ALLMAN BETTS BAND CREATE THEIR OWN LEGACY
By HANNAH STEELE – To be considered a rock and roll legend, one must create iconic music that can be enjoyed for generations after their time. The Allman Brothers Band, while leaving behind timeless Southern rock ballads that defined the genre, also left behind future luminaries from their own blood.
After touring separately as The Devon Allman Project and solo as Duane Betts, the two sons of founding Allman Brothers members Greg Allman and Dickey Betts came together to form the Allman Betts Band in 2018 after being friends for over 30 years. The fledgling group also features Berry Duane Oakley, son of the late Allman Brothers’ bassist bearing the same name, percussionist R Scott Bryan of Sheryl Crow, keyboardist John Ginty of the Dixie Chicks, slide guitarist Johnny Stachela, and drummer John Lum.
While benefiting immensely from their namesake, the band’s acclaim can’t only be credited to their predecessors. The group has reimagined Southern rock on their debut album, Down to the River, with breakout songs like “All Night” and “Shinin’” that have been met with enthusiasm from loyal Allman Brothers fans and Heartland aficionados alike.
On November 6, the band came to the Metropolitan Theatre in Morgantown, West Virginia as they wound down their Down to the River tour. After seeing the band in their early stages of touring in June in State College, Pennsylvania, I can confirm that their energy levels were just as dynamic.
I could immediately tell that the majority of the audience were true-blue Allman Brother fans, with only a handful being young Southern rock buffs like myself. This surprised me, considering the concert was located at the heart of West Virginia University. The venue was small and private, and there wasn’t a bad seat in the house.
Jackson Stokes
The concert opened with a young and dashing Jackson Stokes, Allman’s old neighbor who is also the first to sign to his recently launched record label, “Create Records.” Stokes played upbeat groovy Roots rock, with funky tunes like “Time is Now” that showcased a new way of playing traditional Southern music. “Can’t Get You Out,” a lighthearted love song, flaunted his youthful charisma and had the attention of the ladies in the audience. His messy brown hair and bright cherry Fender strat only enhanced his charming appeal. He expressed that his newest song “Take Me Home” draws parallels with the well known “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” and after hearing the slow and sweet acoustic melody, I couldn’t agree more. I highly recommend checking him out for a modern take on folksy-blues music.
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Following Stokes was the powerful Joanne Shaw Taylor. After stepping on stage, it was immediately apparent that she is a strong female in rock and roll. Her pure Southern rock songs were well-received by the audience, and unleashed everyone’s inner feminist. The heavy “Let it Burn” showcased her deep and raspy southern drawl, and her soulful electric guitar skills, as she exploded into a heartbroken rage during her solo. “Best Thing” had everyone in the crowd lost in the upbeat Southern funk. She ended with the sultry “Going Home,” which featured a poppy upbeat guitar mixed with a twangy bass riff.
Allman Betts Band
The Allman Betts ensemble took to the darkened stage with soft acoustic instrumental “Little Martha” by The Allman Brothers playing in the background. This tune would always be the concluding song in the brothers’ concert setlists, which felt like a tip of the hat to the diehard fans in the audience and an emphasis that the Allman legend isn’t over yet.
When the stage brightened, Allman, Betts, Oakley, and Stachela took to the front, flanked by Bryan, Ginty, and Lum. They began the set with Allman singing “All Night,” the first song on Down to the River. Allman’s sturdy, deep vocals paired with Stachela’s soulful slide guitar in the melancholic bridge lead to a very dynamic performance that seemed like a good fit for the opening song.
Betts looked like a spitting image of his father, cold and stoic, as he took the spotlight for the bands buoyant hit “Shinin’,” followed by my personal favorite Allman Betts song, “Autumn Breeze.” The reflective tune about life on the road features a classic blues guitar sound so similar to Dickey Betts’ playing that it could have been on an Allman Brothers record. Betts’ aloof demeanor is overshadowed by his wicked skills as the lead guitarist.
The band played many tributes to honor the Allman Brothers’ legend and those that have paved the way for their success. Songs like “Ain’t Wastin Time No More” and “Blue Sky” sounded hauntingly familiar to past Allman Brothers performances. They never attempted to make any of the Allman Brother songs something they weren’t, and kept them classic and by the book. These songs were very well received by the audience, and had most people jamming and dancing.
The band’s chemistry and cohesiveness was showcased during their performance of the most iconic instrumental in history, “Jessica,” by the Allman Brothers. The zestful group allowed each member to take the spotlight during this rendition, with a screaming guitar solo from Betts, a piano explosion from Ginty, and an upbeat bass riff from Oakley holding the song together.
Allman Betts decided to pay homage to another lost legend with their interpretation of an unlikely Southern rock ballad, “Purple Rain.” This was received very well by the listeners, and Allman encouraged participation from the audience. The rendition featured a powerful melancholic jam from Stachela that faded off into an exploding, bell-like solo.
My favorite performance of the night was the bands’ rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street.” Berry took the lead on vocals for the only song of the night, while still creating a groovy jam with the bass. This very funky rendering gave rise to smiles all throughout the band, and was very crowd pleasing.
Allman’s shining moment during the set was the performance of his personal song, “Midnight Lake Michigan,” which is based off the Clapton soundtrack to the movie, Rush. Before the song, Allman expressed that the band tours for only one purpose, “peace and love.” The tune featured a sultry, mysterious sound with sudden cries of wild abandonment from Allman’s guitar. Oakley showcased his skills with a dark bass solo and a humble bow.
The encore of the show was illuminated by “Long Gone,” the first song that Allman and Betts wrote together which featured a slide guitar solo from Stachela, and Allman singing of heartbreak. Allman’s haunting acoustic finish and desire to “…get back home” rang in the air.
The live energy and electric chemistry of the Allman Betts Band make the show well worth the ticket price.
~Hannah Steele~
Allman Betts Band Setlist:
All Night
Shinin’
Autumn Breeze
Ain’t Wastin’ Time
Blue Sky
Good Ol’ Days
Purple Rain
Melodies Are Memories
Shakedown Street
Jessica
Midnight Lake Michigan
Down To The River
Encore
Long Gone
[All photos by Hannah Steele]
