Tag Archives: Walnut Creek

00s, Live Music

Allman Brothers Band | Raleigh, NC | 11-Aug-07

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This will be the first of many Allman Brothers Band (ABB) concert reviews as I’ve seen the band many times. By looking at my stubs it’s at least 13 times. Most of the shows were at this venue, Walnut Creek Pavilion. The Allman Brothers Band held the distinction of playing the venue every year for the first 19 years. The only reason the streak stopped was due to Gregg Allman overcoming hepatitis and getting healthy enough to tour again.

I have to admit that I’ve seen other bands more times in clubs. This is the most concerts for an artist of their stature, being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for instance. I was a latecomer to seeing the Allman Brothers Band as I was not a big fan until after college and moved to DC. A big reason that I became interested was Warren Haynes. I really like Gov’t Mule when they first came out and wanted to see Warren play with ABB.

Eat A Peach

What made this show special for me was that I had been listening to Eat A Peach all week long wanting to hear some of the songs. The Brothers did not let me down as they played several  songs off this album and played them early in the set that was very nice after the extended listening all week.

The Drive-By Truckers opened up and had a great opening set. I’ve seen them a few times and need to get into their catalog more. I enjoy their sound and they sounded good.

Drive-By Truckers Setlist Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, NC, USA 2007

Reviewing this setlist makes me happy that I purchased the Instant Live recording of the show. Even though the Allman Brothers Band allows tapers to record the show, few tapers post the files online. It’s still an old school network among ABB tapers. Instant Live and other services allow you to typically buy the show approx 60 minutes after the show. But you can also order the show from their online store which is what I do since you. That way you can see how much you really liked the show before purchasing.

ABB opened up with Les Brers in A Minor, the beuatiful instrumental from Eat a Peach. I immediately knew this was going to be a good show. I love instrumentals and the way this song builds with its melody and weaves jazz, rock and a bit of funk. They followed with Statesboro Blues, a cover song that they’ve come to own in the modern era.

Next was Ain’t Wastin Time No More and it went from good to great! Another beautiful song Gregg Allman wrote after his brother Duane Allman passed. Well I had gotten my wish, ABB opened with 3 great songs off Eat a Peach.

The Allman Brothers Band Setlist Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, NC, USA 2007

The next 2 songs were newer ones released off Hittin the Note.  Then came Stand Back which I had really grown to appreciate the prior week while listening to Eat a Peach. The groovy sound it has really captures the 70s rock sound. Greg’s voice was sounding great, Warren and Derrick Trucks were switching off slide guitar leads like nobody else can and the bass and drums were keeping the uptempo beat.

Southbound was next and this was a great version. ABB had left this off the setlist the past few years after Dickey Betts left the band so it was nice to hear it again. Always like how Warren fills in the backing vocals with that baritone voice. John Neff of Drive-by Truckers sat in for the song and added some extra guitar sound and it kicked ass. The next song was a cover of The Weight by The Band. One of my all time favorite songs and If you can’t have Levon Helm singing this one, Warren does a nice job filling in.

Dreams followed and this is the point in the show where if it ended now you were satisfied. If you’ve never seen Gregg Allman perform this song live it should be on your list to see. Don’t Keep Me Wondering followed and this song has a great ending where it repeats the closing guitar refrain and jams out. The next song is another favorite, Melissa. I’ve heard this song my whole life and it always touches me how beautiful of song it is and it’s another gem from Eat A Peach.

All this set up the massive jam fest that would close out the show. The sequence starts with a Muddy Waters cover, The Same Thing>JaBuMa>Mountain Jam>Smokestack Lightning>Mountain Jam and it was one of the best sequences I’ve ever seen ABB p
lay. JJ Grey of Mofro played harmonica and vocals on Smokestack Lightning. The slow intro of Smokestack with Warrens guitar and JJ’s harmonica was bluesy as could be. It was a nice break up of Mountain Jam as well.

After a short intermission the encore was Revival, another fantastic intstrumental. I had not heard this song many times and was happy to hear it versus some of the other songs they tend to close with like Nobody Left to Run With.

I hope to catch the Allman Brothers Band this year as it’s their final year of playing. Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks will be leaving the band at the end of this year to devote themselves to Gov’t Mule and Derek Trucks band respectively.

There was a good airing of the Allman Brothers Band history on NPR last weekend as well. Here is a review of the new book, One Way Out about the history of the band.

If you get a chance to see the Allman Brothers Band this year and you’ve never seen them, take the opportunity and go. It may be their last tour and they are truly one of the greatest live bands in the history of rock.

