UP NEXT!

I’m kicking of the weekend with Tedeschi Trucks Band. As we do every year, my wife and I will be attending their show tonight at the Chicago Theater. This is the old Boxtops song done ala Joe Cocker.

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Chicago Theatre - January 21, 2022

It has been two years and three days since my wife and I last went to a concert together, thanks to the virus whose name shall not be mentioned. We finally returned to the concert scene to see and hear the same band we last saw in January, 2020. Tedeschi Trucks Band play four shows at the Chicago Theatre every January, and we go to see them every year.

On the way to the show, we had dinner at Nepal House in Chicago’s Little India neighborhood. Influenced by Harald Baldr’s YouTube series of videos covering his trek along the Langtang Trail in Nepal, we had some delicious chicken momo as an appetizer and aloo ra seemi ko tarkari and aloo tama bodi for entrees. Perfect Himalayan sustenance for a cold January night in Chicago.

Susan Tedeschi came out in stage using crutches. She said, “Apparently I had too much fun last night. We were at the Green Mill (Chicago) and I was dancing and I tore my meniscus.” She had to sit for the entire show. They opened with a cover of The Beatles song I’ve Got A Feeling. It was so cool to hear that song performed live after recently watching the Get Back documentary. At the end of that song, they segued into one of my favorites, Don’t Let Me Slide. They always have a varied set list that includes many originals and covers. For this show, they went with many deep cuts, so I missed hearing a few of my favorites like Midnight In Harlem and Anyday (Derek and The Dominos cover). However, as usual, they played a fantastic show. A 12 piece jam band with Derek and The Dominos and Allman Brothers pedigree, the phenomenal vocals of Susan Tedeschi and Mike Mattison and the other-worldly guitar playing of Derek Trucks, the talent runs deep and the blended sound is pure euphoria. This band makes January in Chicago come alive.

Set 1:

1.       I've Got a Feeling (The Beatles cover)

2.       Don't Let Me Slide

3.       Part of Me

4.       Life Is Crazy (Mike Mattison cover)

5.       High & Mighty

6.       Don't Keep Me Wonderin' (The Allman Brothers Band cover)

7.       Ball and Chain

8.       Outside Woman Blues (Blind Joe Reynolds cover)

9.       Idle Wind

Set 2:

10.   Bell Bottom Blues (Derek and the Dominos cover)

11.   Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad? (Derek and the Dominos cover)

12.   When Will I Begin

13.   Anyhow

14.   Gin House Blues (Bessie Smith cover)

15.   Just Won't Burn (Susan Tedeschi song)

16.   Made Up Mind

17.   Angel From Montgomery (John Prine cover)

18.   Helpless (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover)

19.   That Did It (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)

Encore:

20.   Bound for Glory

UP NEXT!

I’m kicking off the weekend with the band I am seeing this weekend!

John Prine (1946-2020)

One of the best things about going to see Tedeschi Trucks Band every January at the Chicago Theater is getting to hear Susan sing this gorgeous rendition of John Prine’s beautiful song, Angel From Montgomery.

For the fourth consecutive year, my wife and I started our new year live music shows by seeing Tedeschi Trucks band at the Chicago Theater. This was their fifth consecutive January “residency” at the Chicago Theater. (I had also seen them back in 2011 in Rochester, NY.) Their dates this year (2020) were January 17, 18, 24 and 25. We attended on the 18th. They were excellent as usual. Derek’s guitar, Susan’s voice and guitar, the top-notch 10-piece back-up band and the outstanding jamming. Mike Mattison was excellent as usual on lead and back-up vocals. And back up vocalist Alecia Chakour performed an outstanding solo on Bound For Glory. The last three years we saw them, the shows were all somewhat similar. This year, they changed it up considerably. While I missed hearing a few of my favorites, the change was mostly good. They did two sets as usual, but the first half of Set 2 was acoustic which was very cool. They always do at least one each of a Derek and The Dominos song and an Allman Brothers Band song. This time, both were included in the acoustic set. (The only down-side for me was that the Dominos song was I Am Yours which for me was kind of “meh.” I would have preferred to hear Anyday, or just about anything else off the Layla album. But then again, it’s not my band.) The other change I liked was that Susan got more guitar solos than the last couple of shows. Her voice and Derek’s guitar are always the main attraction of the band, but she is an excellent guitar player and I was pleased to see her stretch out a bit more. They are such a terrific band. As long as they keep coming to Chicago every January, I will continue to see them every time

