The Allman Brothers Band
Free Concert at The 'Butterfly'
Audubon Park, New Orleans, La.
Sunday, August 23, 1970

Audubon Park Color Photos by Shelley Barberot.
Thank you for capturing these images,
magical moments in time of the N.O. music scene.

Thats me, at about 15 years old, leaning my elbows on the speaker
cabinet in the middle. I have a dear friend who was in the picture
behind me, Lisa, we both worked at the warehouse. We were friends
of The Allman Brothers and we went to the park with them.
They were good people.
-Tina

"I was surfing the net and decided to see what was available on the Allman Brothers.
Man, what a shock to see pictures from my past. I remember the Audubon Park free concert.
It was one of many that the Brothers performed after doing all nighters
at The Warehouse in New Orleans. It was always an extra special show when they played.
Cause that’s just what they did, play, play hard, and play all night.
I believe the Audubon Park pictures are from the concert at the start
of my senior year in high school......And inevitably, the word on the street
the next day was to find where The Brothers would show up; because they usually did somewhere.
I remember the Audubon Park and City Park shows....... I've seen, listened and enjoyed many
great guitarists. But I've never since seen two guitarists complement each other
and so intertwined in the flow of music as Duane Allman and Dickey Betts were in those concerts.
It was so free and real. The appreciation of seeing them in the evolution of their artistic talent
is a treasure to have witnessed. I can hear the music coming from those pictures."
-Hank Gernhauser

"I WAS AT THIS CONCERT!!! I was 20 years old and that's my head in the first row next to the
guy in the white hat! My sister talked to Dicky Betts for two hours and I spoke to Duane
who asked me to come sit under the mike and he also offered to PUNCH OUT my nerdy date!
What a great day it was! I never forogt it! They had played at The Warehouse the night before.
The guy with the bushy hair next to me died in a car accident. WERE YOU THERE?"
Email me here sunnyrose@gmail.com Been looking for these photos for five years!!!!!! YEE HAW!



"I was in a band that played in the park every week, back in like, free concert days,"
remembers Woodenhead guitarist Jimmy Robinson with a grin. "We played every Sunday
in Audubon Park, a thousand people would show up, it was kind of a Hendrix kind of deal.
It was at one of those shelters near where Monkey Hill used to be, it's now part of the Zoo.
A whole bunch of different bands would just show up and play. It was a nice little scene,
but they shut it down, 'cause it eventually got too out of hand."

**************************************

I was about 17 years old, having just met Cranston Clements and his brother Dave,
along with Bass player Jim Markway, guitarist Lloyd Wood, drummer Gary Porsche,
all playing as "Black River". My band was called "Ejaculation", a name I actually took
from (I'm not kidding) short prayers we were taught in Catholic School "Jesus , Mary
and Joseph" or such. That's what they called them (Honest). I thought that the spiritual
context was cool juxtaposed against the obvious. Well, we were kids.

Any way Ejaculation would play for free every Sunday in the park. We started in City Park,
and then moved to the shelter near Monkey Hill and later to the Butterfly, as it became known,
on Audubon Park's Riverview. It was a really great period that would go all summer and into
the winter. Eventually drawing thousands of fans. Heady stuff for teenagers. A bunch of bands
would play, Ejaculation, Black River, "LIK", with Jimmy Ford and Vance DeGeneres, and a lot
of others whose names escape me.

Anyway, the Warehouse was the absolute greatest thing to happen, we would all go to the shows
(all ages, 3000 kids sitting on the floor,terrific bands every week, etc. I went to the first show
with The Grateful Dead, Peter Green/Jeremy Spencer era Fleetwood Mac, and The Flock featuring
future Mahavishnu Orchestra violinist Jerry Goodman(!!)) and, lo and behold, one Sunday, Warehouse
honcho Bill Johnson shows up at the Riverfront and says "The Allman Brothers would like to come and play".
So they came and played, Ejaculation and Black River and Lik became the default opening acts, and it
was a rather memorable afternoon. Ejaculation's conga player and mentor, Butch (Melvin Duret,
he was a "grown up", probably 23 or so) sat in with The Allmans, and also played with them at a later
Warehouse gig along with the great Peter Green. Amazingly, he walked up to the front of the Warehouse
stage, did a brief "remember me" and was invited to play. Says something about those times.

At some point, the police showed up and said we had to shut down the proceedings, which had been
going on for hours into the late afternoon. I distinctly remember an officer, obviously frustrated
with not getting the music to stop, trying to turn off someone's amp, and getting met by one of the
Allman Bros. road crew physically pushing him away. (well,big mistake obviously) I also remember Duane
and Dickie Betts ad libbing The "Dragnet" Theme and "The Star Spangled Banner", as the poor
guy (Obviously doing his job , however ill-advised; do keep in mind the climate of that time, etc.)
walked up and tried to shut the band down.

