As the year comes to a close, it’s time to look back at the wild ride and whirlwind that was 2017. For this series of Live For Live Music staff picks, we’ll be reliving many of the glorious musical moments from the past year. We’ve already taken a look at a select few of the awesome jams, bust outs, live covers, music festivals and live collaborations that went down this year. Today, we’re revisiting our staff’s favorite tribute sets of 2017. Enjoy!
L4LM Staff Picks: Our Favorite Jams Of 2017
L4LM Staff Picks: Our Favorite Bust Outs Of 2017
L4LM Staff Picks: Our Favorite Live Covers Of 2017
L4LM Staff Picks: Our Favorite Music Festivals Of 2017
L4LM Staff Picks: Our Favorite Live Collaborations Of 2017
Fu*k 2016 | A Tribute To Musicians We Lost In 2016 | Howlin’ Wolf | New Orleans, LA | 4/30/17
On Sunday, April 30th, members of Turkuaz, The Motet, Snarky Puppy, and many more gathered onstage in the heart of New Orleans to send a simple message…”FU*K 2016!” While 2016 marked an era of divisiveness, most of us were able to agree on this sentiment. From the ugly, insult-driven presidential election, to the endless outbreaks of violence around the globe, it seemed like every time you turned around there was more bad news to process.
The general shitty-ness of the last calendar year hit the music world particularly hard. From David Bowie in early January to George Michael on Christmas day, 2016 seemed to take amazing artists from this Earth at an alarming rate. Thankfully all things, bitter and sweet, come to an end. And luckily for us, the talented “FU*K 2016” lineup (led by Turkuaz’s Craig Brodhead and featuring members of Turkuaz, The Motet, Snarky Puppy, and many more) came together to celebrate the joy created by these amazing performers rather than quietly lament their loss, and turned the giant lemon that was 2016 into funky lemonade!
Watch full-set video (starting with the show’s second song) from Fu*k 2016 below:
SETLIST: FU*K 2016: A Funky Tribute To Musicians We Lost | Howlin’ Wolf | New Orleans, LA | 4/30/17
Let’s Dance[1], Shining Star[4], Tell Me[3], How Long Do I Have To Wait[3], Delta Lady[6], You Got To Funkifize[9], Off The Wall [8], I Want Your Sex[7], Freedom![7], Sexy Dancer[2], Ballad of Dorothy Parker[2], One Nation Under A Groove[5], Mothership Connection[5], What Is Hip[9]
Encore: In The Stone
In memory of: [1] David Bowie; [2] Prince; [3] Sharon Jones; [4] Maurice White; [5]Bernie Worrell; [6] Leon Reussell; [7] George Michael; [8] Rod Temperton; [9] Mic Gillette (Tower of Power)
“Fu*k 2016: A Tribute To Musicians We Lost” Artist Lineup:
Michelangelo Carubba, Joey Porter, Garrett Sayers, Lyle Divinsky, Craig Brodhead, Shira Elias, Sammi Garett, Greg Sanderson, Chris Brouwers, Shane Allen, Drew Sayers, Danny Mayer, Steveland Swatkins, Khris Royal, Maurice “Mobetta” Brown, Nate Werth
Read the full recap and view photos of Fu*k 2016: A Tribute To Artists We Lost here.
Hampton 70 | The Fox Theatre | Atlanta, GA | 5/1/17
“Hampton 70” celebration was already mentioned in our Favorite Live Collaborations list, but we’d be remiss in listing our favorite tribute sets without tipping our hats to the man who hosted his own memorial show before shuffling off the mortal coil during its final song. The evening was a loving celebration of a widely adored man, artist, and teacher. Even before Hampton collapsed and died during the show’s encore, this was a performance of epic proportions, a night of music that would be talked about for years to come. Many of the jam scene’s most talented and respected players–including John Bell, Dave Schools, Jon Fishman, Warren Haynes, Karl Denson, Oliver Wood, Jimmy Herring, Chuck Leavell, John Popper, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Brandon “TAZ” Niederauer and so many more–came out to pay their respects to a the jam scene elder statesman.
The Music Behind The Madness At Col. Bruce Hampton’s Last Hurrah [Photos/Setlist]
From the almost overwhelming musical star power featured throughout the night, to the stranger-than-fiction manner in which the evening ended, Hampton 70 instantly became one of the most meaningful, beautiful, tragic, stupefying rock concerts that has ever occurred. Until the end of time, people will talk about the night that Colonel Bruce Hampton gathered the best and the brightest for one final, incredible performance, and left it all on the stage. An iconic occurrence on the timeline of music history. A truly legendary send-off.
