Not bad actually. It sounds like Van Hagar with Joe Satriani. I don't think I would go and see them though. Feels like one long beer commercial. I also don't think Chad Smith is lowering himself by playing with those guys.

the north east side is to be avoided. 9:30 club is a cool venue, seen many shows there. I had a homemade ammonia and chlorine bomb thrown at me by some local kids in broad daylight walking down the street with my girlfriend, near the north east side. little shits could have fucking blinded me. Washington is a place for the very very wealthy elite, and the very very poor. Lots of culture and lots of poverty. Stick to the touristy stuff of which there is tons, and you'll be fine.

awesome show. the vocals were wayyyyy too down in the mix though, couldn't hear as much of them as I would have liked considering their singing abilities. But amazing energy....

GO. So looking forward to this and have been since the end of the last show in Toronto. Anyone on the fence, GO, you will not be disappointed and it's on a Saturday! I can't fuckin wait.

well, Oteil is currently singing extended bass solo style (2nd set) and it seems a safe bet to say Dickey Betts will not be appearing tonight. the show isn't over yet but.... ah well.

When you are engulfed in Flames is also laugh out loud wicked funny. Reading Dress you parents...right now. So far Naked has been the funniest for me, but engulfed in flames is also hilarious.

happy bday J. It doesn't matter if you're 41, you still look 29. And I will post immediately if Dickey returns tonight unless you are also watching.

was an ok show. I thought Billy would have played some slide but I guess not. I've never seen ZZ Top or Billy Gibbons live before, so maybe I made an incorrect assumption he would play some slide. Anyway, Sonny Landreth wasn't really all that special and it was actually kinda strange seeing him play next to Warren and Derek whose styles, though very different, were far more technically sophisticated. Not to mention I wasn't sure why I thought they might all play at once, which didn't happen. One standout jam ending the 1st set was Southbound with Sonny Landreth and John Popper guesting. Coming out the play the 2nd set with Billy Gibbons, they entire band had the wigs and glasses on, which was absolutely amazing and demonstrated an incredibly good sense of humour. They kept them on throughout the first song, Jesus Just Left Chicago.

biftek - best bar ever

They're fairly different in their approaches, though, aren't they? (Opinions wanted here.) I think Sonny Landreth has more amazing over-the-top blazing technique, while Derek Trucks is a little more laid back but more interesting melodically (e.g., his Indian-influenced tunes; he also did Coltrane's "Afro Blue" when I saw DTB at moe.down a bunch of years ago, which is something I don't think I'd expect from Landreth). Aloha, Brad Derek can really let if fly when he wants to. I wouldn't call him more laid back, but he certainly plays many different styles that aren't normally associated with slide. I think they're worlds apart. Landreth is more of a traditional slide player, pinkie finger, lots of different open tunings, uses other 3 fingers to fret chords behind the slide and generally balances more rhythm/lead in his playing. Check out some of his work with John Hiatt and the Goners. I saw Landreth at the Montreal jazz festival with his band and wasn't particularly impressed, and that was compared to Trucks. I also saw him play with John Hiatt at the Toronto Blues fest and his playing was decent, filling a lead guitar role rather than band leader role seemed to suit him. Whereas, I feel Derek has carved out a much more unique approach modeled on Duane who revolutionized the approach to slide guitar. Ring finger, mostly open E, mostly single note playing, no fretting behind the slide and laser like intensity in a mostly lead role. More like traditional jazz players. I never heard anything in Landreth's playing that made me feel he had the same intensity under his control as Derek does. Anyway, lets not forget Warren, and Billy Gibbons on stage, possibly all at once, making it FOUR of the top slide players around. slide guitar heaven. Can't wait until tomorrow.

offer eh? obvs dickey would love to play with those guys' date=' i just can't see them making any such offer to him. is this real info or just from hopeful blurbs in articles?[/quote'] during an interview with Hittin' the Note magazine, Butch Trucks confirmed an offer to play March 26th was extended to Dickey. As of the beginning of the run, they had not heard back from him. Personally, I will be watching March 26th and will be happy to see his return (for the night).

I'm not sure what you meant by that. Watching the two side by side, trading solos, it seemed obvious to me that Derek Trucks has become one of the better guitarists playing the instrument today. On par with his elder contemporaries, those on the stage at the time, and others.