Anyway, all hell broke loose. The cop sort of retreated to get reinforcements, the band scrambled
to get the roadie guy in a car and away before he could be arrested. They all managed to leave the scene.
Jimmy Ford told me that the next day, police showed up at his uptown home because his van, which had "LIK"
painted in huge psychedelic lettering on the side, was parked adjacent to the stage that Sunday.
They wanted to know if "The Alman Brothers lived there." (honest) Jimmy told them that he thought
that they lived in Macon, Ga. [ :-p)]

Cranston and I got to talk to Duane Allman, and a few other guys in the band. I had a '67 Telecaster
at the time, and Duane told me not to ever replace the "lipstick-like" bridge pickup, because it was great,
advice that I later ignored when I belt-sanded the guitar into worthlessness, and yanked the pickups, etc.
thinking I could sell it if I "spruced it up." Any way, Cranston and I are still great friends, playing in
Twangorama, and we talk about those days often. Any way, it was a great experience and a fond memory.
I played out there just about every week for a few years, and that's the only time I
remember the Alman Brothers playing.
-Jimmy Robinson of Woodenhead and Twangorama.

Ed White also recalls the occasional Audubon park concert scene as the '60s drew to a close.
"The Allman Brothers played the Warehouse the night before, Saturday I guess,
and then the next day they set up in the park and played for free," White remembers.




As Frank Quintini recalls:

“The first time the Allman Brothers played the Warehouse, I would say it was
around March of 1970, when they opened for Freddie King.

Then, the second time they played the Warehouse was a couple of months later in May
around the end of the school year. A few months later they showed up and played
for free at Audubon Park where we use to do our little ‘love in thing.’
In the beginning, we used to have these concerts in the front of the park,
then they built what they called ‘The Butterfly‘, a building on the banks
of the Mississippi River, at the rear of the park, where these pictures were taken.

There were a couple of hundred people there I’d say, but not a thousand people.
Because no one knew that a national band was playing and their record really
hadn’t broke yet. So people were just coming to see like Jimmy Robinson with
‘Ejaculation’ who played first and then Cranston Clements with ‘Black River’,
A jam band that sometimes played up to 45 minute songs. We said Cranston,
you have to get off the stage now the Allman Brothers are gonna play!
And he said, ’ but we’re just hittin’ a groove!’

[Addendum: In an effort to get the Allman Brothers on stage in the alloted time,
they asked Black River to wind it down. Apologies for any misconception to my podner
Cranston, who is a great guitar player. It was a just a time management issue
and no reflection on Black River as they did pulled the plug on Duane.]

So Cranston quit playing and the Allman Brothers set up their equipment.
And they weren’t getting paid or anything, but they just wanted to jam.
They didn’t set up Jaimoe’s drums, He didn’t play. He was sitting just off to the
right side swiggin’ on a bottle of Robitussen. And as big as he was, nobody
was going to tell him anything different. They did set up some congas though
and Jimmy Robinson’s conga player sat in in place of Jaimoe.

I remember I was with my friends Michael Kientz and Danny Farrell.
And Danny wanted to get close to the band and sit on top of this ‘L’shaped
privacy wall and he was like scrambling to try to get up there but couldn’t
get up there. And Gregg, who was a big ole’ strappin’ son of a bitch,
picked Danny up like he was nothing’ and put his ass up there, and you
can see him in the pictures and he’s sittin’ right up by the B-3.
Michael and I stayed in the crowd.

As far as the performance goes, the Allman Brothers played for about an hour.
There wasn’t anything like a 30 minute whippin post, but they all took turns
doin’ their little thing. About halfway through the set Duane Allman announced
That ‘I feel like singin’ today.’ So he sang that John Lee Hooker song, ‘Dimples’
and Berry sang ‘Hoochie Coochie Man‘.”




"These pictures bring it all back: The Allmans playing free concerts at
Audubon & City Park in the early 70's, as well as the Allman Bros. first
few concerts in New Orleans, featuring a band steeped in "Southern
Gothic" energy, calling down the spectres at the Warehouse. They were
what you might call "Blues Goth" at the time, long before the Goth thing
of today came into being - Gregg Allman wailing like a possessed zombie
over his organ & Duane howling out his notes like a werewolf in the
night. It was powerful stuff. But by the 3rd or 4th concert, they were
playing their progressive blues in the sun, jamming with Peter Green
(after opening for Procol Harum at the Warehouse that November) & doing a
memorable New Years Warehouse show as we went from '70 to '71.

Also, just to follow up on some interesting comments made by the people
who were around when Jimmy Robinson & his band, Ejaculation, played out
at the park during this period. Especially interesting was the guy who
mentioned that Cranston Clements & his band "Black River" were opening
with Jimmy's band before the Allman Bros. played that Sunday after the
"Ides of March" gig. And to think, Jimmy & Cranston along with
Phil DeGruy now make up the guitar section of " Twangorama " ,
a progressive group well worth hearing for their intricate
guitar arrangements & Allmanesque touches here & there.