Allman Brothers Band, Raleigh, NC Aug 11, 2007

00s, Live Music

Bad Company | Raleigh, NC | 23-Jun-09

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I’ve never been a huge reunion tour patron. The shows can be a huge disappointment if you favorite band comes out and sounds like a poor reflection of their former selves. Or if half the band is replacements and only the drummer is original, then I’m not interested. Such was not the case when Bad Company did a handful of dates in 2009.

I’ve been a fan of this band since I was a kid. Their songs were on the radio and I remember the original album cover, black with white type. Bad Company was an early “supergroup” in that Paul Rodgers formed a new band after Free with Mick Ralphs from Mott the Hoople, Boz Burrell from King Crimson. They hired former Beatles manager and now Led Zeppelin’s manager Peter Grant and were the first band signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swang Song label. So that made them ever cooler when looking at the artwork. They had the same awesome label logo as Zeppelin!

Bad Company

I had never had a chance to see the original Bad Company and thought I never would. After Rodgers left the group in the early 89s and the band reforming with new singers and a more MTV sound, I figured this was another band ruined by the 80s. Paul Rodgers had only once performed with the band during a 30-date US tour in 1999. Minus Burrell who passed away in 2006, this lineup of the original surviving members for a short 11-stop tour was on my bucket list.

Opening Band: The Doobie Brothers

Ticket Price: $41
Purchase Price: : $10

For this show I tried using Craigslist for the first time to buy tickets. I knew the show would not be a sellout, but I wanted to take my wife and kids so I was looking to save on 4 tickets with face value of $41.00 or $120+. I was able to find 2 sets of tickets for $20 each for a total of $40, just $1 shy of the face value!

I packed up the car with a cooler, some food and a few blankets to sit on. We had lawn seats at Walnut Creek Pavillion which I have to admit I prefer from a sound standpoint. I’ve sat in the covered Pavillion seating area and depending on the band it can be too loud or distorted.  Plus the lawn give space to spread out, this kids can dance, run around, or lie down and crash if they want.

Not only that but The Doobie Brothers were the opening band and I had not seen them before either. I told the kids they were seeing two multi-platinum selling artist for approx $5 each but they were not impressed. This Doobie Bros lineup consisted of 3 original members with the recent return of Tom Johnston on and vocals, along with perennial Brother Patrick Simmons and Michael Hossack on drums.

Photo credit: Kristin Collosso, Lights
Photo credit: Kristin Collosso

This was not going to be a Michael McDonald show with Tom Johnston back in the lineup. Instead it was a great selection of their more rocking songs with the harmonies and backing vocals that made them famous before Michael McDonald joined the band.  Opening Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) and Jesus is Just Alright got me up and dancing immediately.

The Doobie Brothers Setlist Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, Raleigh, NC, USA 2009

Tom Johnston sounded great and Patrick Simmons is a rock iron man that ranks up there with the greats on both guitar and vocals. Takin it To the Streets, Black Water and Long Train Runnin’ were spot on to close out the set. The Doobie Bros came out for a nice 3 song encore with China Grove, Without You and Listen to the Music.

Bad Company Setlist Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, Raleigh, NC, USA 2009

Bad Company opened with Can’t Get Enough, the first song from their first album and it sounded great.  The audience was singing along with the band in no time. Then they went into the second song from Bad Company album, Rock Steady, a slow building, driving song. The hits kept coming as there was no new album to promote or new songs to play.

For Seagull, Paul Rodgers had the audience singing along with them.  Other tracks from the debut album during the set were Feel Like Makin’ Love, Shooting Star and Movin’ On. Each song sounded as good as it did when I first listened to them 30+ years ago. Rodgers voice is still strong and he really knows how to engage the audience.

Bad Company, photo by Kristen Collosso givemethelights.com
Photo credit: Kristin Collosso

The set finished and I knew that Bad Company had to be the encore. The single spot centered on the stage as the grand piano rolled out and Rodgers took his seat.  The slow, ominous build up of the song with Rogers vocals are classic rock at its finest.  Matched up with the heavy guitar sound and you have…Bad Company!

To me Paul Rodgers is enjoying smart choices he made not to be a lush like many of his peers. He looks great for his age and his voice is as strong as it ever was. The only song I would have love to have heard was Good Loving Gone Bad because it rocks and Paul Rodgers has the great line, “And baby I’m a bad man!”

Bad Company, Raleigh, NC | June 3, 2009