Album: “Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival [Di”

Description

Allman Brothers Band: Gregg Allman (vocals, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards); Berry Oakley (vocals, bass); Duane Allman, Dickie Betts (guitar); Thom Doucette (harmonica); Butch Trucks, J. Johnny Johnson (drums, percussion). <p>Additional personnel: Johnny Winter (guitar). <p>Recorded live at the Atlanta Internation Pop Festival, Atlanta, Georgia, July 3 & 4, 1970. Includes liner notes by Kirk West. <p>The 1970 Atlanta International Pop Festival was one of the first big rock festivals of the decade, beating out the Isle of Wight by over a month. It was also home turf for the Allman Brothers, who were invited to play the opening and closing sets of the three-day event. In retrospect, it's interesting to note how--despite their penchant for extended jams--the Allmans were somewhat at odds with the flower-child ethic of the day; after the MC delivers a classic hippie/stoner intro, the tough, raw opening strains of "Statesboro Blues" come off as delightfully incongruous. Nevertheless, the band's improvisational blues-rock majesty made them a crowd-pleaser. It's easy to see why; the level of energy (and musicianship) here equals, if not surpasses their legendary live Fillmore East recordings from the following year, which showcase much of the same material. <p>Dickey Betts and Duane Allman's guitars play ably against Greg Allman's thick organ voicings and the percolating polyrhythms of drummers Butch Trucks and J. Johnny Johnson. Between-song announcements of a rain delay and the opening of the gates to non-paying fans reinforce the Woodstock-era vibe, making this two-disc set effective as both a musical and historical document.