Devon Allman convened his Allman Family Revival on Saturday for a celebration at the Shubert Theatre in Boston. The concert in tribute to the Allman Brothers Band featured guest appearances from Ivan Neville and Luther Dickinson in addition to the rotating cast of touring musicians.
New Orleans funk royalty Dumpstaphunk opened the show before the extended Allman family took the stage. Helmed by direct descendants Devon Allman and Duane Betts, the permanent lineup includes Donovan Frankenreiter, Maggie Rose, Jimmy Hall, Larry McCray, Alex Orbison, and River Kittens, who all appeared throughout the show.
While the Allman Family Revival is a place to honor the legacy of the Allman Brothers Band, it also provides a platform for the next generation of musicians—many of whom were inspired by or even related to the ABB family—to lead fans into the next chapter. Devon started things off with his Devon Allman Project bandmates on “Fired Up!” ahead of Allman classics like “Blue Sky” and “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More”.
The first set introduced the lineup as a fluid concept, with Larry McCray stepping out for “Arkansas” and “Soulshine”. St. Louis Americana duo River Kittens added a female perspective to “Trouble No More” and “Come & Go Blues” before Donavon Frankenreiter tore through “Move By Yourself” and the set closed with the one-two punch of “Southbound” and “Dreams”.
For the second set, Devon honored his father with the solo Gregg original “Slip Away” before kicking things into gear on “Hot ‘Lanta”. Allman Family Revival mined ABB’s wide catalog with “Sailin’ ‘Cross The Devil’s Sea” before returning to the classics for “Statesboro Blues”. Jimmy Hall led the way on “Keep On Smilin'” before Maggie Rose took the spotlight for “What Makes You Tick”.
As the final notes of the Nashville singer-songwriter’s 2021 collaboration with Marcus King rang out, the low rumble of “Whipping Post” churned from Justin Corgan‘s bass to signal the show’s crescendo. Rose commanded the microphone for an all-consuming take on the improvisational centerpiece, as the Allman Family Revival continued to contemporize the ABB songbook while also staying true to its legacy.
For the encore, Devon and Maggie Rose shared the stage for a touching rendition of “These Days” played with Gregg’s acoustic guitars. Finally, all hands were on deck to close the show with a roaring “Midnight Rider”.
Check out a gallery of images from Allman Family Revival in Boston courtesy of photographer Joanna Gleason as well as some fan-shot videos from Amy Karibian.
Setlist: Allman Family Revival | Shubert Theatre | Boston, MA | 12/3/22
Set One: Fired Up!, Sahara, Blue Sky, Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More, Arkansas [1], Soulshine [1], Trouble No More [2], Come & Go Blues [2], Move By Yourself [3], Southbound, Dreams
Set Two: Slip Away, Hot ‘Lanta, Sailin’ ‘Cross The Devil’s Sea, Statesboro Blues [4], Keep On Smilin’ [4], What Makes You Tick [5], Whipping Post [5]
Encore: These Days [5], Midnight Rider
[1] w/ Larry McCray
[2] w/ River Kittens
[3] w/ Donavon Frankenreiter
[4] w/ Jimmy Hall
[5] w/ Maggie Rose
On January 13th, 2023, Maggie Rose will take part in the newly-expanded Denver Comes Alive [get tickets]. The first-ever two-night edition of the Mile High music marathon will begin with a bluegrass night featuring Kitchen Dwellers alongside Yonder Mountain String Band, Maggie Rose, and a WinterWonderWomen superjam with Bridget Law (Elephant Revival), Lindsay Lou, Mimi Naja (Fruition), Megan Letts (Mama Magnolia), Emma Rose (Big Richard), and Michelle Pietrafitta (Banshee Tree).
The following day will see a funk takeover by Lettuce, The Word (featuring Robert Randolph, John Medeski, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, and Ray Ray Holloman), The Main Squeeze with auxiliary backing ensemble Pulp Friction (featuring Will Phillips, Adryon de León, Shira Elias, Parris Fleming, and Nick Gerlach), and Super Sonic Shorties with Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power), Katty Rodriguez (Beyoncé), Tonya Sweets (Klymaxx/Lizzo), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), Ella Feingold (Silk Sonic), Amy Bellamy (G. Love), and Erica Falls (Erica Falls Band).
