The Allman Brothers Band may no longer host and play Florida’s Wanee Music Festival, but its former members, music and spirit pervaded the event. Performing were Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes with Gov’t Mule and The Ashes & Dust Band, Les Brers featuring Butch Trucks and Jaimoe and Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, plus the Devon Allman Band (Gregg’s son).
Haynes – who played guitar in the ABB from 1989 to 1997 and 2001 to 2014 – was the most active link among all the Bros. during this year’s festival. He sat in with Gregg Allman (on “Dreams’), as also did guitarist Jack Pearson (who was in the Allmans ’97 to ’99) for “Southbound.”
Haynes also joined headliners Widespread Panic on stage and played with Les Brers on Willie Dixon’s “The Same Thing.”
Fans who miss the Allmans were treated to a late-night three-hour set by Les Brers (see our news story on the band here) that revived the legendary classic rock group’s spirit. Les Brers take their name from the second song on the ABB’s 1972 album Eat A Peach, and is centered around the group’s original drummers Trucks and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson. Its membership includes bassist Oteil Burbridge and percussionist Marc Quinones from the final Allman Brothers Band lineup as well as Pearson, and the group’s singer is Lamar Williams, Jr., son of bassist Lamar Williams who played in the ABB from 1972 to ’76.
The fest appearance was Les Brers third show following the band’s debut in January at the Fort Lauderdale club Revolution for two nights. Their set included such Allmans classics as “Dreams,” “Jessica,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Whipping Post.”
Gregg Allman recently said that even though the Allman Brothers Band retired in 2014, they might well play together again in the future. Smart money might lay bets on a future Wanee as the site of that reunion.
