The Final Concert

On Tuesday, October 28th, 2014, after 45 years of performing the greatest live music in rock history, The Allman Brothers Band had arrived at its final concert. The dream created by Duane Allman in 1969 had come to fruition, gone through triumph and tragedy, joy and sorrow, flourished and faltered, and ultimately persevered to reach the pinnacle of the blues rock genre. The road had seemingly gone on forever, but, in 2014, the group decided that forever would come to an end at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

Now, in recognition of the 10th anniversary, fans can own a piece of rock‘n’roll history when "Final Concert 10-28-14" is officially released via Peach Records. Remastered here with improved sound quality, "Final Concert 10-28-14" was available digitally on October 25th, 2024, and as a special 3 CD package with extensive 16 page booklet featuring exclusive photos and liner notes on November 22nd.

“Having joined the Allman Brothers Band in 1991, I had no idea what I was getting myself into as a percussionist joining 2 drummers on stage”, percussionist Marc Quinones notes looking back. “Fast forward 23 years to the last show we played as the Allman Brothers Band. I feel honored to have been part of such a historical musical force that was and is The Allman Brothers Band”.

The Beacon Theatre was the appropriate location for the band to make its last stand, the Allmans had logged more appearances there than any other venue and had also set a Broadway record, with 237 consecutive sold out shows at the venerable hall. Starting in 1989, the Allman’s annual run at the Beacon became a rite of passage in Manhattan; “March Madness”, A.B.B.-style, marked the 1st sign of spring in New York City. Fans from around the globe traveled to the Upper West Side to be captivated by the group’s riveting shows. As Duane Allman once said, “We’re spreading a religion here”, and the Beacon became a musical house of worship.

Although there was still some gas in the tank, the members of the band, founders Gregg Allman, Jaimoe and Butch Trucks, along with longtime cohorts Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Marc Quinones and Oteil Burbridge, concluded it was best to go out on top.

The band wanted a set list that would be a montage of its career, one that would pay homage to the original 6, Duane, Gregg, Jaimoe, Butch, Berry Oakley and Dickey Betts, while also drawing from the group’s vast catalogue. With input from everyone, Warren Haynes compiled a spectacular, 3 set show. Almost 30 songs, drawn from 6 albums, along with 3 strong covers that represented the musical trajectory of the group.

A gentle snippet from Duane’s composition “Little Martha”, performed by Warren and Derek, kicked off the performance; then the rolling tympani introduction to “Mountain Jam” ratcheted up the intensity, and the group never looked back. The 1st set found the band in top form, with brilliance throughout, Gregg’s growl on “Not My Cross To Bear”, Jaimoe, Butch and Marc pounding through “One Way Out”, the soaring guitar interplay of “High Cost Of Low Living”, a “Blue Sky” nod to Dickey Betts, and an emotional “Soul Serenade” tease in “You Don’t Love Me”.

Set 2 featured vintage Allman tunes, including a stomping “Statesboro Blues”, the poignant “Ain’t Wasting Time No More”, a scorching “The Sky Is Crying”, and an ethereal “Dreams”. The band took a break before heading into an unprecedented 3rd set, making this one of the longest shows in Allman Brothers history. A tender “Melissa” started the final act of The Allman Brothers Band, along with a return to “Mountain Jam”, which included a segue into the appropriate “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”, a song this iteration of the group had never played. Oteil’s thudding bass kicked off “Whipping Post”, and the force of The Allman Brothers Band was on full display for everyone to experience and remember.

Afterwards, Gregg, Butch and Jaimoe shared a few thoughts with the mesmerized audience, with Butch perfectly stating, “We’re going to bookend The Allman Brothers Band, end it with the song we started with”. For the last time, the familiar strains of “Trouble No More” burst forth from the speakers, short, sweet, and to the point, 45 years, encapsulated in 4 minutes.

This marathon show ended early in the morning of October 29th, which was the 43rd anniversary of Duane’s Allman’s passing.