And finally, just to set the record straight, it was Albert King who was
on the bill with the Allmans when they first played the Warehouse. As I
remember, he was dressed in a suit & playing one of those Flying V
guitars. When he came off the stage, he was shaking hands with fans as
the sweat poured off of him.

But the Allman Bros. Warehouse shows were all memorable as were their
free concerts at the park. Thanks for getting these pictures out there".
-Larry Eagan



Wow! What a thrill to see these photos! That was a HUGE day for me!
[Please! Major correction ! - Rebuttal from Cranston ]
But I GOTTA set one thing straight, having been the victim of severe misquotes before:
At NO TIME did I EVER refuse to make way for the Allman Brothers because
"we're just hittin' a groove" or whatever my podner Frank Quintini dreamed up!
Jesus! I was in total awe of the Allman Brothers and scared to death to even be
thinking of picking up a guitar before them, much less trying to hog stage time!
No way, man. Nope, can't let that one slide. Those guys were and are heroes to me
plus that ain't my style! Hey, the guy with the Buddy Holly glasses seen near Butch Trucks
in a few pics is Lloyd Wood, founding member of Black River and a hell of a guitarist.
True story from that day: Duane walked up to a few of us mortals with a big smile on his face
minutes before taking the stage, said "I just did FIFTEEN reds!", fell face-down in the grass,
then picked himself up and proceeded to SMOKE that Les Paul!
I was duly impressed...

Also, Forgot to mention how much I appreciated the comments by Larry Eagan...
aside from the nice remarks about Twangorama, his recollections about the Allmans'
collective musical process struck me right. And thanks, Larry, for acknowledging
the brilliant Peter Green, who transformed my musical existence that second night
the Warehouse was open, when Fleetwood Mac freight-trained our unsuspecting asses.
Still consider that show one of the best I've ever experienced. When Duane passed
I prayed that Peter would step in but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
-Cranston Clements of Twangorama.

...a big part of my life and education as a musician.
From Paul Rodger; now living in Ullapool, NW Scotland.


Local N.O. musician Melvin 'Butch' Duret sits in on congas as Jaimoe takes a break nearby.

"There were times the Allman Brothers would set up and play for free in Audubon Park.
Those were hard times to make a living, but magical times musically."
-Camile Baudoin of The Radiators



What a fantastic web page!
Shelley, where you been hiding these pics all these years, girl? They’re fabulous!!!

I was indeed there. I was hanging with Black River a bunch that summer - I had played
in a garage band with the aforementioned Lloyd Wood previously, and at the time he was
semi-permanently borrowing my Super Reverb (what an amp!). Lloyd moved away out West –
maybe New Mexico – a few years later and we lost touch, but Cranston is right, he was
a hell of a player. I am in one of the photos next to Lloyd, the one where the roll-up
door is in the background directly behind him and I’m tucked in behind Berry Oakley’s
shoulder. I’ve rejoined the party at an advanced age, and you can find me in the band
Cannes Brulees.

Everything that’s been said on this page about this band during that period of ’70 –’71
is right on. The Ides of March gig at the Warehouse was my first to see them, and I made
all but one or two over the next 2 years.

After they showed up at the Butterfly this particular Sunday, Beaver Productions supposedly
wrote into their contracts that they couldn’t do that anymore to avoid any reduction in
attendance at their Warehouse gigs.

Also, I didn’t see anyone mention that Berry died almost exactly 1 year after Duane was
killed and in nearly the same circumstances. [It's there, see below.-J.D.] It is amazing the
band is still around. Shelley and I were in a Mt. Carmel play together that year, and we used
to get our Berry Oakley Knee-pump going in synchronization to kill time between scenes
(see the 3rd and 4th Warehouse photos for Berry Oakley’s Knee).

That day in the park they played without Jaimoe, and some of the them double drum kit parts
were synchronized (Trouble No More), so Butch Trucks had to play right through the missing part.
And look at the people practically on top of the band!

Now here’s part of the story I can’t believe no one has told yet….Audubon Park, which amazingly
went along with these “Love-Ins” at the Butterfly, had only one concern, that they be over by a
certain time – 7 pm I think it was. Well, the Allman Brothers rolled up pretty late that Sunday
afternoon, and by the time they set up, it was probably after 6. So they get cooking along and
the park security guy tells ‘em after a while that they can only play one more song. So they go
into their standard ending song – the 30 minute jam, Whipping Post. Well, you can imagine they
have to cut it short, but “short” being a relative term, after about 10 minutes the security dude
has enough and walks up into the midst of the group. He looks at Duane, signals to his watch, and
puts up one finger to say “one minute left.” Duane is really trying to wrap it up just as fast as
his blues-playing heart will allow him to, but he can only do so much, and besides, there’s the
big build up at the end of the song that they can’t just leave out.