Derek Trucks more than holds his own between those two. His playing has just got better and better over the years and at this years shows he is demonstrating some incredible development as a player. I watched all of last nights show (03/20/09) on Moogis and Clapton sat in again and played exactly the same songs except Anyday, but they added Stormy Monday and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed which kicked ass. Clapton actually missed a few lines of Liz Reed and was laughing at himself and sharing a moment with Derek about during Warren's solo. A great show among the many so far. Monday was wicked, I didn't feel like John Hammond worked very well, just a "not quite gelled feeling". Bonnie Bramlett and her daughter however, were awesome and brought some great energy and life to the band. Ditto Susan Tedeski joining everybody on stage for The Weight. I might write a short review of the show (03/16/09)...the beacon does look amazing but it was always a very nice theatre. Anyway, upcoming shows I want to catch are 03/24/09, Gibbons, Landreth guesting, and 03/26/09 - the actual 40th anniversary show. No guests have been booked and the offer that was extended to Dickey to sit in was possibly confirmed. After a Great Southern show on March 12th, Dickey was asked by his guitar tech (or roadie) in front of fans whether he will be appearing at the Beacon on the anniversary. His reply..... "I reckon."

Jai - what did they do together? It eludes me right now....

I'll be there on Monday and I can't really decide how I feel about John Hammond. I've seen him play, solo acoustic, doing his delta blues thing but unless he plays electric or they play an acoustic set I'm a bit confused as to how that will work. However, it will allow for the actual members of the band to play a bit more. Sonny Landreth and Billy Gibbons would be sick, 4 sick slide players in one night, on one stage. Fuck thats my goddamn guitar fantasy right there! Weir and Lesh closing should be cool. Clapton will be amazing and is easily the most anticipated and talked about guest. In 2007 I had the pleasure of seeing Peter Frampton guest and it was amazing (04/06/07). Despite what you might think Frampton can play and easily kept up with Warren and Derek for Key to the Highway and Born Under A Bad Sign. The next night was a let down though with Bernie Williams, the retired NY yankee guest on guitar and not keeping up at all, and Gov't Mule playing a short set, and also not very well. Williams got more response from the crowd than the Allmans did and it was really sad. Go figure, its mostly a new york audience. Anyway, I love going to the Beacon.

amazing. and amazing that Jim James is on that list.

please whoever you are, stop yelling freebird at shows. You're not funny, its not funny, your not ironic. Just stop, you're not cool. Street Sleeper just come and play Toronto again. thanks.

right. And rambling man was their most jazzy adventure? I think despite Dickey's claims, his jazz influence wasn't as strong as his country and blues ones. What has Dickey done as a solo artist that is even remotely jazz? His jazz input was Liz Reed. Jessica was as much Gregg and Chuck Levell as it was Dickey. Though I agree on Duane and Dickey's shared love of Coltrane and Miles. And his soloing style is certainly jazzy. But the Betts/Woody era wasn't even remotely as close to jazz as the current one is. Derek is a student of jazz more than most other styles, as is Oteil. The same cannot be said of Betts or Woody, though I think listening to Woody you can hear a huge jazz influence. Would the Betts/Woody ABB covered Naima? I don't think so, and in fact, I know they didn't.

As musicians that is arguably true. But Warren, Derek and whoever sits in with the band didn't help create a sound, a genre, or influence several generations, not to mention help produce transcendent albums. Substitutions are all well and good, but they can never replace original soul. On an aside, the second-best ABB line-up was: Dickey Betts, Greg Allman, Butch Trucks, Marc Quinones, Warren Haynes and the irreplaceable Allen Woody. If Woody and Haynes didn't join the fold when they did, the Allman Brothers would have faded into the sunset (as Skynyrd should have done after the plane crash). Agreed, on all counts. That line-up was truly remarkable and easily TIED for second best with the current line up. I love Allan Woody and his work during his tenure easily demonstrated his spot as TIED for 2nd best bassist in the Allmans. I think Oteil brings something to the band that allows them to push and explore musical areas that Dickey would not have wanted them to take, ie in a very noticeably jazz direction. The Allmans now will often tease any number of jazz standards during jams and its the language spoken most often between Derek and Oteil, something not found (nearly as much if at all) during the Betts/Woody era. I agree Dickey helped define and shape that movement, but one of Duane's passions was jazz and Oteil represents a much fuller version of how the Allmans can incorporate the styles and textures of jazz into a blues-based sound. After having seen both versions (90's Allan Woody and 00's Oteil) many times, I would say they are equals in value when it comes to the carrying on the tradition. And I fuckin loved Dickey Betts in the 90's. oh and J.....go and see Dr. Dog. So fuckin worth it.

oh hell yes they are. I love Dicky as much as the next ABB fan, and it SUCKS he is no longer with them, but the lineup they have now is one of the BEST they have had in a 40 year career.

One of their early bands were called the Allman Joys.

I understood what you were saying. Jaimoe - go and see Dr. Dog. So fuckin worth it.

Yawnder. ahahahahahahh so appropriate