You can listen to the entire four-hour Hampton 70 celebration below via taper Dfries81:
Daze Between Band | One Eyed Jacks | New Orleans, LA | 5/3/17
On Wednesday, May 3rd, Eric Krasno led Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company), Duane Trucks (Widespread Panic), Danny Louis (Gov’t Mule), Scott Metzger (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead), Lyle Divinsky (The Motet), and Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy), who were all initially billed to perform at One Eyed Jacks as the Daze Between Band. Off the bat, this was an exciting lineup.
Originally, the promoters and performers were gathered to help honor the memory of the late Butch Trucks, who had passed away earlier in the year. However, with the passing of the legendary Col. Bruce Hampton as well just days before the show, the the all-star Daze Between Band found its emotional impetus significantly magnified. This brought fellow collaborators Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit) and Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers) into the fold with heavy hearts, but ready for some seriously spiritual musical healing.
The night quickly transformed into a tribute to the Colonel, along with Trucks, with the music of the Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead to leading the way. All those in attendance could feel the magnitude of the emotions projected from the stage, and returned an inimitable energy to help heal the wounds of those affected by two greatest losses. On this night, music was the answer.
Watch full video of the unforgettable performance below
Trouble No More, Dreams, Mr. Charlie, Scarlett Begonias, Fire On The Mountain
Whipping Post, Mountain Jam, West LA Fadeaway, Hot ‘Lanta, Eyes Of The World, Elizabeth Reed, Sugaree, Lovelight, Hey Pocky Way
SETLIST: Daze Between Band | One Eyed Jacks | New Orleans, LA | 5/3/17
Trouble No More, Dreams, Mr. Charlie, Scarlett Begonias, Fire On The Mountain Whipping Post, Mountain Jam, West LA Fadeaway, Hot ‘Lanta, Eyes Of The World, Elizabeth Reed, Sugaree, Lovelight, Hey Pocky Way
Performers: Eric Krasno led Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company), Duane Trucks (Widespread Panic), Danny Louis (Gov’t Mule), Scott Metzger (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead), Lyle Divinsky (The Motet), and Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy), Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit) and Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers)
Read our full recap of the emotional Daze Between show in New Orleans here.
A Peach Tribute To Gregg Allman & Butch Trucks | The Peach Music Festival | Scranton, PA | 8/12/17
The Peach Music Festival in Scranton, Pennsylvania came to a high point on itsSaturday afternoon with “A Peach Tribute to Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks.” Since the festival’s inception back in 2012, Peach Fest has always served as an extended family gathering for the Allman Brothers Band. Year after year, the event has hosted the band, its members’ various side projects, and their expansive musical family to celebrate the band’s nearly 50-year legacy. Following this year’s losses of Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman, Peach Fest became a place for catharsis for both artists and fans alike, with the event’s lineup sporting numerous tributes to the historic Southern rock band. However, of the various tributes, scheduled or not, that have gone down over the weekend, none was more anticipated than Saturday’s Peach Tribute, which was put together by the masterful former ABB keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who served as the tribute’s musical director.
The tribute sported a powerful lineup of musicians, with many of those on tap related to the Allman Brothers Band by blood or musically and making the set function as a family gathering in the truest sense of the word. ABB members Jaimoe, Oteil Burbridge, and Marc Quinones were all in attendance, along with Butch’s nephew and Widespread Panic drummer Duane Trucks, Gregg’s son and guitarist Devon Allman, and Butch Trucks’s son and guitarist Vaylor Trucks. In addition, former ABB guitarist Jack Pearson, keyboardist Bruce Katz (who formerly toured with both Butch and Gregg’s bands as well as Les Brers), Lamar Williams Jr. (son of former ABB bassist, Lamar Williams, and vocalist of Les Brers), Les Brers guitarist Pat Bergeson, musical director of the Gregg Allman Band and guitarist Scott Sharrard, rising guitarist and vocalist Marcus King, GAB keyboardist Peter Levin, and Berry Oakley Jr. (son of original ABB bassist Berry Oakley) all participated in the massive tribute set.
However, while this line-up in and of itself is already the stuff of legends, as was expected, the set hosted a number of spectacular unannounced sit-ins, including those by Warren Haynes and Widespread Panic’s Jimmy Herring and Dave Schools, among others. For the duration of the performance, Duane was stationed in Butch’s place behind the kit, along with Jaimoe and Marc—mirroring the original Allman Brothers Band set-up—with Oteil holding down the bass for the majority of the set save Schools’ various sit-ins. Chuck Leavell also played for the duration of the tribute, while Katz and Levin traded off in Gregg’s spot. The performance also offered a tribute to another fallen brother lost this year, Col. Bruce Hampton, with a rendition of “Yield Not To Temptation.”