Set 1

Laugh About It (Let Me Get By - 2016)

High & Mighty (High & Mighty EP)

Don't Know What It Means (Let Me Get By - 2016)

The Letter (Joe Cocker version of The Box Tops original)

Life Is Crazy (Mike Mattison cover)

Don't Let Me Slide (Revelator - 2011)

Don't Drift Away (Live from the Fox Oakland - 2017)

The Sky Is Crying (Elmore James/Stevie Ray Vaughan cover)

Idle Wind (Made Up My Mind - 2013)

Set 2 - Acoustic

Calling Out to You (Made Up My Mind - 2013)

When Will I Begin (Signs - 2019)

Done Somebody Wrong (Elmore James/Allman Brothers Band cover)

I Am Yours (Derek and the Dominos cover)

Meet Me at the Bottom (Howlin’ Wolf cover)

Set 2 - Electric

Leaving Trunk (Sleepy John Estes cover)

Shame (Signs – 2019)

Midnight in Harlem (Revelator - 2011)

How Blue Can You Get? (Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers cover)

Encore

Good to Your Earhole (Funkadelic cover)

UP NEXT!

I’m kicking off the weekend with Tedeschi Trucks Band, who my wife and I will see this weekend, as we do every January, at the beautiful Chicago Theater.

Bands I Saw In 2019

·         Tedeschi Trucks Band @ Chicago Theater (Chicago) January 26

·         La Luz @ Sleeping Village (Chicago) March 22

·         Campdogzz @ Sleeping Village (Chicago) March 22

·         Wild Powwers @ Sleeping Village (Chicago) March 22

·         SWMRS @ Concord Music Hall (Chicago) April 19

·         Beach Goons @ Concord Music Hall (Chicago) April 19

·         Todd Rundgren @ The Athenaeum Theatre (Chicago) April 23

·         The Dandy Warhols @ Metro Chicago (Chicago) May 11

·         Gogol Bordello @ Riviera Theater (Chicago) June 1

·         Buddy Guy @ Ravinia (Highland Park, IL) June 14

·         North Mississippi Allstars @ Ravinia (Highland Park, IL) June 14

·         Shemekia Copeland @ Ravinia (Highland Park, IL (June 14)

·         The Rolling Stones @ Soldier Field (Chicago) June 21

·         St. Paul and The Broken Bones @ Soldier Field (Chicago) June 21

·         Psychedelic Furs @ Aragon Ballroom (Chicago) July 23

·         Pkew Pkew Pkew @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Thin Lips @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Caroline Rose @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         I Don’t Know How But They Found Me @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         The Get Up Kids @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Violent Femmes @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Flaming Lips @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Jawbreaker @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Blink-182 @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Monday Over Monarchy @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Masked Intruder @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         The Hu @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Cherry Glazerr @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         GWAR @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         The Selecter @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         The Struts @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Manchester Orchestra @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Block Party @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Ultra Q @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Save Ferris @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         White Reaper @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Frank Iero and The Future Violents @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Less Than Jake @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Sincere Engineer @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Streetlight Manifesto @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         The B-52’s @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Patti Smith and Her Band @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         The Raconteurs @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         Bikini Kill @ Riot Fest (Chicago)

·         The Regrettes @ Metro Chicago (Chicago) October 11

·         Greer @ Metro Chicago (Chicago) October 11

·         Pkew Pkew Pkew @ Cobra Lounge (Chicago) December 6

·         Ramona @ Cobra Lounge (Chicago) December 6

·         Weekend @ Cobra Lounge (Chicago) December 6

·         Jacob Horn Trio @ Cobra Lounge (Chicago) December 6

Tedeschi Trucks Band @ Chicago Theater January 26, 2019

For the third year in a row, my wife and I attended the Tedeschi Trucks Band show at the Chicago Theatre. This was the fourth time I have seen this band as I also saw them in Rochester, NY in 2011. Their fourth annual “residency” at the Chicago Theater has expanded into four shows over two weekends. We attended the last of the shows, January 26 on a beautiful cold snowy night in the city. I love seeing this band every year. They are so incredible live. They played a two-set show. There were so many of my favorite songs in the first set that I felt like I would have been happy if that was their entire show. The second set they played the song of my dreams when they played a cover of The Allman Brothers Band song Dreams. It was just riveting, and the haunting melody and guitar sent chills down my spine. The set list in noted below. They also did short promo show with WXRT with songs and interviews with Derek and Susan. The link for that is here: https://wxrt.radio.com/tedeschi-trucks-band-concert-webcast

