Customer Reviews

Live at American University

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Stick with 'The Fillmore Concerts'. This from the vaults release is interesting but hardly a must-have. It's raw, gritty and sloppy in places and Gregg's vocals are way too loud. But Duane is on it and that's always reason to listen. The venue is odd and the mix even odder as explained in the liner notes. 7.5 IPS STEREO MASTER, yikes! One half soundboard the other half ambience mike, sheesh. It sounds exactly what is was: the band recorded in a gymnasium. Of course the disc has been 'normalised' and the high end is sorely lacking and the vocals may blow you out of the room they are so loud. The digital restoration must have been a nightmare. The songs are good choices but sound like practice runs for the Fillmore shows, some guitar solos sound distant thanks to the mix. I suppose the hard-core fan will want this but for serious fans, they may want to pass. 7 tracks/60.26.

I agree completely with the prior reviewer's comments regarding the sonics and Greg's too-loud vocals. Is this an essential early ABB live release? No way. Are there better concert releases available? Definitely.

That said, I'm still glad I picked this one up and here's why: the boys seem to be having a lot of fun, very relaxed and casual. Duane's guitar was rocking that night, the interplay between the guitars and organ on "Stormy Monday" is a stand-out, and it's a just plain very enjoyable listen, despite the nits about the sound quality. I put this one on recently as I drove out on I-95 at sunset and enjoyed every second of it, even the 25 minute warhorse "Whipping Post." And that's saying a lot for that last one.

1st, The Allman Brothers at Fillmore East release is probably the greatest rock live release ever so it is not to be compared against. That cd is extraordinary. It was great back in 1971 and is still great today. The sound quality of American University is good. But, the sound quality should not detract from what is going on with the music. We are able to listen to the Allman Brothers with Duane Allman.

We are lucky to have a release like this with Duane Allman. I hope we get more from the Bros.

I am listening to the cd for the 3rd time and let me tell you, it is the Allman Brothers. Don't Keep Me Wondering. Trouble no More. It is all there. Greg might be a little loud but he sounds great. Duane is screamin along with Dickey. The drums are banging and the blues a playin. Get this cd if you like the Allman Brothers.

With this album, we have all the makings of an arc that tracks the Allman Brothers Band monumental THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AT FILLMORE EAST. Beginning with LIVE AT LUDLOW GARAGE through LIVE AT THE ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL and now AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 12/13/70 the listener can see a steady development in the band's chops and abilities that lead up to FILLMORE. Naturally, the Allman Brothers didn't just spring out of Flannery O'Connor's head whole and complete; but to many in the rock community that's how it appeared as FILLMORE landed on their turntables.

Most of us have little interest in how such and such band or song came to be. That understood this album provides another chances (excuse?) to listen to Duane Allman in his element once more. Reading the liner notes, a little bit of modern electronic wizardry was necessary to bring this album up to a presentable form. In that regard, the sound quality is surprisingly good considering the age of the original sources. On the down side, due to running out of recording tape on the reel, "Stormy Monday" is here in a much abbreviated form in which we miss out on Allman's guitar soloing on the balance of the song. now AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 12/13/70 is also shorter than previous offerings of early Allman Brothers live recordings.

Still the intensity and liveliness makes this a compelling document of a band we really only got to know briefly before Duane Allman's death. This is no substitute for THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AT FILLMORE EAST or EAT A PEACH. But for most of who love this band it is like finding a love letter from long ago you didn't even know you got.

This is a great concert and the recording is actually very good sounding for a board tape. BTW, if you don't have the Deluxe Eat a Peach, get it. The second disk is the final night of the Fillmore closing concert and is just incredible.

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

As so often happens, before a review is written about the music a warning label must be in place about the sound quality for those that would let history pass by because of a vocal mix or the sometime docile sound of a guitar. Endless treasures from the vaults are missing from musical snobs collections because the recording didn't have the luxury of $123,678,190 digital equipment.

"American University 12/13/70" should be a welcome addition to any fan of the Duane period. How many times have we begged for more products with his name? The record company finds a terrific gig from Washington, D.C. and all we need to say is "Thank you."

When the opening notes of "Statesboro Blues" hit or the classic riff of "Trouble No More" sends shivers down your spine you will circumvent any worry if sound quality can deter your enjoyment. "Don't Keep Me Wonderin" is pure rock and roll up close and personal. "Leave My Blues At Home" is Allman magic. The line-up with Duane and Dickie could hold our attention for a marathon or floor us with explosive blues in under seven minutes. "Stormy Monday" could play on forever. Gregg's voice has made this one of the definitive covers of the T-Bone Walker tune.

The gold metal winner on this disc may be the sixteen minutes of "You Don't Love Me." The tastefully constructed representation of the William Cobbs tune needs several listenings to totally encompass the nuances. Most bands extend a song and you head for the first soft drink vendor in sight. The Allman's improvise and we are glued to the speakers.

If the disc had to end the choice of over twenty minutes of "Whipping Post" will satisfy your hunger for more Duane and Dickie magical interplay.

Duane was not on this earth long enough for us to be anything but grateful for any sound coming from his six string.


Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

Will this CD replace one of the greatest live albums ever recorded? That album entitled: "Live At The Fillmore East" set the standard for rock and blues bands forever. No, this won't knock that monster off it's summit, but it adds more wealth in hearing more live Allman Brothers Band, from one of the group's peak years.

