Friday, January 28, 2000
Trucks Band a few songs behind Allmans
BY CHRIS VARIAS
Enquirer contributor
Judging by an appearance at Riverbend last summer, the Allman Brothers Band is quickly becoming the star vehicle of Derek Trucks. Forget about people refering to the 20-year-old guitarist and newest Brother as drummer Butch Trucks' nephew. The way Derek ran away with that show, they'll be calling Butch Derek's uncle.
But even if the Allmans never officially hand the band over to Mr. Truck, he can continue to front his namesake band. Band No. 1 is hibernating for the winter, so it's road time for the Derek Trucks Band, which made a stop at the BarrelHouse Brewing Co. in Over-the-Rhine Wednesday night.
Mr. Trucks may currently be the Allman Brothers' top soloist, but that doesn't mean his own band is better than the mothership. The Allmans have the songs, they have Greg Allman's singing, and they have Dickey Betts to push the young gun.
The two-hour, two-set performance did have its shining moments, but two hours of mainly instrumental funk and blues shuffles is only so compelling. Instrumental piece bled into instrumental piece, and any semblance of song was rare and welcome.
The show, unlike the average Allmans' performance where viewers might be blinded by a 30-foot mushroom pulsating on a video screen, was a nice opportunity for guitar enthusiasts to study how Mr. Trucks does it. He didn't hit a bum note all night, and his slide playing was impeccable.
And though the sellout crowd of 290 was into just about everything, they seemed to be hoping for some recognizable songs. The biggest reaction came when the band busted out the Grateful Dead concert staple “Turn on Your Love Light” to close the first set.
The band's a good one, anchored by six-string bassist Todd Smallie and drummer Yonrico Scott. Kofi Burbridge's keyboard and flute solos during the funk selections were a close second to the boss'. And Bill McKay was as poor man's Mr. Allman — decent keyboard solos, leather-throat vocals, unkempt beard and all.
Mr. Trucks comes from the psychedelic blues player school that made the Allmans who they are. Still, it all comes down to songs, and the Derek Trucks Band doesn't have them. But they're a pleasant diversion until the men with the magic mushrooms return.
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Trucks Band a few songs behind Allmans
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