By this time one of the roadies is pleading in this cop’s ear to let ‘em finish, and the cop is
ignoring him and staring at his watch. As soon as the minute passed, he reached up and
TURNED OFF DUANE’S AMP just as he is coming out of the lead. The amp dies down for a second,
but the roadie shoves the cop backward, flips the switch back on, and takes off running, heading
up the levee, the cop in hot pursuit. The amp comes back up just in time for the build-up finale,
and all ends well. Never found out what happened to the roadie, but the security guard was short,
fat and out-of shape, and he wasn’t NOPD or anything, and smart money says the roadie got away.

Please, someone verify this story for me, ‘cause everyone’s gonna think I had a mushroom
or two that day, but I swear, I didn’t. What fun!!!

Chris Young

Cannes Brulees.
(formerly of “The Love, Truth & Beauty Market” w/ Lloyd Wood).

About that shoving match with Red Dog,
I read that it was a security guard, but it actually was the old
New Orleans Cop that worked the park detail. A real heavy set guy
on a motorcycle, and he didn't particulary care for long hairs
and he's the one who turned the amp off. After that incident,
we took off out of there in the big equipment truck.
-Tina



I was there. I was Black River's equipment manager. The Allman Brothers used
Black River's amps...to stack their amps on top of. Black River consisted of Lloyd Wood,
Jim Markway, Danny Garnes, and Gary Porche, Cranston and David Clements jammed
with Black River a lot.

I'm in one of the photos that Shelly took sitting on top of the privacy wall on the right,
I'm second from the right with my hand in front of my face thats my friend and Shelly's
neighbor Lauren Singer to my right. The warehouse photos with the red tinge of the Allmans
were taken by me as are the shots of them at the Atlanta Pop Festival .What a surprise to
see my shots on the "net".

Danny Garnes, pianist for Black River worked at a record store in Terrytown across the river,
he got an early issue of The Allman Brothers first album which we all loved,and when we saw
they were playing the Warehouse we knew we would be there, right up front.
Hey, Thanks for putting this up.
-Neil Burgard


Photos and article by NOLA EXPRESS



This is the 1957 goldtop Les Paul that Duane Allman purchased in early 1969,
and is the guitar on which he learned and perfected his slide style.
This was his primary instrument on the first two Allman Brothers albums,
countless concerts, and perhaps most significantly,
Duane's guitar of choice for almost the entire Derek & the Dominoes "Layla" album.
Offered for sale at last, now you can own this unique piece of music history!

http://www.duaneallmansgoldtop.com/index.htm




John, From the Land of Enchantment... a thousand thanks!
This day was one of the highpoints of my young and brief music career.
I played in a group called Black River and we would often play at Audubon Park
along with other groups including Jimmy Robinson's band. As I recall for whatever
reason our group wasn't together that day so a group of friends got together to play.
They included myself and Cranston Clements on guitar, David Clements on bass, and
either Gary Porche or Nathan Funk on drums. As we finished playing, the Allman Brothers
show up and gave us the surprise of my musical lifetime. Chris Young was right about
the security guard story. Duane Allman was my guitar hero and to be a small part of
that afternoon is something I'll never forget.
Thanks again for putting this together,

-Lloyd Wood
-Albuquerque, NM

Wow! I can not believe these photos.
We were there! It was 1970, and my brother, Danny Campbell and I
lived in Harahan. We hitchhiked on the river road to Audubon park.
I did not even know who the Allman Brothers were at the time.
But, my brother Danny played drums in a local band called ‘Beowulf’’
with Randy Hebert, Bobby West, and Candy, and he loved The Allman Brothers.
We actually met Duane in the concession line where we
let Duane jump ahead of us in line to get a Coca-Cola.
Great memories. Those concerts in the park were awesome.
-Michael Campbell

---

The Allman Brothers Band
at Audubon Park,
Free Concert
New Orleans, La.
Sunday, Nov. 8, 1970


"I loved seeing the pictures of the Allman Brothers at the Audubon Park Butterfly.
I remember another similar occurrance as our band LIK played there many times.
We used to play a lot of Allman Bros songs. There was one Friday night Nov. 6, 1970 when the
Allman Brothers played at the Tulane Homecoming dance. On Saturday night Nov. 7
they played the warehouse and then showed up on Sunday afternoon Nov. 8 at the "fly"
in Audubon Park. Thats where our band LIK, including Jimmy Ford, Vance DeGeneres and
David Gamble were playing our usual Allman Brother tunes when a big yellow
truck shows up and Duane Allman climbs out of the right side of the cab.
I was in shock. He walked over and asked me if they could play.
Are you kidding? We moved our stuff out of the way and helped them set up.
It was one of my greatest memories".

