While the economics of touring with a 12-person band plus the crew that comes with that is baffling in today’s age, we should all be grateful that the Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) has seemingly found a way to make it work. Considering that their last studio release – 2022’s I Am The Moon – was a quadruple album, they hardly need a fresh album as a reason to tour. After all, many fans chase TTB like they do jam bands with their ever-changing setlists, cover songs, musical guests, and multi-night runs. Such was the case when TTB returned to Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, May 22nd for the first time in several years to kick off their tour with a two-night run at the Keller Auditorium.
Backed by glowing chandeliers that moved up and down throughout the show and brought to mind the stage setup for The Band’s Last Waltz concert, the members of TTB filled their respective spots and jumped right into the energetic soul tune “Playing With My Emotion.” This first song was played close to the studio version but did feature an early slide guitar bustout from Derek Trucks just before the band steered their way into the swinging, Stevie Wonder-esque soul of “Ain’t That Something.” Even with weirdly cavernous sound that could’ve been chalked up to it being the first night of tour or perhaps the venue, the band looked comfortable as they eased into their expansive sound that feels like it’s constantly in motion. This allowed Tedeschi and Trucks to trade licks throughout the night on guitar while other members could step into the spotlight without the band ever losing a groove. Kebbi Williams soared with his incendiary saxophone soloing on “Part of Me,” while vocalist Mike Mattison had an early chance to shine on the slowburning blues-soul tune “Life Is Crazy” that saw him layering in a touch of show tune flair. “Made Up Mind” was a standout of set one with its driving ZZ Top-style blues-rock that found Trucks engaging in clever guitar interplay with his background vocalists. His solo during “Idle Wind” was also a highlight with its mind-bending yet graceful approach that paved the way for a dueling drum solo. The crowd couldn’t help but shout out during the quiet, teasing drum build before Trucks and the band jumped back in to close out the set in a monstrously beautiful conclusion.
Set two opened on a light note as Tedeschi ditched her guitar to focus on crooning and leading the band through a take on Van Morrison’s “Caravan” that had the crowd singing and dancing along. “Anyhow” was a proper vehicle to showcase the real power of this large band that was highlighted by Tedeschi laying into a sharp solo. “Fall In” took on a quieter tone before Trucks erupted into slide guitar bliss. Tedeschi and keyboard Gabe Dixon shared one of the prettiest vocal moments of the night with their duet on “I Am The Moon,” which turned into an epic full band crescendo and Trucks firing off a blistering solo to take it on home. B.B. King drummer Tony Coleman stepped into the hot seat to join the band for a cover of the blues legend’s “You Don’t Know.” Tedeschi offered a flawless take on the blues as she sang her heart out and swapped vicious solos with Trucks. Things only continued to heat up with “Do I Look Worried,” a complete smoker that featured the full band fueling Trucks’ momentum as he wandered into jazzy deep space with one of the most compelling solos of the night only to have Kebbi Williams climb on the drum riser and blast off a dizzying bebop sax solo. If set one was defined by the band finding their groove and locking in as a unit, set two was all about loosening up and venturing into bigger jams and experimental territory.
There are quite a few neo-soul outfits out there these days and no shortage of funk acts, but you would be hard-pressed to find many acts that are the full package. What makes each TTB show so special is the way they can channel and often cover such an array of classic blues, rock, and soul music while still making it their own. Onstage in Portland, they did exactly this over the course of two sets stretching nearly three hours. Each of the twelve band members was fully utilized and given moments to shine, forming a massive sound that could only be manifested by musicians of vast talent.
