Allman Brothers Band – Alltel Pavilion At Walnut Creek Raleigh, NC 8/10/03 3-CD used

Instant Live

3-fold digipak and CDs in fine condition

The Allman Brothers @ Walnut Creek is an amazing example of seven guys who play like the devil were around the corner, coming to collect his due.

The band, consisting of: Gregg Allman, organ, piano, & vocals,

Jaimoe: drums, Butch Trucks: drums, Warren Haynes: guitar, & vocals, Marc Quinones: percussion, Oteil Burbridge: bass, & Derek Trucks: guitar, sound as if they all are possessed. A possession by the grand spirit of great music.

The album is recorded straight from the soundboard, and the sound quality is excellent. You hear Warren Haynes' guitar on the right channel, and Derek Trucks' guitar on the left channel, which really gives you the impression of being there. (Especially with a good sound system.)

Now as to the show itself:

The show opens on a pretty bluesy note with "Don't Keep Me Wonderin'", then heads straight into "Done Somebody Wrong." A pretty basic and straight-forward "Come & Go Blues," Then a bold "Woman Across The River" with Warren on vocals. "Gambler's Roll" is better than the studio version on "Seven Turns", and then the god's feel the passion with Gregg & Warren alternating vocals, and Warren & Derek alternating incredible guitar solo's on "Soulshine." "Who's Been Talking" is an incredible slow blues with Warren on vocals, if this song doesn't make you get up and move, you unfortunately are in the same shape as the late , great, Superman. Following this is an awesome version of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" with Derek Trucks' wife: Susan Tedeschi on vocals. This woman can sing, and the master wordsmith would be proud. "Old Before My Time" kind of gives you that Ray Charles (in his country days) vibe, with a soulful vocal by Gregg. "Wasted Words" opens with a groovy,funky, bass line by Oteil and just never let's up from there. After this the best only get's better. Clocking in at 40 minutes, "Instrumental Illness" is a masterpiece. It features Jaimoe, Butch, and Marc on one of the best percussion peices I've ever heard. This is not a "drum solo", this is a "drum orchestra." It's reminiscent of the percussion peices you hear in some of the South African tribal peices that make your hair stand on end. "Instrumental .."

also features the incredible Karl Denson on saxophone. This guy is absolutely one of the greatest jazz sax players out there, with a great ear for "fusion."

It's hard to follow that masterpiece, but the show doesn't let up there. Van Morrison's "Into The Mystic" get's a superb vocal rendering by Warren. Then they pull out all the stops. "Dreams" and "Whipping Post" feature Branford Marsalis on saxophone. The sax brings a jazzy influence to two (already) incredible songs. These two renderings,also featuring the dual guitars of Warren and Derek,are the definition of a musically religious experience.

The show's encore is "One Way Out." The only thing this song does negatively is make you sad that this incredible show has reached it's finale.

This was the final show of last year's tour. The Allman Brothers Band play as if it were 1971 again on this night. Is Dickey Betts missed? Yes and no, yes because every Allman Brothers fan loved the musical expertise that he brought to the stage. No, because unbelievably, the musical "spirit" never left the stage.

So that said, enjoy this show. Kick back, have a cocktail, and a smoke, and relive the music that makes the god's themselves break a smile, and tap their feet.