On Friday, Tedeschi Trucks Band entered the back half of its four-night, year-closing run at Boston, MA’s Orpheum Theatre. The Derek Trucks– and Susan Tedeschi-led twelve-piece continued to dig deeper into its bag of tricks with a cover-heavy performance featuring a four-song acoustic mini-set.

After opening the performance with “Don’t Drift Away”, “Misunderstood”, and “When Will I Begin”, the band moved into a run of covers with Bessie Smith‘s “Gin House Blues”, Derek and the Dominos‘ “Tell The Truth”, and The Wood Brothers‘ “Smoke Ring Halo”. A standout rendition of “Part Of Me” led into Tedeschi’s “Looking For Answers” before the powerful combination of “Leaving Trunk” (Sleepy John Estes) and “Volunteered Slavery” (Rahsaan Roland Kirk) closed out the first frame.

Tedeschi Trucks Band – “Tell The Truth” (Derek and the Dominos) – 12/3/21

Tedeschi Trucks Band – “Looking For Answers” (Susan Tedeschi) – 12/3/21

The band returned from set break and sat huddled together with acoustic instruments at center stage for a four-song segment featuring lively, communal takes on Bob Dylan‘s “Lord Protect My Child”, The Rolling Stones‘ “Dear Doctor”, Howlin’ Wolf‘s “Down In The Bottom”, and Tedeschi’s “It Hurt So Bad”.

Tedeschi Trucks Band – “Dear Doctor” (The Rolling Stones) – 12/3/21

Tedeschi Trucks Band – “It Hurt So Bad” (Susan Tedeschi) – 12/3/21

As the delighted Orpheum audience howled with approval, the twelve band members resumed their usual posts and barreled into their second electric set of the night with “Signs, High Times”. A growling, Mike Mattison-sung cover of Dr. John‘s “I Walk On Guilded Splinters” gave way to a surprisingly searing “Greensleeves” tangent before finding its way into a fearsome “Shame”.

With time for a few more, the band dove into covers of “Keep On Growing” (Derek and the Dominos), “The Sky Is Crying” (Elmore James), and “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” (Billy Taylor) before encoring with a rousing homage to Mad Dogs & Englishmen with “Space Captain” (Matthew Moore).

Tedeschi Trucks Band – “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” (Billy Taylor) – 12/3/21

Tedeschi Trucks Band – “Space Captain” (Matthew Moore) – 12/3/21

In addition to the videos throughout this piece via Matt Frazier, you can listen to a full audio recording of the show below taped by Bob Hundertmark. Scroll down to check out a full gallery of images from the show courtesy of photographer Andrew Blackstein.

Tedeschi Trucks Band will wrap up its 2021 touring year on Saturday with the fourth and final show of the ongoing Orpheum Theatre run. The band will then hit the ground running in 2022 with multi-night winter runs in New Orleans, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Nashville.

Tedeschi Trucks Band – Orpheum Theatre  – Boston, MA – 12/3/21

Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band | Orpheum Theatre | Boston, MA | 12/3/21

Set One: Don’t Drift Away, Misunderstood, When Will I Begin, Gin House Blues (Bessie Smith), Tell The Truth (Derek and the Dominos), Smoke Ring Halo (The Wood Brothers), Part Of Me, Looking For Answers (Susan Tedeschi), Leaving Trunk (Sleepy John Estes) > Volunteered Slavery (Rahsaan Roland Kirk)

Set Two: Lord Protect My Child* (Bob Dylan), Dear Doctor* (The Rolling Stones), Down In The Bottom* (Howlin’ Wolf), It Hurt So Bad* (Susan Tedeschi), Signs, High Times, I Walk On Guilded Splinters (Dr. John), Greensleeves > Shame, Keep On Growing (Derek and the Dominos), The Sky Is Crying (Elmore James), I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free (Billy Taylor)

Encore: Space Captain (Matthew Moore)

*Acoustic