-Dave Treen Jr.

"We were playing Audubon Park one Sunday in a band called LIK when
the Allman Brothers showed up to play. Afterwards the police were
looking for the ABB roadie 'RedDog'. We smuggled him out of there
in the LIK truck and he stayed at our apartment for the night".

-Jimmy Ford



Want to post your recollections?
Send your comments to John DuBois.
abb-audubon@cox.net

---

The Allman Brothers Band
at


1820 Tchoupitoulas St. at Felicity St.
New Orleans, Louisiana


ALLMAN BROTHERS IN NEW ORLEANS DATES 1970 - 1975

Fri Mar. 13, 1970 Warehouse - Albert King, Fever Tree, with ABB
Sat Mar. 14, 1970 Warehouse - Albert King, Fever Tree, with ABB
Fri May 15, 1970 Warehouse - Pink Floyd, with ABB
Sat May 16, 1970 Warehouse - Pink Floyd, with ABB
Sat Aug. 22, 1970 Warehouse - Ides of March, with ABB
Sun Aug. 23, 1970 Audubon Park (free) - Ejaculation, Black River, ABB
Fri Nov. 6, 1970 Tulane University Homecoming Dance
Sat Nov. 7, 1970 Warehouse - Procol Harum with ABB, Les Moore
Sun Nov. 8, 1970 Audubon Park (free) - LIK, ABB
Thu Dec. 31, 1970 Warehouse - ABB & ???
Sat Mar. 20, 1971 Warehouse - ABB with Alamo, Les Moore
Sat June 5, 1971 Warehouse - Quicksilver with ABB, Chase, ZZ Top
Thu Sept 16, 1971 Warehouse - ABB with Wet Willie (no cowboy)
***Fri Oct. 29, 1971 R.I.P. Duane Allman***
Fri Dec. 31, 1971 Warehouse - ABB
Sun Jan. 2, 1972 Warehouse - ABB
Fri July 21, 1972 City Park Stadium - ABB with Freddie King
Sun July 23, 1972 Picnic, Jam in City Park (free) Gregg & Dickey with PotLiquor
***Sat Nov. 11, 1972 R.I.P. Berry Oakley***
Sun Dec. 31, 1972 Warehouse - ABB with Wet Willie, Elvin Bishop
Mon Jan. 1, 1973 Warehouse - ABB
Sun Aug. 31, 1975 Superdome - ABB with Charlie Daniels, Wet Willie, Marshall Tucker

      The  Warehouse  Bar     



THE WAREHOUSE CONCERTS LIST

“…There should be more attention paid to the great early seventies here in New Orleans.
The rock scene from say '67 to '73 was really special.
Very organic and earthy not yet corporate. There should also be a monument to the warehouse,
(now a truck/ferry 5-way intersection red light). A plaque or sign honoring the
incredible music that passed through that place, and the memories of those that attended.
That’s what I want to see. The Allmans did some wonderful shows at the warehouse.
Did not see the Audubon show. But, I am so glad someones asking the question!"
-Robert Cowart


Allman Brothers - Fever Tree - Albert King 3-13-70 & 3-14-70 WAREHOUSE PAPER



"The first time I saw The Allman Brothers. It was way back. They were playing
The Warehouse in New Orleans, opening for Albert King. I was knocked out by
their songs, I mean, I had bought the first album. It was their first album
that caused Wet Willie to start setting our sites for Macon, and Capricorn."
-Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie


Photos by Neil Burgard


Allman Brothers - Ides of March 8-22-70 WAREHOUSE PAPER


ABB 11-6-70 Tulane Kendall Cram room, Homecoming Dance
Photo by Sidney Smith

"When I was in high school, I was invited to a homecoming dance at Tulane University
in this tiny little room in the student center. The band's name was the
*something??* Brothers, who I'd never heard of before. We were afraid it might be
just a couple of guys playing nylon string guitars, but we went anyway.

The place wasn't very crowded, so my date and I were standing directly in front
of center stage when the band came on and delivered the most electrifying musical
performance I'd ever heard. Well, it was the Allman Brothers, who I believe had just
recorded their first album. They had that energy and enthusiasm only bands playing
fresh new music in the really creative stages of their career, when they've only
played the songs a few times, seem to have.

