Music lovers are ready and waiting outside the Ocean City Music Pier in Ocean City, NJ this Monday, July 8, 2019, for a rare Jersey Shore performance by the Southern rock group, The Allman Betts Band.
As we wait in the Music Pier’s outdoor pavilion overlooking the blue Atlantic, we catch up with three long-time friends who came together tonight to enjoy The Allman Betts Band’s potent mix of original songs and timeless covers.
First, we chat with Martin from Asbury Park, an Allman Betts devotee who is sporting an Allman Brothers’ Eat a Peach for Peace 1993 Summer Tour T-shirt.
When asked if Martin is a long-standing Allman Brothers fan, Martin smiles and exclaims, “I saw The Allman Brothers play 238 times at the Beacon Theater in New York City — which is four and a half more times than even Greg Allman did!”
Explaining, “I was one of the house managers at the Beacon Theater where The Allman Brothers performed for 238 shows,” Martin notes, “Greg did 233 of the shows, but then he had to leave after the break of his 234th show.”
Adding, “Not only was I was there for all of the shows at the Beacon, but I also saw the group perform at other venues,” Martin recalls, “I can remember sneaking out from my parents’ house in New Jersey and taking the bus to New York City to see The Allman Brothers Band — that was the first concert I ever went to.”
When asked why he and his friends are here tonight to see The Allman Betts Band, Martin declares, “This band is great! I’m proud to see what they’re doing with their music,” before acknowledging, “I guess you could call it a ‘proud papa’ kind of thing.”
Says Martin’s friend, Charlie from Red Bank, “I started listening to The Allman Brothers Band way back in 1970. They were musically superior to most other bands. Their ability to jam was different — it was sophisticated. Even back then, you recognized that what they were doing was something special — it was sort of like what Miles Davis was doing in jazz, yet it was in the genre of Southern Rock.”
Recalling, “I saw The Allman Brothers many times,” Charlie acknowledges, “Once, in the summer of 1971 in Central Park, I even got to see Duane Allman perform.”
Explaining, “I was really far back, but it was cool getting to watch him play,” Martin reveals, “And it wasn’t the way people think — where they picture Duane Allman just standing there playing his instrument; he was very animated playing his guitar, and I even remember him holding it up and down vertically as he performed,” before noting, “And since then, I’ve become a collector of Allman Brothers’ memorabilia. In fact, today, I own the actual cotton shirt that Duane wore the night of that show.”
When asked to express his thoughts on the stars of tonight’s show, The Allman Betts Band, Charlie asserts, “The Allman Betts Band is a generational continuation of the music we all want to hear. In addition to performing their own material, they also do a genuine tribute to The Allman Brothers. It’s not in any way an exploitation — it’s in the spirit of authenticity, and it comes across as carrying the torch. There’s a sincerity to what they do, where it’s all about the musicianship and the music,” before concluding, “It’s a nice extension of the music we love that we never thought we’d ever have.”
Lastly, we chat with Robert from Ridgewood, who agrees with Charlie adding, “It’s really great that we can all come together to see The Allman Betts Band,” acknowledging, “I’ve been following the group since Greg Allman’s son, Devon Allman, started doing his Devon Allman Project concerts with Duane Betts, the son of Dickey Betts.”
“As individual artists, Devon Allman and Duane Betts are really good musicians,” continues Robert,” and now along with Berry Oakley’s son, Berry Oakley, Jr., The Allman Betts Band does a great job playing their own material, but they also do some great Allman Brothers’ covers, too,” before concluding, “It’s really neat how they’ve been able to blaze a trail for themselves doing their own music while, at the same time, paying tribute to the music of their fathers.”
Inside the historic Ocean City Pier auditorium, the lights dim and tonight’s opening act, British blues musician Jack Broadbent, takes his place on the stage.
Opening with “On the Road Again,” Broadbent holds his electric guitar on his lap and slides up and down on the instruments’ neck with a metal flask. Keeping a bluesy rock beat with his powerful strumming, Broadbent wails, “Well, I’m so tired of crying but I’m out on the road again.”
The packed house claps along with Broadbent’s soulful bluesy groove on “Making My Way,” and heads bop in the audience to the driving and then bluesy feel of “She Said,” a song which features Broadbent’s soulful voice and conventional guitar playing talents.
Fans yell out “Awesome!” following a folksy interpretation of Little Feat’s “Willin’” and Broadbent taps on his guitar as he plucks the strings and slides on the fingerboard on his original blues number, “Don’t Be Lonesome.”
Showing that he can perform all different types of material, Broadbent impresses the crowd with a new ballad, “Better Man,” before rocking the house like a runaway train on the ultra rhythmic “Gone, Gone, Gone.”
To conclude his set, Broadbent invites the audience to join him on the Ray Charles’ staple, “Hit the Road Jack,” the crowd snapping, clapping, and singing along, bringing audience members to their feet as he smiles and flashes a peace sign to say goodnight.
