The Allman Brothers Band: 2014-10-28 Live at Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, October 28, 2014

The final night arrived as something larger than a concert. After more than 230 sold-out Beacon Theatre appearances since 1989 and a 45-year career that began in Jacksonville in 1969, the Allman Brothers Band took the stage a little before 9 p.m. and played until roughly 1:30 a.m., delivering three full sets and an encore that stretched past midnight into October 29—the 43rd anniversary of Duane Allman’s death. Contemporary accounts described it as their finest, most intense performance in decades.

The band opened with a delicate reading of Duane’s “Little Martha” by Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks, sliding directly into “Mountain Jam.” From there the first set moved through “Don’t Want You No More,” “It’s Not My Cross to Bear,” “One Way Out,” “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl,” “Midnight Rider,” “The High Cost of Low Living,” “Hot ’Lanta,” “Blue Sky,” and a long “You Don’t Love Me.” Derek played Duane’s goldtop Les Paul on several of these. The energy was already high; Gregg Allman was fully present and singing with power and passion, and the front line of Haynes, Trucks, and Oteil Burbridge locked in tightly from the start.

The second set continued the focus on foundational material: “Statesboro Blues,” “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” a “Black Hearted Woman” that opened into a Grateful Dead “Other One” jam, “The Sky Is Crying,” “Dreams,” “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’,” and an extended “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” that included the JaMaBuBu drum/percussion section. Reviews noted the guitar tandem of Haynes and Trucks delivering raga-tinged and modal lines that carried the weight of both Duane and Dickey Betts, while Oteil’s bass work stood out prominently and Marc Quinones’ percussion added extra lift.

The third set began after midnight with “Melissa” (played at Duane’s funeral), followed by “Revival,” “Southbound,” and a return to “Mountain Jam” that dissolved into “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” before a final reprise. The material kept the emphasis on songs Duane had played on, plus the pieces most closely tied to his memory. The show closed with an energetic “Whipping Post,” after which the seven members lined up center stage and took a bow—the first time many longtime Beacon attendees had seen them do so. Gregg then spoke briefly, recalling the band’s first jam on March 26, 1969, and noting that he never imagined it would come to this. They finished with “Trouble No More,” the first song the original six members ever played together.

Butch Trucks played with the fire of a man decades younger. Gregg remained fully engaged all night. Haynes, Trucks, and Burbridge stayed locked in, and the entire band started strong and kept raising the level. No guests appeared; the focus stayed on the core seven-piece lineup and the classic repertoire. Outside afterward, old friends hugged and tears were shed as fans chanted the names of the musicians.

Contemporary coverage called it one of the best Allman Brothers shows many had ever seen—and, in at least one case, one of the best shows by anyone, anywhere. The three-set length, the precision and ferocity, the Duane-centered material, and the rare onstage acknowledgment combined to give the night the weight of a true farewell.

Disc 1

1. Little Martha (0:51)
2. Mountain Jam (4:01)
3. Don't Want You No More (2:35)
4. It's Not My Cross To Bear (5:04)
5. One Way Out (6:25)
6. Good Morning Little School Girl (10:54)
7. Midnight Rider (3:35)
8. The High Cost Of Low Living (8:40)
9. Hot 'Lanta (5:38)
10. Blue Sky (9:55)
11. You Don't Love Me (13:30)

Disc 2

1. Statesboro Blues (4:52)
2. Ain't Wastin' Time No More (7:43)
3. Black Hearted Woman (13:08)
4. The Sky Is Crying (9:10)
5. Dreams (11:41)

Disc 3

1. Don't Keep Me Wonderin' (4:16)
2. Stage banter 1 (0:18)
3. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (15:28)
4. JaMaBuBu (10:27)
5. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed - reprise (2:34)

Disc 4

1. Melissa (5:39)
2. Revival (4:18)
3. Stage banter 2 (0:13)
4. Southbound (5:20)
5. Mountain Jam - reprise (8:06)
6. Will The Circle Be Unbroken? (10:51)
7. Mountain Jam - reprise 2 (3:07)
8. Crowd noise 1 (4:10)
9. Whipping Post (14:30)
10. Crowd noise 2 (1:48)
11. Farewell (3:32)
12. Trouble No More (4:29)