Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a surprise!, February 24, 2001
In 1989, the Allman Brothers reformed for the fourth or fifth time, this time adding Warren Haynes on guitar and Allen Woody on bass. They recorded two studio albums, Seven Turns and Shades of Two Worlds. Shades of Two Worlds was their best studio album since Brothers and Sisters. For some reason, it is no longer available. After Shades of Two Worlds, the Allman Brothers went on tour in 1991. This CD comes from three shows. When I saw the CD, I didn't have much hopes for it. I thought it would be another live show from a dinosaur band milking the old hits and playing some inferior new songs. But, this is a complete surprise. The old songs are played in new and exciting ways. Blue Skies and Melissa have great guitar duets. Southbound is played in a funky manner. The instrumental part of Dreams builds to a searing conclusion. The new songs are great. End of the Line is a 15 minute tour de force. The CD ends on a low spot. Revival is good, but it has been played better. Note that this CD is subtitled "First Set". The Allman Brothers later released another CD called "2nd Set". But that is misleading, because these two CD's were taken from two different time periods. "First Set" is from 1991, while "2nd Set" is from 1993. In between, they release another studio album. Note that "Seven Turns", "First Set" and "2nd Set" are also being sold together as a boxset for a low price. If you don't already have one of these three, you should seek out the boxset. During this time, Haynes and Woody, had a side band going, called Gov't Mule. By 1995, they quit the Allman Brothers to concentrate fully on Gov't Mule. They released a fanatastic live CD called "With a Little Help From My Friends", plus a number of other CD's. Allen Woody died last year and Haynes is playing with Phil Lesh and Friends. The Allman Brothers have reformed again with Butch Trucks' nephew on guitar. Dicky Betts has been kicked out of the band for now.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A delightful live performance, February 26, 2004
For most people, the Fillmore shows and the live portion of "Eat A Peach" stands as the highwater mark as far as live Allman Brothers is concerned.
But to me, "An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band - First Set" and its sister volume, "2nd Set", are almost as good. The sound is excellent, clean, crisp, and loud, and the performances are as tight as ten-minute songs can possibly be.
Listeners who prefer their blues-rock lean and in three-minute intervals will most likely find the fifteen-minute "Nobody Knows" and the eleven-minute "Dreams" indulgent, but there is a tremendous amount of masterful guitar playing here, courtesy of lead guitarists Dickey Betts and Warren Haynes.
The set opens with a tough "End Of The Line", followed by the eight-minute country-rocker "Blue Sky". Other highlights include the slow burner "Get On With Your Life", and two delightful acoustic performances, the classic "Melissa", and the Willie McTell-inspired "Midnight Blues", a perfectly genuine slide guitar blues right out of the Delta.
Well, actually, "Willie McTell-inspired" is a nice way to put it..."Midnight Blues" is more or less a revised version of Blind Willie McTell's "Mama 't'Ain't Long Fo' Day" with different lyrics, but it's still great.
Fans of the Allman Brothers will definitely want to add this one to their collection. The sound is the best you're ever likely to hear, and almost every song is a highlight.
4 1/2 stars - highly recommended.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super set, April 5, 1999
By A Customer
Following the deaths of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, the ABB went through a protracted period of turmoil, with personnel changes, breakups, and dissension. The slump ended with the addition of bassist Allen Woody and guitarist/vocalist Warren Haynes, giving the band its most talented and stable lineup since its early 1970's heyday. This live album offers superb versions of classics, as well as some more recent material. Of particular note is "End of the Line", which shows the band at its best, from Gregg Allman's excellent vocals, as well as stunning guitar work from the tandem of Haynes and Dickie Betts. There is not a bad cut on the entire album, which proves once and for all that the band is back, and strong as ever. Highly recommended.
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