from »p58 compromise when it comes "You've got all those people and they're great, and to the music. "The Allman Brothers Band, with maybe some of them could give you a lot more insight all the various players, they don't care about any- into the valleys and peaks and metamorphosis of the thing else," Podell says. "And the same attitude Allman Brothers Band. And for the kids, even if they that Duane Allman had, which was to commu- end up going in another direction and today love Dave nicate very little verbally with the audience, still Matthews or Jack Johnson, part of their education was

goes on today. They're not about singing anybody to listen to ... 'At Fillmore East' and 'Eat a Peach.' I 'Happy Birthday,' they're not about talking Obama think it was part of all of our educations. I was just and McCain from their pulpit. And lucky enough to be educated on the job." when I lapse into, 'This is what we've And promoters, veteran and young alike, under- got to do to grow,' they remind me, stand that the Allman Brothers' focus has always been 'This is what you got to do. We're just on the music. "Fortunately for me, I was there at the playing music.' " beginning," says Live Nation Philadelphia president Trucks says it takes only "about 10 TOURING Larry Magid, whose tenure in the business parallels minutes" to get back into the groove after CONFERENCE the Allmans'. "What I saw and felt was a remarkable a break. "We used to have to get together transformation and blending of American music. and spend several weeks in rehearsal just Through the years, through the ups and downs, the trying to refresh what we did before," he Allman Brothers Band has not lost its verve or its in- says. "With this band, we can go three or AWARDS tegrity. Their impact has been felt and heartfelt." four months and put the band back on- Holman says the band is not about complicated stage with no rehearsal and not have a riders and frivolous demands. "This band has always mistake. We don't have to rehearse, but THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND in been about the integrity of the music, and I think that being said, after we play three or four May 1969 in Muscle that's why they've sustained," he says. "Certainly any- weeks together, we get more confident." Shoals, Ala. one that has been around this business for any amount "When everybody's focusing on just remembering the songs, of time has been a part of this. And their part of this it takes a little away from the of exploratory track," Trucks says. continue to grow, you continue to create." integrity is they've allowed this band to present the music the way "By the end of the tour, the songs are tight enough to where we Indeed, the one constant of the Allman Brothers is change. they want to present it, without compromise." can experiment a lot more." "Every night there is a slightly different approach," Holman says. The date of the Billboard Touring Awards and Legend of Live Haynes, Burbridge, Quinones and Derek Trucks "have clearly "It's never the same. Half the time it's subliminal, they don't even honor has particular significance for the band. "Nov. 20, by the added to the legacy of the Allman Brothers Band," Podell says. realize they're doing it. They go where their fingers take them. way, is my brother's birthday," Allman says. "That slayed me when "These guys, on any given night, the way they play, it pushes the They're pushing things all the time." I heard that. That's got to be a good thing."

[original members] in a way that only younger guys can push Paralleling the makeup of the band, today's audience for the Next year, the Allman Brothers Band will stage its 40th - older guys." Allman Brothers is a wide mix of longtime fans and those under anniversary tour, kicked off by what's sure to be an electric March Jaimoe says the musical journey of the Allman Brothers Band 30 who have become converts. run at New York's Beacon Theatre. is ongoing. "It's still developing," he says. "It's fun, because I "It's great to have the people there who have seen 200 shows and "I'd love to tell you what we have planned, but it's just kick ass, know a little more what I'm doing now. It takes a lifetime, be- can tell you about the night at Ludlow's Garage in Cincinnati in that's all I can tell you," Allman says. "We're going to pitch a wang cause you hear things differently, so it takes offal] over again. You 1970 or when they saw them at the Fillmore West," Podell says. dang doodle all night long." -Ray Waddell F.E.A. MERCHANDISE CONGRATULATES

THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER

60 BILLBOARD NOVEMBER 22, 2008

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