Why Fifty Times Is Not Enough

Although I am a big fan of these guys, I am not nearly the rabid fan that Scott is. The difference in our fan status has to do with the depth of our involvement. Scott delves deep into the history of the band, which dates back to the late '60s. He immerses himself in the songs and the musicians. He knows all about guitars, and those who play them. He has always been...shall we say...an enthusiastic fan of music! That enthusiasm is contagious, and so to live with him is to "catch the fever," to some extent.

I make this distinction between Scott's and my connection to musical experience in order to explain that I feel less than authoritative when expressing my feelings about music...but only as compared to Scott. Nonetheless, I will forge onward, with the admission that I am no expert on music in general, or the Allman Brothers in particular. What follows is simply one girl's opinion about a band I truly enjoy, and why.

Several elements comprise my appreciation of The Allman Brothers Band. I will address and discuss them one at a time; hopefully in concert (ok, pun kind of intended) they will add up to a satisfying overview of just why this girl thinks these guys rock!

The music. Three words...rock-tinged blues...or blues-tinged rock. From soulful to down and dirty to transcendent...

The selection. That's just it...they have an enormous repertoire at their fingertips (boy, the puns are flyin' today!). They are likely to play some of their classic numbers (Trouble No More, Dreams, Hot 'Lanta, Revival, Don't Want You No More/Not My Cross To Bear, Soulshine, Mountain Jam or One Way Out)...or maybe not. They are equally likely to pull out a slammin' version of...well, just about any other blues song you can think of. Or, maybe they will melt me into a puddle with Van Morrison's Into the Mystic, or Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Long. They do righteous damage to the classics like Layla, Why Does Love Have to Be So Sad?, The Band's The Weight and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. But wait, there's more...The Brothers are still writing and performing new songs like Desdemona, Worried Down With The Blues and Instrumental Illness. So you can literally see three shows in a row and hear (maybe) one song repeated. Every show is completely different...it must be a blast making up the set list, Warren!

The instrumentation. These guys are top-notch, veteran musicians. Several members of the current incarnation of the band are original members including, of course, Gregg Allman (providing vocals, keyboards and, if we are privileged, guitar) and Butch Trucks and Jaimoe on dual drums. Marc Quinones has been on percussion and Oteil Burbridge on bass for well over a decade. The stellar guitar players are hardly newcomers either...Warren Haynes (who had a previous 8 year stint with the band) returned in 2001 and Derek Trucks has been a Brother since 1998. Now this is where I will falter in my explanation... I don't have the terminology to describe in any technical terms why or how they are good...We have entered the pure opinion zone. They simply make the most beautiful music! You can just tell that they are putting their whole being into every note...the passion for their instruments and for the music is written all over the performance. The guitars sing the gamut of emotion, the drums take you for a train ride and the bass beats the heart and soul of the experience.

The improvisation. You may have heard them play a song before, but you have never heard them play it exactly like what you are hearing at this moment. It is the most amazing thing to witness the spontaneous creation of music before your very eyes and ears. Because they've been playing together for so long, they are tight…and so comfortable being swept up in their Brothers' magic. I believe that it doesn't matter if we are here at all...these guys would be having this party with or without us! Thankfully, we were invited! The Brothers allow the music muse to carry them into jams (which frequently last 15-20 minutes!) that can send chills up your spine or lull you into a blissful state of semi-consciousness.

The endurance. As I've mentioned, these guys have been at this music gig for decades. Who among us hasn't felt burned out, or at least uninspired after a few years doing the same thing? Yet somehow these guys make each performance a spirit-stirring spectacle. A typical concert can last 2 1/2 to 3 hours...they take their mission to make music - and lots of it - very seriously! It is nothing short of inspirational to me that they can still bring such passion and life to the stage after so many years.

Every concert I attend serves as reassurance to me that, indeed, there can continue to be growth and excitement all throughout a career - and hopefully throughout life. Thank you, Brothers, for such inspiration!

Pictured here is our memorialization of our 2002 pilgrimage to see the band at the Beacon Theater.

Now do you understand why fifty concerts are not nearly enough?

Here's your chance to fall in love with The Allman Brothers Band...

Check out this clip from one of their Beacon Theater performances.