The Allman Brothers still have it.
The band played to a completely sold out venue at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sept. 5.
An anxious crowd waited only somewhat patiently as the opening band, Railroad Earth, started the show. While die-hard Railroad fans happily stamped their feet to the music, Allman Brothers fans waited in their seats.
“I’m excited for the whole show,” said Dana Lee, a Boulder resident and Allman Brothers’ fan. “They’re getting older, and its kinda fun that they can still come play at Red Rocks.”
Suddenly the stage goes dim and the crowd roars; this is what they’ve been waiting for. A few minutes is all it takes for the roadies to rearrange some equipment and drop a large screen from the ceiling. As the screen lights up and the band takes the stage, every single person in the crowded amphitheater rises to their feet.
Surprisingly, the Allman Brothers didn’t start with any of their well-known classics, opening the set with instrumentals. Starting off slow, the band jams on, leaving fans aching for the lyrics to start.
When vocalist and organ player Gregg Allman finally opens his mouth to sing, he doesn’t disappoint. The rough, soulful voice that drew fans to the music in the beginning is still as strong as ever.
The screen behind the band shows a constant stream of psychedelic graphics, and not just the typical swirling colors seen at other concerts. Flowers turn in to clouds, images of water and earth rush by and there is a reoccurring mushroom theme.
While the graphics were impressive, they almost came across as too trendy. The entire concert seemed to be a struggle to satisfy the wide range of generations represented in the crowd.
Young college hippie types with flowers in their hair and long skirts can be seen with their arms raised, dancing to the wordless music, and right next to them sit aging Flower Children looking happy, but a bit out of place.
The biggest upset of the show was the lack of seats. A combination of both reserved seating and general admission caused confusion, with fierce territoriality for sitting and standing room running rampant. Many listeners were forced to stand in aisles and behind trees with obstructed views of the stage.
Even though there were problems, and even though hits such as “Ramblin’ Man,” “Blue Sky” and “Jessica” went unheard throughout the show, when the band took the stage for an encore and played “Melissa,” the collective cheer of the crowd proved that the music of this iconic band still has power.
Contact CU Independent News Editor Emily Zarka at Emily.Zarka@colorado.edu.
