The Allman Betts Band (Photo by Kaelan Barowsky)
The fifth annual Allman Family Revival Presented by Gibson is underway and it arrives locally with a bang at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Friday, Dec. 10.
The tour is also excited to announce the artist additions of Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke) and Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) who will join the star-studded event in select markets. Previously announced performers include The Allman Betts Band, Robert Randolph, Donavon Frankenreiter, Lilly Hiatt, Cody and Luther Dickinson, Eric Gales, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Jimmy Hall, Lamar Williams Jr. The Allman Family Revival will also feature Kenny Wayne Shepherd, G. Love, George Porter, Karl Denson, Marc Ford, Ivan Neville, Art Edmaiston, Beth Hart, J.D. Simo, Jessica Lynn, and Ally Venable, Samantha Fish, Alex Orbison, and Kenny Aronoff.
The Allman Family Revival is a celebration of the life, spirit, and music of Gregg Allman, hosted by his son, Blues Music Award-winning Devon Allman, and anchored by his group, The Allman Betts Band.
On what would have been Gregg Allman’s 70th Birthday (Dec. 8, 2017), Devon decided to gather his talented friends to pay homage musically. Musicians that had toured with Gregg, jammed with Gregg and inspired by Gregg turned up to throw down. Legends like Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, wunderkind Marcus King, and the Orbisons, all took part in the inaugural performance, laying the groundwork for The Allman Family Revival to be an annual who’s who of musical talent.
Now… it’s a yearly tradition, and it’s grown from an annual celebration in San Fransisco to a full fledged coast to coast tour. Based on the format of “The Last Waltz” concert with The Allman Betts Band as the house band and featuring up to a dozen marquee names in music, it’s an epic 3 hour show unlike any other.
“Hard to believe we are in the fifth year of The Allman Family Revival shows!” Devon said. “This year is going to be bonkers! 19 cities, coast to coast in historic theaters with our beautiful, talented friends jamming all night long. Can’t wait!”
Watch the official music video for “Pale Horse Rider” by The Allman Betts Band on YouTube:
2021 Allman Family Revival
11/27 @ The Factory | St. Louis, MO
11/29 @ Majestic Theater | Dallas, TX
11/30 @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater | Austin, TX
12/1 @ Saenger Theater | New Orleans, LA
12/2 @ Coca-Cola Roxy | Atlanta, GA
12/3 @ Van Wezel PAC | Sarasota, FL
12/5 @ The Paramount | Huntington, NY
12/7 @ Orpheum Theater | Boston, MA
12/8 @ Beacon Theater | New York, NY
12/9 @ The Met | Philadelphia, PA
12/10 @ The Fillmore | Silver Spring, MD
12/11 @ Michigan Theater | Ann Arbor, MI
12/12 @ Chicago Theater | Chicago, IL
12/14 @ Brady Theater | Tulsa, OK
12/16 @ Arizona Federal Theatre | Phoenix, AZ
12/17 @ Theater at Virgin Hotels | Las Vegas, NV
12/18 @ The Fillmore | San Francisco, CA
12/19 @ The Wiltern | Los Angeles, CA
12/31 @ Macon City Auditorium | Macon, GA
On Dec. 8, 2017, Devon Allman invited a couple dozen of his closest musical compadres onto the hallowed stage of The Fillmore to perform a three-hour, multi-set monster of a concert for the sold-out crowd that filled the historic San Francisco venue in tribute to Allman’s late father, Gregg. The date was bittersweet; what would’ve been Gregg’s 70th birthday. For Allman, in a year when the award-winning musician lost both parents within a few months of each other, what started as a simple idea of music as medicine had given birth to The Allman Family Revival: a happy and healing cosmic experience celebrating the life, spirit, and indelible musical legacy of Gregg Allman.
The format for this ambitious undertaking was inspired by one of rock’s most famous concerts (and film). “I had recently re-fallen in love with The Band’s The Last Waltz and thought that would be perfect: let our band come out and serve as the appetizer; then one-by-one welcome our special guests; have them do a song they are known for and also do an Allman-centric song,” Devon said.
Year one, the newly-formed Devon Allman Project with Duane Betts indeed welcomed a slew of heavyweights to the tribute: G. Love; Robert Randolph; Luther and Cody Dickinson; Alex Orbison; and Samantha Fish, to name a few. In 2018, Allman and Betts installed The Allman Betts Band as the Revival’s house band, adding wunderkind Marcus King to the already-impressive guest list for another sold-out affair at The Fillmore. By 2019, Allman extended the scope of the now-annual event, and the invites (including Cheap Trick’s legendary singer, Robin Zander), slating Allman Family Revival shows in San Francisco, Denver’s Mission Ballroom, and New York City’s Beacon Theatre. In 2020, the global pandemic forced Allman to pivot to a February 2021 date, adapting the Revival to a single, socially-distanced performance at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium and included Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie) and JD Simo among the now-familiar faces of Allman’s ever-expanding musical family.
“I like having artists that knew Dad, played with him, maybe were an opening act, or were really influenced and inspired by him,” Devon said. “As for a venue, I prefer those turn-of-the-century to mid-20th century, old-school theatres. They are just gorgeous inside, sculpted for sound, and provide the perfect location for these very special shows. I love for this concert to feel like a night at the theatre for our audience.”
Among the marquee names scheduled for 2021’s Revival are Robert Randolph, Eric Gales, Jimmy Hall, Donavon Frankenreiter, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Cody and Luther Dickinson, Lilly Hiatt, and Lamar Williams Jr., plus, of course, more surprises to come.
“My favorite part is just the joy of the audience. I can tell they are touched and getting every penny’s worth,” Devon said. “Knowing Dad is looking down saying, ‘Damn, son, all that hot jammin’ for me?!’ I know he’s tickled that we celebrate him. Because none of us has to do this. We all have busy careers. This is a ‘want to’ situation; absolutely, 100% about music and celebration and tribute.”
Allman Family Revival
The Fillmore Silver Spring
Friday, Dec. 10
Doors @ 7pm
$45
All ages