During a short intermission, we take a moment to chat with several audience members who comment on Broadbent’s performance.
Remarks Sam from Ocean City, “I was so impressed by Jack Broadbent’s slide playing — I couldn’t believe he was playing using a whiskey flask — I’ve never seen or heard anything like that in my life.”
His wife, Jane, agrees adding, “He is one of the best opening acts I’ve ever seen. He’s such a talented guitarist and singer, and he’s got a truly unique vibe about him — he was really able to get the crowd going.”
Out in the pavilion, we also get a chance to chat with Broadbent who talks about his unusual slide guitar technique explaining, “By using the flask, you can get more of a wrist action going,” before noting, “and laying the guitar down on your lap opens it up like piano.”
Acknowledging, “This is my first time in New Jersey,” Broadbent contends, “I can tell this town is filled with music fans,” before concluding, “This is one of the warmest receptions I’ve received. The audience gave me a standing ovation at the end which made me feel really welcome.”
The pavilion lights blink and we quickly head back inside the Music Pier auditorium as the members of The Allman Betts Band — Devon Allman on guitar and vocals, Duane Betts on guitar and vocals, Berry Oakley Jr. on bass, John Ginty on organ and keyboards, John Lum on drums, R. Scott Bryan on percussion, and John Stachlea on slide guitar — take the stage.
Opening tonight’s show with a bang on “All Night,” Devon Allman impresses with his full, bluesy voice singing “You’ve got that look in your eyes/Got something you want to say,” before Duane Betts plays a thoughtful guitar solo on his Les Paul.
Allman and Betts duel with their guitars after Betts handles the lead on “Shinin’.” As Berry Oakley, Jr.’s bass walks and John Ginty’s organ swirls on this country rocker, percussionist R. Scott Bryan simultaneously plays tambourine, cowbell, and shaker. Ending with a wailing John Stachlea slide guitar solo, the crowd responds with enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Allman’s bourbon-tinged voice is featured on “Left My Heart in Memphis.”
Betts’ guitar solo embraces a nice groove as he’s accompanied by John Lum on cymbals and tom tom with a mallet in one hand and on his drum set using a stick with his other, while Bryan plays congas and timbales. After Allman exclaims “Play it sweet, Johnny!” Stachlea performs a tangy slide solo while the rest of the band keep the easy groove moving ever forward.
After the audience responds with a standing ovation, Allman exclaims, “Ocean City — we’re going to have a good time tonight!”
Many in the crowd are brought back in time with the group’s performance of The Allman Brothers’ “Blue Sky.” Duane Betts pays tribute to his father, Dickey Betts, as he sings lead and plays guitar on this feel-good song.
Guitars rock in a line as audience members cheer for Stachlea’s solo. Oakley, Jr. plays low on his bass as Betts solos high on the guitar before the crowd leaps to its feet cheering at the end.
An iconic keyboard intro keeps audience members enticed as they recognize another iconic Allman Brothers’ tune, “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More.” Making the song his own, Allman pays tribute to his father, Greg Allman, with his soulful and bluesy vocal before cueing the audience to sing along with him. Following guitar solos by Betts and Stachlea, Allman ends the song by crying, “Ain’t wasting time no more, Ocean City!” and flipping a guitar pick out into the crowd.
Following a spacey sounding introduction, Betts handles the lead on “Autumn Breeze.” Singing “This whole world’s gone crazy/ Have I gone insane/I just don’t know,” Ginty’s organ swirls on this rhythmic 6/8 Southern blues number. Two sets of drums keep the rhythm going as guitars harmonize and wail, and the crowd cheers on the boys’ extended modal ending.
Tom Petty’s “You Got Lucky” is up next. Allman plays acoustic guitar as he sings, egging the crowd to sing along on the “Go/Yeah, go” and “You got lucky baby/When I found you” lyric. Allman picks out a solo on the acoustic guitar — playing softly and sweetly before he brings the dynamics down to a whisper and elicits “oohs” from the crowd. After handing his guitar pick to a fan in the front row, Allman declares “Now you’ve got to learn how to play!” as he continues to solo, building the intensity and volume before exclaiming to the crowd, “You all sound great tonight!”
Berry Oakley, Jr. is featured singing lead on the bluesy “I Got My Eyes on You.” Starting off with a shuffle beat, audience members dance in their seats. Ginty impresses with an organ solo which features machine gun rapid-fire playing that builds to a swirling wrap-around Hammond organ sound. Following a Stachlea slide solo, Devon Allman performs a distorted solo on his electric, shaking as he plays to cheers, whistles, and applause. The crowd appreciates the musicianship onstage and responds with enthusiastic applause.
Following “Melodies are Memories,” a country-rocker with an island feel, Betts leaves the stage to feature Devon Allman on the bluesy instrumental, “Midnight Lake Michigan.”
