As President Biden’s State of the Union speech took place across town last night, Tedeschi Trucks Band concluded three-night run at the historic Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. with a sprawling set that lasted over two hours, with no intermission, and memorably featured lead guitarist Derek Trucks’ fellow Allman Brothers Band family member Duane Betts on a couple of ABB classics.
Betts, the son of legendary Allmans guitarist Dickey Betts, kicked the evening at the gilded Warner off with an acoustic trio set. Duane is named after iconic Allman Brothers guitarist Duane Allman, who died at just 24 and famously played on “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos, which inspired the first name of TTB’s Derek Trucks, nephew of Allmans drummer Butch Trucks. It’s a lot of family tree to keep track of, but when Trucks and Betts were blazing dual-guitar solos on “Blue Sky” and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” late in Thursday night’s set, they both looked and sounded the part of their relatives circa 1972.
Let’s not forget the queen of the ball, though: The more I see the talented, powerful Susan Tedeschi perform with TTB (at Red Rocks, at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, and now at the stunning, 100-year-old Warner) the more I realize that Tedeschi—who was a Grammy-nominated, internationally revered blues singer-songwriter and guitarist for a long time before collaborating with, or marrying, Trucks) doesn’t exactly need Derek. She writes incredible songs (and is a walking songbook of classic blues and rock), sings them with passion that reaches the heavens, rips impressive solos, and takes responsibility for all of TTB’s onstage banter. Tedeschi is division winner, if you will, without Derek, but the moment her husband starts a slide-guitar solo, the Tedeschi Trucks band is suddenly a World Series Champion.
Related: Tedeschi Trucks Band Opens 2024 Tour With Bruce Springsteen Cover Debut In Atlantic City [Videos]
Dipping into the catalogs of Sleepy John Estes, Blind Joe Reynolds, Trucks’ namesake Derek and the Dominos, and even avant-garde jazzman Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Tedeschi Trucks Band on Thursday put on a clinic highlighting many genres of music as well as the many talents of its diverse and brilliant bandmembers, from backup singer Alecia Chakour’s skyscraping, commanding turn in the spotlight on Aretha Franklin’s “It Ain’t Fair” (which also originally featured Duane Allman on guitar) to trombonist Elizabeth Lea’s repeated chances to show her creativity and badassery on extended solos while Trucks stood close and egged her on.
Even up near the last rows of seats at the Warner—which has hosted everyone from Duke Ellington to the Rolling Stones—where it feels like you can touch the ceiling, the sound is loud and clear, and it’s easy to appreciate the $10 million renovations that, in 1989, restored the elegant theater to its original, ornate glory. If you can see a truly American band like Tedeschi Trucks in such a beautiful setting, one that transports you back in time, consider yourself lucky—even if TTB could amaze at a tin-roof shack.
Tedeschi Trucks Band’s 2024 tour continues on Saturday night with a performance at Baltimore, MD’s Hippodrome Theatre. For a full list of the band’s upcoming shows, head here. View the full setlist from Thursday evening and check out videos of the Allman Brothers Band covers featuring Duane Betts below.
Tedeschi Trucks Band w/ Duane Betts – “Blue Sky” (The Allman Brothers Band) – 3/7/24
[Video: mshalfstep]
Tedeschi Trucks Band w/ Duane Betts – “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” (The Allman Brothers Band) – 3/7/24
[Video: mshalfstep]
Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band | Warner Theatre | Washington, D.C. | 3/7/24
Set: Just as Strange, Tell the Truth (Derek and the Dominos), Don’t Drift Away, Fall In, I Am the Moon, Idle Wind, It Ain’t Fair (Aretha Franklin), Outside Woman Blues (Blind Joe Reynolds), Midnight in Harlem, Leaving Trunk (Sleepy John Estes) > Volunteered Slavery (Rahsaan Roland Kirk), Just Won’t Burn (Susan Tedeschi), Blue Sky (Allman Brothers Band) [1], In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Allman Brothers Band) [1]
Encore: Soul Sweet Song, How Blue Can You Get? (Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers)
[1] with Duane Betts (guitar)
Notes: The Duane Betts Duo opened the night with TTB’s Tyler Greenwell on percussion throughout.
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