At LOCKN’ Festival on Saturday, Tedeschi Trucks Band had the somewhat-impossible task of following Foundation Of Funk‘s set celebrating 50 years of The Meters, which got things moving early with classics like “Cissy Strut” and raised things further when no fewer than four members of Dead & Company joined the band for the final four songs of their set, including “Iko Iko” and “Fire On The Bayou”.

However, the band led by vocalist Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks made a masterful move by starting their set with a smooth cover of the recently deceased legend Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You”), which was a fitting and beautiful tribute that allowed the crowd to settle into a groove. Although “Made Up Mind” followed and picked up the pace up, the first half of the set’s highlights came from slower, more contemplative numbers like the band’s take on Bob Dylan’s Christian-era deep cut “Lord Protect My Child” and “Laugh About It”, whose syncopated start led to an uplifting finish. “Don’t Know What It Means” featured a fiery solo from Trucks, and “Idle Wind” raised things further with a long Trucks slide solo, a drum duet from Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson, and a final Trucks solo to close it out while the prolific guitarist played through a broken string.

“I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You)”

[Video: Dan Hanfling]

Next up, keyboardist Kofi Burbridge and Tedeschi were left alone onstage for a delicate and heartfelt cover of Leon Russell’s “A Song For You”, which was followed by Ivan Neville from the Neville Brothers sitting in on the organ for “Bound For Glory”—his extended solo was another highlight of the band’s set. Guitarist Ian Neville then came out to add his touches to “Show Me”; this was not the first time the Nevilles and TTB have crossed paths onstage, and it showed. To close out their set, the group offered up takes on “How Blue Can You Get?” “Little Martha”, and “Midnight In Harlem”, with their pairing of “The Storm” and the Allman Brothers classic “Whipping Post” bringing the 110-minute set to a close.

All in all, the Tedeschi Trucks Band set was a masterclass in song choice and pace with three very meaningful and poignant covers, the Nevilles adding some extra flavor, and a knockout finish. You can watch Dead & Company’s first two sets at LOCKN’ on August 25th, 2018, below, courtesy of Relix in partnership with Ben & Jerry’s and Airstream (their set begins around the 8:40:00 mark) or listen to full audio from the show below. You can also check out a gallery of photos from yesterday’s festivities below, courtesy of Dave Vann.

 

Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band | LOCKN’ Festival | Infinity Downs Farm | Arrington, VA | 8/25/2018

Set: I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), Made Up Mind, Do I Look Worried, Lord Protect My Child, Laugh About It, Don’t Know What It Means, High & Mighty, Idle Wind, A Song for You, Bound for Glory *, Show Me ^, How Blue Can You Get?,  Little Martha > Midnight In Harlem, The Storm > Whipping Post

Notes: * Ivan Neville on keys | ^ Ian Neville on guitar | Mike Mattison did not perform with the band due to prior commitment; he was to return for Sunday’s (8/26/18) show, also at Lockn’ | Whipping Post began with a bit of Soul Serenade.