Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, the Allman Brothers annual extended run at the Beacon Theater is one of New York City’s earliest signs of spring. I attended the second night of this year’s run. It was my first Allman Brothers show, and I went in without any particular expectations – save perhaps a vague, half-formed hope that they mighty play Ramblin’ Man – and came away both enlightened and entertained.
I say enlightened because frankly, I normally just don’t get jam bands. You might, therefore, reasonably be wondering whatever possessed me to attend a performance of the great-granddaddy of all jam bands ever, to which I can only say: I was curious. And it seemed like something I should experience in the name of my own musical education.
So on a chilly Friday night in early March, I ascended to a seat that was practically on the ceiling of the Beacon Theater and settled in for whatever might happen. Here is what I learned: I had seriously underestimated the role of percussion in their music. There were three drummers on stage, and the beats moved between them in slow tides, while also serving as a complex latticework on which the rest of the band hung the guitars and vocals. The main reason I’m not much for jam bands is that most of the time they sound, to me, like a bunch of aimless noodling. This music, on the other hand, was clearly constructed, all of the elements coming together to form a cathedral of sound.
And like most cathedrals, while it was beautiful, it was also the tiniest bit chilly. The Allmans are not much for extended between-song banter with the audience, and I’ll confess I felt a little bit disconnected from the proceedings as a result. That said, it was still a great show, and, while I am still not converted to the Way of the Jam Band, I’m glad I went and saw them at least one time. And as for Ramblin’ Man, it was not forthcoming, though I did find out later that they don’t usually play it live, mainly because it has a fairly tight structure and doesn’t lend itself to expansion and embroidery.
Here are a few more pictures from the evening:
Guest guitarist Jimmy Vivino, of Conan O’Brien’s Basic Cable Band
