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The past few months proved to be scorchers here in the sultry southland as our spirits rose with the temperature and the sticky-sweet promise of some homemade 'jam' kept us grinning in summertime delight. New acts entertained and carried promise, but the southern stage was set for long-awaited reunions with old friends the Allman Brothers, and the chance to dance again with our partners from the road, Widespread Panic.Peachheads were greeted by a new sound from the The Allman Brothers Band with the early summer announcement of two new additions to the group, lead/slide guitarist Jack Pearson and bassist Oteil Burbridge, who joined and performed on the ABB's summer tour. Pearson and Burbridge completed the ABB lineup along with founding members Gregg Allman (vocals, Hammond B-3 organ), Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals), Jaimoe (drums), Butch Trucks (drums), and longtime percussionist Marc Quiñones.
According to the official website, Jack Pearson previously played with the Allman Brothers Band in 1993 when he sat in for an ailing band member. Subsequently, Jack co-wrote (with Gregg Allman) "Sailin' 'Cross The Devil's Sea" for the ABB's 1994 Epic album, Where It All Begins. Having recorded and/or toured with the Gregg Allman Band, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Delbert McClinton, Jack Pearson was an easy choice to fill the lead/slide guitar slot. Oteil Burbridge is a founding member of the Aquarium Rescue Unit, was featured on the cover of Bass Player magazine (July '97), and has been making a name for himself playing and recording on the jam-band scene. He has worked with members of Phish and with T. Lavitz, among many others.
In addition, the band also released it's latest hits CD, Mycology: An Anthology, which also included rare cuts and live recordings. Fans of the old era of southern rock were also treated to another surprise as the old Marshall Tucker Band geared up again and released it's first studio work in over 5 years, Face Down in the Blues. Before starting on the summer tour, the band greeted two new members and bid a fond farewell to Jerry Eubanks as he said goodbye to life on the road. Veteran flute/sax player David Muse filled the void left behind and B.B. Borden signed on as the band's new drummer. The country-rockers from Spartanburg, SC are veterans of both stage and studio - since 1973 the band has produced no less than 24 albums, including 4 gold and 3 platinum, but now bear the face of a new incarnation with few familiar names. The latest chapter in the MTB evolution has found a band emerging more from its bluegrass roots with a lesser tendency to extend its musical range, a trend that has brought the band both criticism and praise.
In other related news from the heartland, ex-Allman rockers Warren Haynes and Co. have brought their band Gov't Mule to the forefront of emerging acts, courting a rapid growth in fan base and recognition. Originally formed in '94 as an experimental threesome, the Mule began to take on a mind of it's own outside the ABB. Vintage riffs and extended jams gave way to a fountain of creativity that needed room to breathe... The three members, Haynes, Allen Woody, and Mike Abts, set out on their own for good in the spring of '97 - the rest is history in the making.
With raucous live performances that keep 'em coming back for more, the band attacks the stage each night with a mixed bag of influence; according to Haynes, "jazz to folk to blues to psychedelia to hard rock, it's all in there." Fresh from a signing with Capricorn Records and touting their 3rd and latest release, Dose, Gov't Mule finalized plans to take the show abroad following the conclusion of the current fall tour. Currently slated for three nights in Japan, the band hopes the trip will expand into a lengthy promotional stay.
But, the summer's musical highlight wasn't found in an album release or a new line-up, but in the awe of the concerts the season produced. Dave Matthews' 2 night stand in NC, the Other Ones in DC, Panic's relentless 'Climb to Safety' in Atlanta, Phish's emotional 'Terrapin Station' in VA Beach - how 'bout it, did you make it? Could you feel it? It was buried there, in the segues and transitions that mimic our own lives, that we came to understand what it is we love about the music... the mastery of improvisation and the spontaneous beauty it creates. Whether it evoked the memory and tears from one lost, or merely caused a spilled beer from all that damn inspirational ass-shakin', the live music that was shared and enjoyed was the summer's true star.
Delivering the southland her greatest dose of that inspiration was none other than her own, Widespread Panic. Jam music's favorite six-pack from Athens, GA, John Bell (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars), Mike Houser (lead electric guitar, vocals), Dave Schools (bass, vocals), Todd Nance (drums), Sunny Oritz (percussionist), and JoJo Hermann (keyboards, vocals), originally planned a more subtle approach to the season, the 22 show 'Travelin' Light Summer Tour'.
Subtle... right.
What began as a 'light'-hearted stroll across the country turned into another searing barrage on the senses - starting as a 'Panic and Friends' concert series, the band's shortened one-set performances (to allow time for fellow performers) grew, first in intensity, then in length. After the first stop in Milwaukee, the tour followed the east coast southward, gained momentum and brought increasing numbers of concert goers. Wasting no time, the first show back in Dixie erupted into an unexpected 2 set jem that only a power-outage could end (honestly). For the remaining 11 shows of the tour, Panic all but abandoned the one-set schedule, delivering 3+ hours of hard-driving rock'n'roll each night.
Tour highlights included:
- 7/18/98 in Raleigh, NC - a gorilla delivered a birthday cake to JoJo during a 'Walkin'' pause, and an old favorite, 'No Sugar' encore.
- 7/23 & 7/24/98 in Pelham, AL - back to back performances at Oak Mountain with special guests Randall Bamlett (Sea Level), Stanton Moore and Theryl deClouet (Galactic).
- 8/1/98 in Atlanta, GA - a showcase of original Panic, including a rousing cover of Jerry Joseph's 'Climb to Safety'.In the classic tradition of their live performances, the tour was again a delightful showcase of the enormous song base and raw talent that have become Widespread's signature over the years. With each night the band took the stage, their chemistry and unique energy proved to fans new and old Widespread Panic has achieved what few bands are capable of... maintaining a delicate balance between mainstream popularity, underground creativity, and critical acclaim.
GM Special thanks to the Spreadnet community, Mule Base, and Laura at Epic.
For anyone interested in contributing to future articles concerning regional news or reviews, please contact Gil at gmclemore@mindspring.com.
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