Dickey Betts – Live From The Lone Star Roadhouse, New York City 1988
Rock Beat – 2024
CD1: 11 tracks; 78 minutes
CD2: 6 tracks; 51 minutes
Part of this set was first released for Record Store Day in 2018 but this double CD provides the entire show from a date in NYC on November 1, 1988, adding eight tracks, from what was, at the time, a new album from The Dickey Betts Band, entitled Pattern Disruptive. This was an interesting period for Dickey who made his name with The Allman Brothers Band but was now going out under his own name. The band at the time was Dickey on guitar and vocals, Warren Haynes on guitar, slide and vocals, Johnny Neel on keyboards, harp and vocals, Matt Abts on drums and Marty Privette on bass; Dickey, Warren and Johnny would go on to join the reformed ABB in 1990 whilst Warren and Matt remain the core of Gov’t Mule today. This show blends Betts-penned ABB tunes with a few of the band’s staples with eight of the ten tracks from Pattern Disruptive.
CD1 mixes three of Dickey’s classic ABB tunes with seven from Pattern Disruptive. The Allman tunes are “Blue Sky” and the two instrumentals, “Jessica” and “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed”. “Blue Sky” is superb, the twin guitar work excellent and, although Dickey’s vocals remain country-tinged, this version rocks a little harder than the Eat A Peach original with tough slide from Warren, lyrical guitar from Dickey and outstanding piano from Johnny. “Jessica” wraps up the first set in a lengthy 14 minute version while “Elizabeth Reed” is even longer, allowing time for a brief drum feature. The only tune from Pattern Disruptive to make the 2018 release was another instrumental, Dickey’s lovely tribute to his lost bandmate, “Duane’s Tune” and it’s another fine track. However, there is little wrong with the rest of the new material, from rocking opener “Rock Bottom” and Warren’s gruff vocals on “Time To Roll” (which one could see as typical Gov’t Mule material) to Johnny’s “The Blues Ain’t Nothin’”, a solid slice of rocking blues. “Far Cry” again features Johnny on vocals and twinkling piano that contrasts with the rest of a pretty heavy slice of blues-rock while “Heartbreak Line” rocks along well with Dickey’s lighter vocal and some scintillating slide work. Perhaps the pick of the unreleased material is a country-inflected tune with dobro and good vocal harmonies, Dickey stating that he “don’t want to be president, never had much luck with government. I don’t want to be the king of fame, I just want to be your Loverman”.
CD2 has just one of the Pattern Disruptive tunes, “Under The Guns Of Love”, which builds up a head of steam after a moody, slide-driven opening. Then it’s guest time, Rick Derringer lending a hand on two Allman classics, starting with “Statesboro Blues” and, whilst nobody can ever replace Duane Allman’s inimitable slide style, this is a really good version, Warren playing great slide and delivering the vocal lines in very similar style to Gregg Allman. “One Way Out” races along with all three guitarists featured on an extended version that runs close to ten minutes, the audience clearly enjoying it as they are encouraged to sing the chorus! Rick Derringer is rewarded for his contribution by leading the band through a short, wild take on his most famous song, “Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo” before handing over to no less than Jack Bruce and Mick Taylor to lead the band through an extended version of “Spoonful”, very much in the Cream style rather than Howling Wolf. The tune does take a while to get going but once it does Jack’s commanding vocal and the triple threat of guitarists makes for a top jam session. We return to Dickey’s ABB material with “Southbound”, here with all the guests involved, so there are four guitarists present and solo space for everyone.
Dickey Betts died earlier this year, aged 80, and deserves to be remembered for his great contribution to the music, notably as a founding member of the Allman Brothers. The release of the full concert pays suitable tribute to him and is well worth your attention.
