For reasons beyond explanation, Tedeschi Trucks Band has always blessed its New Jersey fanbase, making regular stops in the Garden State through the years. Even after the Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi-led outfit closed its busy 2023 touring schedule with an intimate Fireside Live underplay in Red Bank, New Jersey was lucky enough to score the opening two shows of the band’s 2024 Deuces Wild Tour, which kicked off at Hard Rock Live on Friday night.
Little Feat set the stage with a short but powerful selection of songs including an opening “Fat Man in the Bathtub”, favorites like “Spanish Moon”, “Willin’”, and a sing-along “Dixie Chicken” closer. While a few rapscallions headed out to the casino during set break to hit the tables, the majority of the crowd buckled in for the main event. Like always when TTB has an opening act, the band ran straight through an extended set without a break.
The lights dimmed and the 12-piece band assembled onstage under moving, chandelier-style stage lights to cut into “Soul Sweet Song”. Derek Trucks, slide in hand, and Susan Tedeschi each fired off a solo without hesitation. Susan took it back to 2013’s Made Up Mind for “Part of Me”, which gave Kebbi Williams and his saxophone space to thrive. Moving into the opening track of TTB’s most recent studio release, 2022’s I Am the Moon, Derek Trucks soared as he blended his slide guitar with the multi-faceted backing vocal harmonies during “Hear My Dear”. Gabe Dixon’s piano then introduced a boisterous rendition of “Fall In” led by a Mike Mattison’s vocals. Susan thanked Mattison when it was finished and gave the crowd just enough time to clap before taking flight into “Anyhow”.
[Photo: Bradley Strickland – Tedeschi Trucks Band in Atlantic City, 2/16/24]
Consecutive tracks from I Am the Moon followed beginning with a poignant rendition of “Take Me As I Am”. Half the band cleared the stage as Derek blazed the way through instrumental epic “Pasaquan” accompanied only by Gabe Dixon, bassist Brandon Boone, and drummers Tyler “Falcon” Greenwell and Isaac Eady. They dissected the composition’s structure to the most basic of rhythms while maintaining a furious tempo—an impressive juxtaposition.
Next, for the first time in the group’s history, Tedeschi Trucks Band tipped its hat to local legend Bruce Springsteen with an emphatic take on the location-appropriate “Atlantic City”. Susan and Gabe traded vocal duties on the well-received cover before returning to more familiar swamps and maintaining the excitement with a moody stroll through Dr. John’s “I Walk On Guilded Splinters”.
View this post on Instagram
A bluesy rendition of Blind Joe Reynolds’ “Outside Woman Blues” paved the way for “I Am the Moon”, during which the band’s deep roster of vocalists combined to pack a powerful punch. The horn section introduced “Last Night in the Rain” before the band wound down the set with the timeless one-two punch of “Midnight in Harlem” and “Bound for Glory”, mimicking their emphatic placement on 2011’s Revelator.
Tedeschi Trucks Band returned to the stage one last time to encore with Mike Reid’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” before bidding the night-one crowd goodnight with the outfit’s second-ever take on Bill Withers’ “I Wish You Well”. Later in the evening, members of the band performed as part of an after-party billed as “Music, Magic, and Munchies.”
The juggernaut of soulful blues rock performs again tonight at the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City before shlepping up to NYC for a weekend at the Beacon Theatre. For a full list of upcoming Tedeschi Trucks Band tour dates, head here.
View the full setlist and a selection of fan-shot videos from the show below.
Little Feat – “Willin'” – 2/16/24
[Video: sgibson818/videographer Michael “Fig” Figurelli]
Tedeschi Trucks Band – “Atlantic City” (Bruce Springsteen) – 2/16/24
[Video: Fuzzy Dunlop/videographer Otis Sinclair]
Tedeschi Trucks Band – “Bound For Glory” – 2/16/24
[Video: sgibson818/videographer Michael “Fig” Figurelli]
Tedeschi Trucks Band – “I Wish You Well” (Bill Withers) – 2/16/24
[Video: Fuzzy Dunlop/videographer Ike Richman]
Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band | Hard Rock Live | Atlantic City, NJ | 2/16/24
Set: Soul Sweet Song, Part of Me, Hear My Dear, Fall In, Anyhow, Take Me as I Am, Pasaquan, Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen, cover debut), I Walk on Guilded Splinters (Dr. John), Outside Woman Blues (Blind Joe Reynolds), I Am The Moon, Last Night in the Rain, Midnight in Harlem
Encore: I Can’t Make You Love Me (Mike Reid), I Wish You Well (Bill Withers)