This past Friday night at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Tedeschi Trucks Band returned for its annual run at the storied Colorado venue, and from the first minutes of the show—gorgeous covers of Led Zeppelin’s take on “Bring It On Home” and George Harrison’s iconic “Isn’t It a Pity”—I was reminded why, pound for pound, slide-guitarist Derek Trucks is, for me at least, the best soloist in popular music.
TTB doesn’t need psychedelic visuals, or really any sort of light show beyond a few jellyfish-looking chandeliers, because Trucks’ beautiful improvisations—almost all on a Gibson SG—are so captivating, lyrical, and, well, never boring. I’m not sure there is another player today, outside of jazz, who can play with nearly the same tone—practically devoid of effects and always with something to say—that can grab the attention and the hearts of thousands of concertgoers, the moment he or she gets the nod to just go.
The first time I saw Trucks play guitar was in November 1999 at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, when he was 18 and I was 19; he was playing in Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh’s band on a co-headlining tour with Bob Dylan. This was around the same time Trucks joined his late uncle, drummer Butch Trucks, in the Allman Brothers Band. Even as a teenager, Trucks was already one of rock’s most mesmerizing and tasteful guitarists.
Twenty-five years later, Tedeschi Trucks Band is one of the most exciting groups in live music year after year because vocalist/guitarist Susan Tedeschi, Trucks’ wife, was a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter-guitarist years before the duo even met. Together as a collaborative unit, they combine explosive instrumental prowess, continually powerful songwriting, and a shared love of the American blues, rock, and country songbooks, which they pull from each night at will.
Mike Mattison, who was the lead singer in the Derek Trucks Band before Tedeschi Trucks Band was a thing, took charge on the boot-stomping revival number “Get What You Deserve” on Friday night. In contrast, there were other times when the band took hold instrumentally and jammed out Allmans-style (on three different ABB covers on Friday) while the backup singers and horn section walked off stage—showing how TTB has something for everyone. But even more than witnessing Trucks’ lyrical solos, which can be intricate and emotional or downright volcanic, the Tedeschi Trucks Band is a must-see attraction because of Tedeschi’s vocal and guitar power on originals like “Made Up Mind”, which showed up mid-set Friday.
Tedeschi can grab a giant audience’s attention with her bluesy voice just as impressively as Trucks can do so with his guitar. When she is commanding a venue like Red Rocks with her voice and her songwriting, not to mention her own fiery guitar solos, it’s hard not to stop for a second and realize Tedeschi doesn’t need another guitarist in the band. She happens to have a bandmate, and husband, who might be the best electric-guitar soloist in popular music today, but it’s always astonishing to stop and realize Tedeschi is one hell of a guitarist, who would still have one hell of a band, with one hell of a catalog of original music and a treasure chest of amazing covers, if she’d never brought Trucks along.
Tedeschi began the encore section of Friday night at Red Rocks with a stunning rendition of Mike Reid’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me”, accompanied only by Gabe Dixon on keys. The inspirational “Soul Sweet Song” from 2022’s quadruple album I Am the Moon followed, and then the grand finale, TTB’s heavy-duty, always-uplifting take on “Keep On Growing” from the Derek and the Dominos album that gave Trucks his first name.
Nashville sensation Margo Price, with Boulder transplant Jamie Davis on lead guitar, opened both nights of TTB at Red Rocks, and her big-time country voice soared as the moon began to shine. She looked at Davis at one point and said, “Sure beats busking on Pearl Street, don’t it?” Other than a kerfuffle with TTB’s poster artist for the weekend—who got in trouble when fans pointed out his Red Rocks poster appeared AI-generated—it was another near-perfect visit to Colorado for a band that keeps on growing.
Check out some videos from the 2024 Tedeschi Trucks Band run at Red Rocks along with audio from taper SouthboundMT. The band’s Deuces Wild Tour continues through October with dates across the U.S. Find tickets and a full list of concerts on TTB’s website. Tedeschi Trucks Band is now streaming on nugs, with a growing archive of live performances dating back to 2017. Check out the band’s live recordings here. [Editor’s Note: Live For Live Music is a nugs affiliate. Ordering your nugs subscription or purchasing a download via the links on this page helps support our coverage of the world of live music. Thank you for reading!]
Tedeschi Trucks Band — “Bring It On Home” (Sonny Boy Williamson) [Pro-Shot] — 7/26/24
Tedeschi Trucks Band — “Soul Sweet Song”, “Keep On Growing” (Derek And The Dominos) — 7/26/24
[Video: RhymanTube]
Tedeschi Trucks Band — “Wah-Wah” (George Harrison), “What Is And What Should Never Be” (Led Zeppelin) [Pro-Shot] — 7/27/24
Tedeschi Trucks Band — “Get Out My Life, Woman” (Allen Toussaint) > “Who Knows” (Band Of Gypsys) — 7/27/24
[Video: RhymanTube]
Tedeschi Trucks Band — Red Rocks Amphitheatre — Morrison, CO — 7/26/24 — Full Audio
Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 7/26/24
Set: Bring It On Home (Sonny Boy Williamson cover) [1], Isn’t It a Pity (George Harrison), Playing With My Emotions, Ain’t That Something, Get What You Deserve (The Derek Trucks Band), Until You Remember, I Want More > Beck’s Bolero (Jeff Beck), It Ain’t Fair (Aretha Franklin) > Dreams (The Allman Brothers Band), Come and Go Blues (The Allman Brothers Band), Made Up Mind, Part of Me [2], Just Won’t Burn, Pasaquan > Mountain Jam (The Allman Brothers Band) > Pasaquan (reprise)
Encore: I Can’t Make You Love Me (Mike Reid), Soul Sweet Song, Keep On Growing (Derek and the Dominos)
[1] Led Zeppelin arrangement
[2] “I Can Feel You Smiling” tease
Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 7/27/24
Set: Wah-Wah (George Harrison), What Is and What Should Never Be (Led Zeppelin), Do I Look Worried, Angel From Montgomery (John Prine cover) > Sugaree (Jerry Garcia), Anyhow > Chevrolet (Lonnie Young, Ed Young & Lonnie Young, Jr.), Bound for Glory, I Am the Moon, Get Out of My Life, Woman (Allen Toussaint) >
Who Knows (Band of Gypsys), Idle Wind [1], Looking for Answers, Shame, Midnight In Harlem, Space Captain (Matthew Moore)
Encore: Got My Mo-Jo Working (But It Just Won’t Work on You) (Ann Cole with the Suburbans), I Walked on Guilded Splinters (Dr. John)
[1] “Maki Madni” tease and drum solo
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