The Allman Brothers Band: 2014-10-25 Live at Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, October 25, 2014

By the fourth night of their final Beacon Theatre run, the Allman Brothers Band had clearly found another gear. What began earlier in the week as solid, workmanlike performances had sharpened into something more urgent and inspired, and Saturday night delivered one of the strongest shows of the entire farewell series.

Derek Trucks opened the evening on Duane Allman’s 1957 goldtop Les Paul, and the presence of that instrument seemed to unlock something in the band. “Statesboro Blues,” “Woman Across the River,” and “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” all carried extra weight and fire. Gregg Allman sang with conviction, the dual-drum attack of Butch Trucks and Jaimoe (with Marc Quinones) locked in tightly, and Oteil Burbridge’s bass work was consistently inventive and propulsive. The first set closed with a strong “Hot ’Lanta” that left the room primed for what came next.

The second set was the night’s clear peak. “Midnight Rider” and a simmering “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” set the stage, then the band launched into a version of “Jessica” that fans in attendance called one of the finest of the entire run. From roughly the five-minute mark onward, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes simply took off—trading lines with a precision and abandon that drew the kind of sustained roar usually reserved for the very best Beacon nights. The interplay was telepathic; they found an extra gear and stayed there.

Later, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” became the evening’s emotional and musical centerpiece. Midway through, the band slipped into Cream’s “Politician”—a first-time (and almost certainly last-time) performance for the Allman Brothers Band. Jack Bruce had died earlier that day, and the choice felt both spontaneous and perfect. Warren Haynes handled the vocal, and Derek’s solo drew immediate praise as hair-raising. Gregg sat out most of the “Liz Reed” itself (returning near the end of the drum solo), but the rest of the band more than filled the space, turning the piece into a long, exploratory statement that still felt focused and purposeful. One later listener even caught a brief “A Love Supreme (Resolution)” tease in Derek’s playing.

The night closed with a pair of encores: an unexpected “Come On in My Kitchen” followed by a driving “One Way Out.” A double encore was relatively rare in this era, and the choice of “Come On in My Kitchen” landed as a genuine surprise rather than a predictable closer. Throughout the evening, Warren also introduced “Into the Mystic” with a nod to the anniversary of Bill Graham’s death, adding another quiet layer of history to an already resonant night.

Fans who saw multiple shows that week consistently ranked Saturday among the best of the run so far—stronger than the opening nights and fully competitive with the elevated performance on the 24th. The band sounded locked in, purposeful, and fully engaged. With two nights still remaining, including the eventual marathon finale on the 28th, this show served as clear evidence that the Allman Brothers Band was finishing its long Beacon story at a high level. The combination of Duane’s guitars, the spontaneous tribute to Jack Bruce, and the scorching “Jessica”/“Liz Reed” sequence made October 25 a night that stood out even in a week full of them.

Disc 1
1. Don't Keep Me Wonderin' (4:18)
2. Statesboro Blues (4:54)
3. Woman Across The River (8:29)
4. Ain't Wastin' Time No More (7:12)
5. Stormy Monday (8:37)
6. Dusk Till Dawn (9:51)
7. Stand Back (5:59)
8. Hot 'Lanta (5:57)

Disc 2
1. Midnight Rider (3:36)
2. I Walk On Gilded Splinters (6:48)
3. Jessica (14:27)
4. Trouble No More (3:58)

Disc 3
1. Introduction (1:18)
2. Into The Mystic (9:32)
3. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (14:13)
4. Politician (5:12)
5. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed - reprise (0:56)
6. JaMaBuBu (6:42)
7. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed - reprise 2 (2:23)
8. Crowd noise (7:12)
9. Come On In My Kitchen (5:38)
10. One Way Out (6:55)