Sound quality on this is very, very good, almost amazing for the standards of live tapes from 1970. I have no complaints about the audio, this is really in fine shape. Performance? In a word...GREAT! The Allman's no doubt performed a few hundred shows in 1970, and by this December performance, they were more than on top of their game. The slide guitar of brother Duane, soars over the top of Berry Oakley's solid and firm basslines. The two drummmers are locked-in as one mighty power that drives this eighteen wheeler. Dickey and Gregg, add some really nice things into the mix as well. To say that in a live setting, The Allman Brothers were tight, would be a major understatement.

The normal set is presented here with fantastic versions of: "Statesboro Blues", "You Don't Love Me" & "Whippin' Post" that go that extra mile and a half. "Stormy Monday" is a bit shorter than the "Fillmore" version, Duane's solo is goin' there, he's really on top of it here, and then there is a quick fade-out {flip of the reel-to-reel?} AAARRGGGHHH !!! I would so love to hear the rest of this, to see where it goes, but alas. Long, played-out renditions of: "You Don't Love Me" & "Whippin' Post." are the closing numbers to this disc.

I am mighty interested to hear just what exactly happens after the tape fade on: "Stormy Monday." How many songs from this night, are we missing? Well, it will take a: "Deluxe Edition" to answer that question, and we'll need a ton of luck to get a chance to listen to that one!

The 60 minutes of music, that you do get here on this CD, is mighty fine. This is more than worth a listen. The Allman Brothers Band, was playing fantastic music every night in 1970/71...and they still do!
Four Stars!!!

This live album is one of the Allman Brothers earliest live recordings and it helped to establish the band as one of the premiere live acts of its time. This album was recorded in a very small venue known as Leonard Gym, located on the campus of American University. The gym seated only about 1,000 people, making it a very intimate place to record a live album.

This album is a testament to the rock and roll/blues music that characterized the early Allman Brothers music and that still comprises a large percentage of the band's material today. Every song on this live album is blues centered with Duane Allman and Dickey Betts sharing the lead guitar spotlight, assaulting their respective guitars with powerful blues jams. Gregg Allman supplies the vocals, Berry Oakley the Bass, and Butch Trucks shares some time with Jaimoe on drums and percussion. The music on this album stays basic but powerful, with one extended blues guitar lick after another.

Because of the small size of the venue where this album was recorded, the crowd seems unusually subdued and I was surprised at how relatively quiet the fans are during this live set. Some simple applause is about all you can hear and once the Allman Brothers start to play, there is no background noise at all from the crowd. And, in characteristic fashion, the band members say very little between songs. Gregg Allman thanks the crowd a few times and mentions the titles of a few songs. But he doesn't say much else, instead preferring to sing songs and play music with his band- exactly what the people at the show paid for in the first place.

There are only seven songs on this CD but don't let the number of tracks fool you. There is a large amount of music on this album thanks to the long, extended versions of You Don't Love Me and Whippin' Post. These two songs combined contribute more than half an hour of music to the album and you start to wonder if they will ever end. The version of Whippin' Post is one of the longest I have ever heard. At one point (about halfway through) it fools the listener into thinking it is going to end. It slows down greatly, with a sound that is dark and that reminds me of a soundtrack to a thriller movie. Then, slowly but surely, it regains momentum with Gregg Allman belting out one more verse.

Overall, Live at American University Washington D.C. is a very good live album from these veterans of rock and it is one that all fans of the band should add to their collection. It is 100 percent rock/blues with some long, extended guitar jams from Duane Allman and Dickey Betts that will keep fans yelling for more. The crowd is subdued and some of the songs are so long they seem like they will go on for eternity. But fans of the Allman Brothers will enjoy this album regardless and it ranks as another solid live effort from these pioneers of southern rock.

This is one of my favorite albums. This is the young Allman Brothers before they were a mega hit. I won't go on and on about it, but it shows the song writing talents and musicality that made them the best. They were young, had drive, personality and it was all about the music. This album rocks.

If you're an Allman Brothers Band fan (and you certainly should be), you'll rightly welcome any new release from the original ABB, regardless of sound quality, song selection and/or other variables. It's quite possible that this sextet never gave a bad performance; and if it did, it sure hasn't hit the shelves yet.
Anyway, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY gives us one more precious hour with Duane, Gregg, Dickey and the rhythm section from three months before AT FILLMORE EAST, and as you might expect the Brothers keep things cooking with their usual brilliance. Sure, it's the standard vintage ABB set for the most part - though "Leave My Blues at Home" is a happy surprise and one of this disc's true highlights, with some amazing work by Duane (Is that redundant?) - but any Allmans nut knows that's the whole point. The Brothers' ability to twist "Whipping Post," "You Don't Love Me," "Statesboro Blues" and all their other warhorses into bigger, bolder and more fantastic structures night after night invariably makes for more than worthwhile listening, and reminds us of the enduring power and beauty of great musicianship in an era when such concepts have largely gone the way of the dinosaurs - who also had enduring power and beauty, now that I think of it.
AT FILLMORE EAST and EAT A PEACH (along with the recently-released SUNY AT STONY BROOK 9/19/71, available from hittinthenote.com) still represent the pinnacle of the ABB's recorded accomplishments; but you can't go wrong with an early Allmans show (even one that fades out in the middle of Duane's solo on "Stormy Monday"), and so it is without any reluctance that I recommend AMERICAN UNIVERSITY to all those who've already purchased the essentials. Lord, what a band this was!