Weeks before the Allman Family Revival Tour kicks off with an opening date in his hometown of St. Louis, Devon Allman is busy keeping the touring roadshow’s various preproduction logistics up and running. There’s merchandise to approve, video wall art curating, reflections for his own group, The Allman Betts Band, and set lists that vary from city to city.
“It’s a constantly changing landscape,” Allman said in a phone interview from St. Louis. “The core set list will be the same throughout, but there will be certain nights that new artists will perform, so there will be an tweak every night. It really makes 19 setlists and everything that goes with them to prepare them. “
The Allman Family Revival concept grew faster than Allman learned to delegate. What began as an invitation concert in memory of his late father Gregg at Fillmore West, inspired by the concert documentary The Last Waltz from 1976, developed with increasing demand.
“This is the first time we’ve put this celebration on tour,” says Allman. “We started it five years ago in San Francisco and it worked really well so they wanted to do it next year and wanted to do it two nights. So we did that, and next year a couple of other cities wanted the revival, like San Francisco, Denver, New York City. We have 19 cities this year so it’s full on tour and it’s just a big beast. It has many moving parts. “
Based on the Waltz format, a concert by The Band with guest appearances by Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison and Neil Young, Allman Family Revival features artists playing one of their own songs and a popular Allman Brothers cover with the support of Allman Betts Band on. The December 2019 show at Fillmore West features Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Wet Willie harmonica players Jimmy Hall, Big Head Todd and Robin Zander performing “Surrender” by Cheap Trick and Roy Orbison’s “Oh, beautiful woman.”
Randolph and Hall are on deck for the Las Vegas edition of Allman Family Revival as well as drummers Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp), Marc Ford (The Black Crowes), Cody and Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars and Sons of Producer Jim Dickinson), Lilly Hiatt (daughter of John Hiatt) and Lamar Williams Jr., whose father replaced the original Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley.
Oakley’s namesake plays bass in the Allman Betts Band alongside guitarists / singers Duane Betts and Devon Allman. The revival gives her family the opportunity to consolidate musical blood ties and, in the case of the opening duo River Kittens, to found new ones.
“One plays acoustically (guitar), the other the mandolin. Amazing harmonies, ”says Allman. “I had to produce their debut album and put it on my label. You’re from St. Louis. They are really snappy, funny. Just incredibly talented. You always win the crowd. … You will get everyone out, let everyone go and be ready to have a good time. “
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, axs.com
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