To this day, one of the best musical experiences ever".
-Bruce Barielle

“I was in my mid-teens around 1970 when I saw the Allman Brothers Band.
The first time I saw them, they actually played Tulane University’s
Homecoming Dance in New Orleans. It was probably one of the very first
things I ever did with my camera. It was long before they became major
superstars. I remember they were shouting out things like “Wipe Out” and "Gloria" because
Tulane kids didn’t realize what excellence they had in their presence at the time.”
-Sidney Smith

We went to the dance at the Tulane U.C., which looked like a
frat party and the band actually played 'Louie Louie',
and they were laughing thru the whole thing.
-Tina


Allman Brothers-Procol Harum 11/7/70 WAREHOUSE POSTER

We have a wonderful new submission about the 11/7/70 show
where the Allman Brothers jammed with Peter Green. -JD
***************
"I was there!

Three of us hitchhiked down from USM in Hattiesburg. It was a typical
New Orleans weekend. We met up with friends in the quarter and asked
what was happening in town. They said the Allman Brothers were playing at the
Warehouse. We caught the purple warehouse bus from the quarter. Luckily
we saw a friend in line and borrowed the $3 admission fee. ABB opened
for Procol Harum. Most of the crowd saw that from the floor, Acapulco
Gold was in town! Through the whole set, a long haired skinny dude in a
paisley silk shirt was up and dancing the whole time. PH came on and
played a fantastic set. By the end only about 100 people were left, all
right up by the stage. They came back for five encores, the last being
Whiter Shade of Pale. After their set, they started setting up the ABB
equipment again. Jam! The bros came on stage with the skinny dude in the
paisley shirt - Peter Green! They played The Mountain Jam from 12:30 to
3:30, when the drummers all collapsed on their kits. Duane turned around
and looked, turned back to the mic and said "we would like to keep
playing, but we don't have any drummers!" "
-Butch Ammons

Having been to most of the Allman Bros. concerts at the Warehouse, I
always felt like the band had turned another corner in Nov. of '70 when
they opened for Procol Harum. Hailed before their first concert at the
Warehouse (in March of '70) as an "experimental blues band", I tried to
understand just what that meant, although it sounded very promising. I
suppose I conjured up images of free-form improvisational blues-rock
jamming with Grateful Dead influences but didn't really know what form it
would take. By the time I saw them in person, I got the message.

Here was a hungry, egoless music entity blowing people's minds but acting
like they were really privileged to have an audience listening to them.
Could this really be? Duane would always say unassumingly after their
first "structured set", "We're gonna go drink a beer, and if there's
anybody still here, we'll play some more". And play they always did.

So anyway, they opened for Procol Harum in fine fashion, but I noticed a
subtle change in how they were projecting. They kind of went from a dark
"experimental blues band" to more of a "good vibe" experimental blues
band. They played a great set and then Procol Harum came out & wowed the
audience. After the Procol Harum set, Duane & Dicky jammed with Peter
Green with only the guitars. It was a wonderful jam as I remember, Green
even slipping in his riff from "Oh Well" at one point.

But for some reason, the group of people I was with didn't stick around &
out & play again as someone described on this website previously. After
reading that account of the playing that followed, I'm sorry we did.
Although, we did get to hear them play their Mountain Jam set at the end
of the evening on many other occasions. It was always very special to
say the least.

In reference to Peter Green, I guess he had to get away from the "Green
Manalishi" (the evil greenback) shortly after this, putting out an album
called "The End of the Game" & giving up all his possessions for awhile.
To hear him at the height of his powers with Fleetwood Mac, check out
"Fleetwood Mac - Live in Boston" recorded in Feb. 1970 (and the studio
album, "Then Play On".) Fleetwood Mac also opened the Warehouse with the
Grateful Dead at just about that same point in time.

But all the Allman Bros. concerts at the Warehouse were the stuff of
legend. And rightfully so. Their selfless approach to the music to make
something bigger with the sum of the parts was truly in evidence here,
and this approach became the signature of a band that lives on to this
day after 40 years.

Larry Eagan






Allman Brothers 3-20-71 "IN YOUR EAR" WAREHOUSE PAPER


Allman Brothers 3-20-71 WAREHOUSE FLYER

"The Allman Brothers basically owned the Warehouse,
which was The music club in New Orleans at the time".
-Sidney Smith , 70's Warehouse photographer


Allman Brothers 6/5/71 "IN YOUR EAR" WAREHOUSE PAPER


Allman Brothers-Quicksilver-Chase-ZZ Top 6/5/71 WAREHOUSE FLYER

We were down in New Orleans at the Warehouse Club, which was owned by an independent outfit
that had hired a band from Texas and a band from Georgia, and it turned out to be the
Allman Brothers and ZZ Top. When we got there, we found out that we had not only been hired
for one night, but they wanted us to travel with a tour featuring Quicksilver Messenger Service.
I'll never forget walking in the dressing room. There was Duane, and he had a silver dollar.
He said, "Let's flip to see who goes first." So I grinned, and the Allman Brothers won the flip.
Shoot, it worked out so well we ended up working together through the South.
- Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top

