Photo credit: Kaelan Barowsky
Last night, on May 16, The Allman Betts Band made a triumphant return to the stage, marking their first tour in over three years. This post-pandemic comeback/ inaugural stop on their King Crawler jaunt, was a momentous occasion for fans and music enthusiasts alike. Led by Duane Betts and Devon Allman, the band delved into their rich repertoire of original music and also paid home to material from their fathers’ Allman Brothers collection. A new member of the band, drummer Alex Orbison, son of the legendary Roy Orbison, added a fresh dynamic to the performance, stepping in for the late R. Scott Bryan, a founding member of the Allman Betts Band who passed away in December 2023.
Clicking into the tour’s namesake track, the band picked up their Southern start on “King Crawler,” featured on 2020’s Bless Your Heart. Continuing with pulls off the aforementioned album. “Airboats & Cocaine” surfaced before the ensuing barn burner “Magnolia Road.” Taking another set back and entering Rhe Allman Betts Band 019 canon of studio work, they took on Down to The River originator “Autumn Breeze.”
The show’s initial Allman Brothers Band cover arrived in the form of instrumental favorite “Jessica,” which felt like a distinct nod toward Duane’s father, the late Dickey Betts, who passed away on April 18, 2024. Saddling up for the next pair of songs, the group worked through a feature of Devon’s father’s revered ABB contributions, “Midnight Rider,” before dropping back into originals from second-generation rockers on “Pale Horse Rider.”
Resuming, the Allman Brothers Band penned favorites, Duane and Devon, and their backing band reprised “Dreams” before leaving the audience with “Long Gone.” Returning to the stage for the night’s encore, the core group tapped into “Carolina Song,” a locationally fitting feature, and “Savannah’s Dream,” before a classic “Blue Sky” marked the night’s conclusion.
In a press release shared by the group this morning, Duane remarked, “It feels great to have the Allman Betts Band back together for this tour. We have a very special bond and it’s always a blast when we get together on that stage. We will miss our brother R. Scott Bryan immensely but very grateful to have our long-time friend Alex Orbison with us.”
Devon also shared a quote, adding, “Effortless and great vibes to be back on tour with my brothers…The Allman Betts Band is really a home-base for all of us, where we can celebrate our friendship, our history, our original music and our father’s music. It’s a very special circle of cats. I know R. Scott’s spirit is always with us and he just loved Orbi so much, so it’s all pretty poetic”
Touching on his own debut, Orbinson tacked on, “Having played alongside R. Scott Bryan for years in the Allman Betts Family Revival I got to know his spirit and style which was so special. It’s an honor to take over his seat and bring that spirit into the band, it’s also a challenge because let’s face it the guy was a wizard at what he did!”
Scroll down to view last night’s setlist. For more information on The Allman Betts Band’s impending tour stops, visit their website.
The Allman Betts Band
Charleston Music Hall – Charleston, S.C.
May 16, 2024
Set: King Crawler, Airboats & Cocaine, Magnolia Road, Autumn Breeze, Jessica, Midnight Rider, Pale Horse Rider, Dreams, Long Gone
Enc.: Carolina Song, Savannah’s Dream, Blue Sky