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A Phishy Night For The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band took things to the next level tonight both by themselves and with special guests keyboardist Page McConnell and axemen Buddy Guy and Trey Anastasio at the third show of their 40th Anniversary run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. ABB guitarists Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes both were up to the task of dueling with their extremely talented guests and the crowd ate up every moment of it.

[Moogis Screenshots]

I’ve been following the run on Moogis so far and tonight was the first show of the run I caught in person. Boy, did I pick the right night to show up at the Beacon. It was clear the Trey and Page rumors I’ve been hearing for weeks were about to come true when I entered the newly renovated theater to see Anastasio’s wooden cabinet set up next to bassist Oteil Burbridge’s rig. As amazing as the Phish member’s sit-ins were, this show would still be my favorite ABB show I’ve seen without a sniff of our boys.

This third show started the same way the first show of the run started off on Monday; Derek and Warren nailed Duane Allman’s beautiful instrumental – Little Martha. The rest of the band shuffled out afterwards and ran through a number of their more bluesy numbers before welcoming Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy to the stage for a nasty cover of Elmore James’ The Sky Is Crying. Trucks was beaming as he dueled with Guy – one of his influences – through a number of call and response segments.

READ ON for the rest of Scotty’s ABB at the Beacon review…

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DVD Preview: Ashes of American Flags

In the opening of the new Wilco DVD Ashes of American Flags, Jeff Tweedy, donning a cowboy hat in a Neil Young sort of way, leads his band through the title track during a soundcheck at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa.

As the camera narrows in on Tweedy’s eyes, he stares out into an empty room looking more anxious than his status on the music scene would suggest. Although he is as established as any singer/songwriter of his generation, Tweedy still seems to have the eye of the tiger each night on stage and performs as if he’s still proving he’s worthy of a next gig.

In the span of that opening song, a tone of intimacy, both musically and visually, is set and lasts the duration of the film, the first-ever Wilco concert DVD. It’s hard to believe that a band as successful in the digital age as Wilco has waited so long to release a live DVD but it was well worth the wait.

READ ON for more of Luke’s thoughts on Ashes of American Flags…

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Review: Vic Chesnutt & Elf Power

Saturday night I went and saw Vic Chesnutt & Elf Power at the Middle East upstairs in Cambridge. I’ve got a friend who I now call “Indie Dan” that is constantly throwing new bands my direction. After the fourth time he bugged me about going to this show I gave a listen to the 2008 release Dark Developments from this combo and decided to go. Good thing I bought my ticket in advance because these Athens, Georgia indie dudes sold it out day-of-show. In fact the hand-written piece of paper read, “TONIGHT’S SHOW IS SOLD OUT FOR REAL”.

Chesnutt, from his wheelchair which he is bound to after a car accident, had an abrasive but playful interaction with the crowd all night as he explained the meanings behind some of his songs and humorously turned down song requests. Especially comical was his explanation that a song titled Teddy Bear was in his words “About fucking…”. No, it wasn’t about fucking a teddy bear. Three songs into his set, Chesnutt confirmed what I had thought was going on: That they were playing Dark Developments in its entirety. Chesnutt’s low and somewhat raspy voice sounded as good live as it does in the studio.

Here’s some video from a show last year at the Santa Fe Brewing Company:

READ ON for more of DaveO’s review of Vic Chesnutt & Elf Power…

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Black Keys – Live At The Crystal Ballroom

Oh, is this one good. Let me state it outright: if you’ve ever had anything like a casual enjoyment or curiosity about the Black Keys – let alone a full on, one-of-the-best-bands-of-the-last-decade jones for ’em – Black Keys Live at the Crystal Ballroom, recorded at an April Keys show, is a definite pickup.

But it’s not quite “fun” – it’s great, but not Black Keys great. And the boys have earned the right to be evaluated on a relative scale. Maybe director Lance Bangs’ crispy rendered, no-bullshit attack could have used, for once, a little bit more director involvement – a little something (though something that is not the same as “a little more bullshit”). I found myself wanting to step in to the frame as a viewer and get to something I couldn’t reach; I never moved beyond the feeling that I was merely watching a framed concert of a band I enjoy. I never felt sucked in.

READ ON for the rest of Chad’s review of Black Keys’ DVD…

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Brindley Brothers: Playing With The Light

The Brindley Brothers are an alt-pop-rock band from the D.C. area, featuring guitarist-singer/songwriter Luke Brindley, who has been on the scene for some time, and his brother Daniel on keys and backing vocals.

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