The pink floyd/abb shows were May 15 and 16, 1970. This was the show the floyd had their
equipment stolen from the french quarter motel after staying in town all week following
the two shows. I had a conversation with butch trucks on friday night just before the abb set.
He wanted to know if i had ever seen pink floyd, and what to expect. We spoke at length along
the back wall of the warehouse watching the traffic go by. I had no idea who he was until
the abb set. Was I suprised to find him drumming in this unique band. I remember thinking
how different they were having two drummers and twin guitar players. I was really blown away
by floyd, those who saw the ummagumma tour are sure to remember it. The band blew us all out
at the second Atlanta festival, I saw both sets, Friday and Sunday, also saw them on the
free stage. I did see the ides of march show, just not sure exactly what month it was.
My brother had seen them at the celebration of life festival ?, said how strong a horn
band they were. after the ides set, duane allman made the comment 'thats a hard act to
follow. we will do our best'. Needless to say, they did. Each show they did in the
warehouse was more potent than the last one, always getting tighter, and more crowd aware.
I had the good fortune of seeing just about every touring band that came through New Orleans
at that time, none compared to the brothers.The Procol Harum show really put them over the top,
very tight, concise, and to the point. No fashion show, just blew holes in the sky, always
doing two or more sets, and with Peter Green, what a moment in time, captured forever
in the memory bank. New Years eve was even better. What can you say, 40 years later,
I can't remember a better performance. That band just had a certain spirit about them,
maybe it was the time, not sure, but it will never be duplicated. The current line up
thunders, but doesn't have the electricity the vintage 70 unit had. I missed the march 71
show, a week after the live at fillmore recordings. all that went said it was among their
best shows. I do know the Sept.'71 show, on a Thursday night was spellbinding. new material,
hot lanta, blue sky, and all the old ones made for a super show. Sad to say i would never
see duane and this unit again. In just a month he would leave us all with a massive void.
I followed the band throught the rest of the 70's, 80's and still do. Not a day goes by
that they play a part in my life. a special group, and a special place,
1820 tchoupitoulas st. forever captured in memory.
Michael Abshier

TAPE RECORDINGS


"The Allman Brothers Band have played the Warehouse
12 times and 7 tapes have emerged from those shows,
3/13/70 , 12/31/70 , 3/20/71 , 6/5/71 , 1/2/72 , 12/31/72 and
I was fortunate enough to be able to record the last
Allman Brothers-Wet Willie concert, 9/16/71 with Duane at the warehouse.
New Orleans was under a Hurricane watch and Cowboy did not play that night."
-John DuBois






"I was attending Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. in September, 1971.
Approaching Hurricane Edith had shut down the school, and everyone had to go home.
We assumed that the ABB show at the warehouse would be cancelled as well.
I guess weather forcaster Nash Robert's grease pencil got the best of us.
Hurricane Edith, a catagory 2 strength storm remained offshore as it moved
up the Texas coast with a landfall east of the Sabine River.

I regret to this day that we didn't head to New Orleans anyway, as we found
out that the ABB Warehouse show did go on, and was Duane's last NOLA appearance.

Tom Lyons
Houma, La.





Six weeks later, Duane Allman would die in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Georgia.
The Warehouse paid a tribute to him in their own paper,
"In Your Ear- Duane Allman Tribute."

"It was 1971, and I was gearing up in my brain to hear the 2
finest guitar players I had ever heard at the young age of 16 at
the Warehouse on New Years Eve. Well, one night while
listening to "KAAY - Beaker Street" out of Little Rock, Ark.
I heard that Duane Allman had passed away at the age of 24.
I and everyone else was devastated. A few weeks later and
getting closer to New Years Eve, I started wondering if I was
going to see them at all or would they simply cancel like most
band's who had just suffered a tragic loss.
Low and behold December 31st rolls around and the show is on.
And when I say on, I do mean on. From the first lick Dickey and
the boys' hit, I knew this would be a night to remember. There
was Dickey placing a metal slide on his finger and from then on
he did a masterful job of covering the slide parts and then
switching back to cover his lead parts of songs. What a job.
What a night! What a freaking Band. I think I left somewhere after
4 AM. That was my very first concert of any kind and the most memorable."
-Mike Bondio


Allman Brothers Band 12/31/71 at A Warehouse
Photo by Sidney Smith






ABB 7-21-72 CITY PARK STADIUM
Photo by Sidney Smith

"I was at this City Park stadium show.
This was many brain cells ago but I will do my best to recall it.
I was 14 and my friend’s Dad dropped us off at the venue. We sat up high and
the summer air was thick with sweet smoke. We were not experienced with
that sort of thing at all and it was illicit and exciting.
The opening act was Freddie King and that memory is the most vivid.