Set 1

1.       Anyday (Derek and the Dominos cover)

2.       Hard Case (new song from forthcoming album)

3.       Key to the Highway (Charles Segar cover)

4.       Bound for Glory

5.       Right On Time

6.       Midnight in Harlem

7.       Made Up Mind

Set 2

8.     Don't Let Me Slide

9.     Let's Go Get Stoned  (The Coasters cover)

10.   Joyful Noise

11.   How Blue Can You Get? (Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers cover)

12.   Leaving Trunk (Sleepy John Estes cover)

13.   Dreams (The Allman Brothers Band cover)

14.   I Walk on Gilded Splinters (Dr. John cover)

15.   Angel From Montgomery (John Prine cover) / Sugaree (Grateful Dead cover)

16.   The Storm

Encore:

17.   Sing a Simple Song / I Want to Take You Higher (Sly & the Family Stone covers)

UP NEXT!

I’m kicking off the weekend with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, a band that I am seeing this weekend and a show that has become an annual January tradition for me and my wife. As far as I am concerned, this is one of the best live bands on the planet and this is a song I always look forward to hearing when I attend their shows.

Tedeschi Trucks Band at Chicago Theater January 27, 2018

My wife and I had another amazing evening seeing Tedeschi Trucks band live at the beautiful Chicago Theatre. This is the second time we saw them in the past year (almost exactly a year later), and the third time seeing them for me. (Rochester, NY in October 2011 was the first). They put on such a wonderful live show with their jam based repertoire of Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel and Jazz. They have a 12 piece band including Derek (guitar and slide guitar), Susan (guitar and lead vocals), bass, keyboards, two drummers, a three-piece horn section (sax, trumpet and trombone) and three back up singers. Mike Mattison also spends some time as lead singer. Derek Trucks is just a phenomenal guitar player, one of the best in the business. Susan Tedeschi provides the powerful lead vocals with an incredible set of pipes. She is no slouch on guitar herself, and I always wish she would get the opportunity to solo just a bit more than she does during the shows. Some of the show’s highlights for me were the opening song Don’t Let Me Slide, Anyday, the Derek And The Dominoes cover with lead vocals by Susan and Mike sharing lead vocals;  Don’t Miss Me, the Derek Trucks Band song that included a frantic extended improvisational saxophone solo by Kebbi Williams and then smoothly transitioned into the beautiful Midnight In Harlem; the Allman Brothers Band song Whipping Post, and Kofi Burbridge (piano) accompanying Susan on a solo of the Leon Russell tune, A Song For You, and closing the show with the uplifting Bound For Glory. We had great seats, on the main floor, a bit left-of-center, 19th row. I could not see what was happening in the balcony, but fortunately, everyone on the main floor stood for the entire show so we could dance and move to the music. It was the third and last night for TTB at the Chicago Theatre. They are a band I will continue to see as often as possible. Prior to the show, we had an excellent dinner at the Swedish restaurant Tre Kronor in Chicago’s North Park neighborhood. All in all, a great way to spend a January Saturday night in Chicago.

Set list (from setlist.fm)

Set 1

1.     Don't Let Me Slide

2.     Anyday / Blue Sky (Derek and the Dominos cover/Allman Brothers Band cover)

3.     Shelter

4.     Butterfly

5.     Don't Miss Me (The Derek Trucks Band cover)

6.     Midnight in Harlem

7.     I Want More / Soul Sacrifice (Santana cover)

Set 2

8.     Love Having You Around (Stevie Wonder cover)

9.     Don't Drift Away

10. Made Up Mind

11. Right on Time

12. Laugh About It

13. Shame

14. I Pity the Fool (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)

15. The Storm

16. Whipping Post (The Allman Brothers Band cover)

Encore:

17. A Song for You (Leon Russell cover)

18. Bound for Glory

I came across this website which has a live recording of most of the set for the show we attended.

https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/tedeschi-trucks-band-chi-2018-3/

I’m kicking off the weekend with a band I will be seeing in concert for a third time, the amazing Tedeschi Trucks Band!