The song builds and morphs as Devon caresses his guitar to play, experimenting with his guitar’s volume control knob. Playing with his fingers on the frets, his face expressive, he makes his guitar scream and cry as he gives his performance 1000%. An Oakley, Jr. bass solo follows with fancy finger work on the fretboard which builds in intensity and speed and brings cheers from the audience. Stachlea and Ginty add a new dimension to the piece as it continues to morph and meander. Allman gets everyone’s attention as he reenters the auditorium from the back of the theater, walking through the crowd rocking out on his guitar. After making his way back up onto the stage, he ends with a salute and puts his hand to his heart as the entire crowd rises to its feet.
Allman takes a moment to address the audience saying, “This is the last night of the American part of our tour — thanks for coming out on a Monday — a work night,” before introducing the group’s next song stating, “This is from the new record, Down to the River, and it’s about how the good old days are actually happening now.”
A photo of Duane Allman on the screen behind them brings cheers from the crowd as the group launches into “Good Ol’ Days,” a country rocker filled with bluesy solos. Allman pleads “These are the good old days/Don’t let ’em pass you by/Cause you’ll never get ’em back/Never get ’em back/Don’t you try” on this instant classic.
Allman leaves the stage to feature partner Duane Betts and the band as they perform their rendition of The Allman Brothers’ “Jessica.” The crowd claps along on this feel-good number, as Betts and Stachlea lead the way playing the melody in harmony on their guitars. Congas add a rhythmic vibe to the tuneful melody, and a Ginty keyboard solo rolls in octaves before Betts channels his dad and makes his father’s well-known guitar solo his own.
For their final number, Allman returns for a soulful interpretation of Prince’s “Purple Rain.” The audience sings along before Stachlea plays a slide guitar solo which cries out to cheers from the audience. Allman fingerpicks on his electric guitar, his effects box making his instrument sound like raindrops as he bends and quavers strings into a rollicking and emotional solo which brings the crowd cheering to its feet.
After Allman thanks the audience and acknowledges tonight’s opening act, Jack Broadbent, he introduces the members of the band who soon all exit the stage. The crowd stands and cheers until the group returns for a series of three encores.
First up is the title track from The Allman Betts Band’s new album, Down to the River. With it’s slow funky attitude, the song proves to be a true crowd pleaser, as Allman makes them believe as he croons, “I can tell you now/You’ve been feelin’ down/Just go down to the river/Down to the river now.”
After recognizing the band’s technical, sound, and lighting crew members, Allman’s voice is featured on a cover version of Tom Petty’s “Southern Accents.” Standing solo center stage, Allman’s voice commands attention as he expertly delivers a vocal performance filled with nuance and pure soul, accompanied only by piano and slide guitar on this sparce and poignant arrangement.
To conclude tonight’s concert, Allman and Betts perform a song they composed together, “Long Gone.” Starting off slowly, the number builds with precision and heart, bringing audience members to their feet one last time as the band meets together center stage and takes a well-deserved bow before Allman smiles and exclaims, “Thank you — Thank you for coming!”
As audience members make their way out of the auditorium and onto the Ocean City boardwalk, we chat with several in the crowd who share their thoughts with us about tonight’s performance by The Allman Betts Band.
First, we chat with Charlie from Red Bank, with whom we spoke before the show. Remarks Charlie, “They were great — they just keep getting better and better every single time I see them.”
Patrick from South Seaville contends, “I really enjoyed The Allman Betts Band. They put on an incredible show! I would recommend this band to anyone,” before adding, “and their opening act, Jack Broadbent, was really good, too.”
Likewise, John from Linwood comments, “The Allman Betts Band was great, and Jack Broadbent was excellent, too. I’ve never seen anything like this combination of acts before.”
Remarks Cindy from Sea Isle City, “I’m overwhelmed. The talent on stage tonight was amazing,” before noting, “I’ve got to get their CDs.”
Eric from Strathmere contends, “This was one killer show — as good as it gets.” Acknowledging, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen The Allman Betts Band,” Eric continues, “I was blown away. The sound was excellent, and I really enjoyed hearing the original material, in addition to The Allman Brothers’ songs — which I liked hearing in a big way,” before concluding, “The Allman Betts Band doing those songs was like a ‘chip off the old block’ — I almost cried.”
Lastly, we chat with Peter from Sea Isle City who reveals, “Over the past few years, I’ve been to about 50 concerts here at the Ocean City Music Pier, and we’ve even purchased tickets to eight shows this summer alone. I have to tell you, I’ve never seen a crowd fired up like they were tonight. In my opinion, this is the best concert ever played here.”
To learn more about The Allman Betts Band, please go to allmanbettsband.com. For more on Jack Broadbent, click on jackbroadbent.co.uk. For information on future summer concerts at Ocean City Music Pier — including Jon Anderson of Yes on July 29, Lou Gramm of Foreigner on August 5, and The Zombies on August 19 — please go to ocnj.us/summerconcerts.
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