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The Tedeschi Trucks band performs at Wolf Trap on July 17, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
The Tedeschi Trucks Band had a stroke of good luck in the form of an early evening thunderstorm recently. The pouring rain cooled down what was a sweltering hot day, making the atmosphere at Wolf Trap for their performance decidedly comfortable.
Tedeschi Trucks Band performs at Warner Theatre on Feb. 23, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
In what has become an annual tradition, the Tedeschi Trucks Band recently spent two February weekends in DC for its fifth annual Warner Theatre residency. This year’s residency included four performances, each of which sold out the 1,847-seat venue. I was lucky to get a ticket and a photo pass for the final performance.
Tedeschi Trucks Band performs at Wolf Trap on July 11, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
I recently found myself musing on the merits of listening to recorded albums versus attending live performances for the different experiences they provide the listener. As a jam band, Tedeschi Trucks Band provides a live experience for the audience that is simply unequaled by the studio album. The heavy improvisational element of their performance means that every show is unique. Sure, their recorded albums are great, too — they won a Grammy for Best Blues Album with Revelator — but it’s as a live act that that they truly amaze. And amaze the band did at Wolf Trap on July 11 as headliners on their Wheels of Soul Tour.