UP NEXT!

R.I.P. Claude Hudson “Butch” Trucks. A founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, he was one-half of their drumming duo along with Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson. I’ve always loved bands with two drummers (Mothers Of Invention, Grateful Dead, Tedeschi Trucks Band, to name a few), and ABB was one of my all time favorites. The impeccably timed beats that Butch and Jaimoe laid down was the backbone of ABB’s extended live jams. I was fortunate to have seen The Allman Brothers Band twice in 1973 and 1979. In particular, the ‘73 show still stands out as one of the most memorable live performances I’ve ever seen. The Butch Trucks legacy carries on through his nephews, guitarist Derek Trucks (Tedeschi Trucks Band) and drummer Duane Tricks (Widespread Panic). Butch Trucks was also the nephew of Virgil Trucks, who was a major league pitcher from 1941-1958.

I have not been to the Chicago Theatre very often. When I attended the Tedeschi Trucks Band concert last night, that was the first time (in my memory) that I sat in the balcony. That allowed me to have a closer view of the spectacular ceiling of this wonderful palace. My camera phone photos do not do it justice, but I just wanted to share a bit of the historic venue.

Tedeschi Trucks Band January 20, 2017, Chicago Theatre

My wife and I had an absolute fabulous time at this show! When it comes to live music, there is, perhaps, nothing better than a good old fashioned jam band, and this 12 piece ensemble of tremendously talented musicians are as good as it gets. Derek Trucks grew up with, and was a member of, The Allman Brothers Band and there is no question that he brings that influence to Tedeschi Trucks Band. TTB is like a heavenly reincarnation of ABB. Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi are a guitar duo that rival Duane Allman and Dickey Betts, and Susan raises the ante with her beautiful and powerful voice. Along with bass, keyboards, and two drummers (ala ABB), add three wonderful background/lead vocalists and a three piece horn section, and then travel beyond the blues with elements of soul, gospel and jazz, and you’ve got a mix of some of the best American Rock music you will ever hear. Of all the concerts I’ve seen over several decades, The Allman Brothers Band (November 1, 1973 at the old Chicago Stadium) has always been one of the most memorable, and for pure musical enjoyment, this TTB show will be right up there with it. Last time I saw TTB was at the Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, NY (October 22, 2011). It was a good show in a very nice old building, but they were still a new band at the time, and being about 12 rows from the stage, I thought they were a bit too loud. This time around, with five years of experience under their belt, they were incredible. They played longer set with some great selections and they had more original material to choose from. Although we were in the rear balcony, we were lined up at dead center of the stage and the beautiful Chicago Theatre provided excellent acoustical sound. Some of the treats consisted of Luther Dickerson joining them for three songs, including their encore, Anyday which also evoked a bit of ABB’s Mountain Jam. The three-guitar jams were mesmerizing! There were also some very nice covers including Isn’t It A Pity (George Harrison) and Delta Lady (Leon Russell) with outstanding lead vocal by Mike Mattison. Another cool segment was an improvisational moment that was generically called Tribute To Miles Davis. Although I did think of Miles Davis when I heard it, I also felt like they were channeling segments of Frank Zappa’s album, The Grand Wazoo. And, of course, the many guitar jams were phenomenal. I could have listened all night! Tedeschi Trucks Band tours inexhaustibly and I hope they keep up the pace because I’ve decided that from this point on, I am going to have to see them every time they come to town.

Set 1:

1.     Isn't It a Pity (George Harrison cover) (with Luther Dickinson)

2.     Get What You Deserve (The Derek Trucks Band cover)

3.     Do I Look Worried (Made Up My Mind)

4.     Until You Remember (Revelator)

5.     Key to the Highway (Charles Segar cover) (with Luther Dickinson)

6.     Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever (Four Tops cover)

7.     Improvisation - Miles Davis Tribute

8.     Had to Cry Today (Blind Faith cover)

Set 2:

9.    Color of the Blues (George Jones cover)

10.  Anyhow (Let Me Get By)

11.  Bound for Glory (Revelator)

12.  Don't Drift Away (Made Up My Mind)

13.  Delta Lady (Leon Russell cover)

14.  Crying Over You (Let Me Get By)

15.  I Pity the Fool (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)

16.  Idle Wind (Made Up My Mind)

Encore:

17.  Anyday (Derek and the Dominos cover) (with Luther Dickinson)