The classic-rock parade that began on Travers Day with Chicago and Earth Wind and Fire at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC, routes 9 and 50) continues when the Doobie Brothers and Gregg Allman team up there on Friday.
OK, but which Doobie Brothers, and who’s playing with Gregg Allman now that the Allman Brothers seem permanently disbanded?
Gregg plays keyboards, guitar (he played guitar before his late, great brother Duane) and sings lead, with Scott Sharrard, guitar; Peter Levin, keyboards; both Steve Potts and (former Allman Brother) Marc Quinones, drums and percussion; bassist Ron Johnson (longtime member of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and fresh from former Allman Brother Warren Haynes’ Band), and horn players Jay Collins and Art Edmaiston.
Starting in 1973 when the Allman Brothers were getting their second wind, Gregg made 10 solo albums, mostly moving back toward the blues, including the new “Back to Macon, GA,” and he ably starred in the all-star tribute “All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman” at Atlanta’s Fox Theater last year — now available as a live CD/DVD.
Doobie personnel
The Doobie Brothers include founders/guitar players/singers Tom Johnston, Pat Simmons and John McFee, with newcomers John Cowan, bass; drummers Ed Toth and Tony Pia; keyboardist Guy Allison and saxophonist Marc Russo. Former Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne has also been playing on this tour and on “The Tonight Show” — where singer/keyboardist Michael McDonald also played.
McDonald is not on this tour, and without his soul voice and R&B/pop songs, the Doobie Brothers seem to be reaching back to their biker-bar guitar-band origins.
At a recent show — part of Gregg Allman’s Laid Back Festival at Jones Beach — the Doobies launched their show with upbeat vintage numbers “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Rockin’ Down the Highway” and “Dependin’ On You.” They closed with “Long Train Runnin’ ” and stayed uptempo with encores of “China Grove” and “Listen to the Music.”
For his part, on a co-headline show more recently in Boston, Allman started — no surprise! — with the Allman Brothers’ longtime launching pad “Statesboro Blues” in a mostly hits run including “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” “Melissa,” “It’s Not My Cross to Bear,” “Midnight Rider,” “Whipping Post” and “Southbound” — plus the newer “Soulshine” and Gregg’s solo hit “I’m No Angel.” Maybe not, but he was reportedly in good voice and played well.
Show time is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $85-$35. 800-745-3000. www.livenation.com/venues/14310/saratoga-performing-arts-center-spac.
Season closer
On Sunday, the Zac Brown Band closes the season at SPAC, the Atlanta country-rock crew having become annual favorites.
Their four albums have sold 7 million copies and won three Grammy awards, and they’re playing stadiums on this Jekyll + Hyde tour.
Behind Brown’s guitar and lead vocals, the Zac Brown Band is Matt Mangano, bass; Daniel De Los Reyes, percussion; Jimmy De Martini, fiddle; Chris Fryar, drums; and versatile guys who play keyboards, guitars and other things with strings: John Driskell Hopkins, Coy Bowles and Clay Cook. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. $72.50-$32.50
As long as we’re talking milestones here, a look back at the Allman Brothers Band rings up two Grammy awards, 11 gold and five platinum albums, admission to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and numerous honors in Rolling Stone magazine’s Greatest Of All Time lists including No. 52 on the Greatest Artists of All Time.
As for the Doobie Brothers, their 14 albums have sold 40 million copies, and they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Reach Gazette columnist Michael Hochanadel at [email protected]
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