Listen to full audio from the set, as recorded by Ted Gakidis and uploaded by JamBuzz:
SETLIST: A Peach Tribute To Gregg Allman & Butch Trucks | Peach Music Festival | 8/12/17
Statesboro Blues, Don’t Keep Me Wondering, One Way Out*!, Dreams#, Jessica^, Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More^, Midnight Rider^!, Stand Back^, South Bound^+, Come & Go Blues@, Whipping Post@, Yield Not To Temptation, King Grand$
* w/ Devon Allman on Guitar
# w/ Devon Allman on Guitar, Jimmy Herring on Guitar & Dave Schools on Bass
^ w/ Duane Betts on Guitar
+ w/ Marcus King on Guitar
! w/ Scott Sharrard
@ w/ Warren Haynes on Guitar and Vocals
$ Vaylor Trucks – Guitar
Read a full recap of the Peach Festival tribute to the late Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman here.
Bob Weir, Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band | 40th Anniversary Tribute To Terrapin Station | LOCKN’ | Arrington, VA | 8/25/17
This year at LOCKN’, founding Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh came together to perform the Grateful Dead’s iconic studio album Terrapin Station, making for one of the most highly anticipated performances of the year. The performance by Lesh, Weir, Nicki Bluhm, and the Terrapin Family Band—featuring Grahame Lesh, Jason Crosby, Ross James, and Alex Koford—was inspired by the 40th anniversary of Terrapin Station‘s release and closed out the main stage on Friday, August 25th.
One of the most triumphant moments of the set was the ensemble’s show-closing performance of the “Terrapin Station Suite”, which also included a section titled “Jack O’Rose”, which Robert Hunter wrote as the seventh part of the beloved suite. However, the Grateful Dead never recorded this section, so the band performed the younger Lesh’s interpretation of the lyrics. Clocking in at just around twenty-seven minutes, the set-closing suite embodied the reverent spirit of the evening. You can check out the fantastic “Terrapin Station Suite” as performed by Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Nicki Bluhm, and the Terrapin Family Band at LOCKN’ 2017 below, courtesy of Relix:
SETLIST: Bob Weir, Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band | 40th Anniversary Tribute To Terrapin Station | LOCKN’| Arrington, VA | 8/25/17
Estimated Prophet, Dancing in the Street, Passenger, Samson and Delilah, Sunrise, Terrapin Station Suite
You can read a full recap of the set and the rest of the Friday LOCKN’ festivities here.
Brooklyn Comes Alive Tributes to Herbie Hancock, Allman Brothers Band, Jamiroquai, Power Trios, Women of the 90’s, & more | Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Schimanski | Brooklyn, NY | 9/23-24/17
In September, the third-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive took over three beloved venues in Williamsburg (Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, and Schimanski), bringing with it a stacked lineup featuring once-in-a-lifetime collaborations, all-star supergroups, and tribute sets. Over one hundred artists were brought together to see their passion projects come to life, honor their musical heroes, and improvise with their friends and peers, with more than thirty-five sets taking place across the festival’s two full days of music.
This year’s Brooklyn Comes Alive produced a number of memorable one-off tributes that still have audiences talking months later, including tributes to Herbie Hancock, Jamiroquai, the Allman Brothers Band, the Women of the 90’s, Power Trios, and more. Check out a selection of videos from BCA’s many fantastic tribute sets this year.
“Watermelon Man” by Herbie Hancock – A Tribute to Herbie Hancock ft. Joey Porter, Nate Werth, Robert “Sput” Searight, James Casey, & more:
“Apostrophe” by Frank Zappa – Pow Pow Power Trio ft. Rob Compa, Adrian Tramamontano, and Chuck Jones:
“Just A Girl” by No Doubt – Bitch! Tribute to Women of the 90’s ft. Hayley Jane, Tim Palmieri, Chris DeAngelis, Adrian Tramontano, Richard James, & more:
“Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai – A Tribute To Jamiroquai ft. Joey Porter, Dave Watts, Garrett Sayers, Ryan Jalbert, Lyle Divinsky, Jen Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, Maurice Brown, & Nate Werth:
“Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band – The Road Goes On Forever: The Music Of The Allman Brothers ft. Al Schnier, Vinnie Amico, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Nate Werth, Joey Porter, Brett Bass & Brandon “Taz” Niederauer:
For a set-by-set breakdown of all the happenings at this year’s Brooklyn Comes Alive, head here.
See you in 2018!