The Allman Brothers music was anthemic in the south at that time.
It was this hybrid that seemed to belong to us. It was rock and roll
and it had soul and it was blues and it was real.
Thought I don’t remember the specifics of the the show I am sure
that it has colored my musical tastes to this day. In hindsight,
I had seen the past, present and the future of the Blues, and it was good."

-Philip Beech

It was Thursday, July 20, 1972 and we traveled from Southern Illinois University
where I went to school and worked in a restaurant in Carbondale Ill.
That was my connection with Don Fox and Brian Glynn.
I had already heard about the Allman Brothers from a room mate,
but my boss said “hey you gotta listen to these guys , they
are really good. We’re going to go down to Mississippi to see
these guys, The Allman Brothers Band.”

So we hit the road and pulled up in the parking lot at the Jackson Municipal Auditorium.
and I heard them playing Statesboro Blues and I said “Wow this is them“.
After the show we went back to the Holiday Inn in Jackson and I am standing
next to Gregg Allman in the elevator, and I thought wow this really amazing
‘cause I just heard these guys and they were so good. It was about 2 o’clock in the
morning and someone said “there’s nothing going on here, come on lets just go on to
New Orleans, lets keep going down the road.” So we got back in the car, we pulled
into the French Quarter in the middle of the night and checked into a room Friday
morning the day of the concert in City Park Stadium. I don’t remember seeing Berry
at the concert , but it was a huge stadium and it was filled.

After the concert, We were walking around looking for my car ‘cause we got disoriented
in the circular stadium and we saw Dickey Betts pulling out in a big Ryder truck.
We got the N.O. police to help us find my car and they were making fun of my Chicago accent.
We drove back to and walked around the French Quarter till 3 o’clock in the morning and we
didn’t see the Brothers anymore that night.

Saturday night we took a ride by the warehouse just to stick our head in the door.
$5 cover, but it was very hot, so we didn’t go in.

Sunday we went back to the picnic in City Park where Gregg and Dickey jammed
with another band. Dickey had a black eye and the newspaper reported he had
been busted for pot at a French Quarter hotel after the concert Friday night .
Someone was giving rides on a horse and Dickey took off on the horse in the park.
I was standing next to Gregg and I asked him “how old are you“? and he said “25”.

After the Jam in City Park we went back to Brian Glynn’s uptown apartment for a couple of hours.
Gregg and Dickey were there with a couple of other people. We were listening
to the Ildewild South album and Hoochie Coochie Man was playin and I asked "who was
singing that song"? Gregg answered “Oakley”. I used Brian’s telephone to call
my girlfriend in Illinois and I said “ guess what, I’m at a party on my birthday
with the Allman Brothers, This is so cool”. It was getting late and the next thing
I know, we were in my '65 Buick Special, headed north across the causeway bridge back to Illinois.

This was fantastic, It was amazing to me, It was my birthday,
these guys were the greatest band, like to me they were greater than
The Beatles and here I am sitting in an apartment, hanging out,
drinking a beer with them.

-David Fishman

Never even heard of the ABB until Sept. 1970 when I heard them live
in concert in Austin, TX. I promptly proceeded to drop out of college,
buy a '69 Fender Jazz bass and I've been playing professionally ever since!
Just last weekend, playing that same bass, we covered "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed",
and, like every time I play it, I gave Berry my love and respect,
silently talking to him, thanking him, and letting the joy of his work fill me.
And lest we get TOO serious here, I ALWAYS HAVE FUN PLAYING THE BROTHERS MUSIC!
Stephen 'Doc' Watson

www.lavadaddys.com

Berry, what an awesome bass player! City Park Stadium was my third time
that I had seen him. The first two being New Years Eve, 1971 at the
Warehouse, and then, 3/30/72 at Mobile Auditorium.

Oh, back to the Third time I had seen Berry at City Park Stadium,
he must have really decided to cop him a buzz for that show,
because during the last song that day "Mountain Jam",he was heaving
on the side of the stage and they had to get roadie Joe Dan Petty up on bass.
After that, I noticed that Joe Dan was the bass player for Grinderswitch.
Mike Bondio

The Times-Picayune reported on July 23, 1972 that Berry,
Jaimoe, and Dickey were arrested in a pot bust at a hotel
in the French Quarter Friday night following a concert at
City Park Stadium. Dickey identified himself to police only
as a "musician" and he was also charged with resisting arrest.
-Times-Picayune

"Dickey fought with the cops and got a black eye,
only thing is he didn't know they were cops at the time."
-Sidney Smith


WRNO's Picnic in the Park - Gregg Allman & Dickey Betts
"JAMMIN" WITH POTLIQUOR at City Park, New Orleans, La. 7/23/72
"IN YOUR EAR" WAREHOUSE PAPER


One year after Duane's passing, Berry Oakley would die in a motorcycle
accident near the same spot as where Duane had his fatal accident.
The Warehouse paid a tribute to him as well in their own paper,
"In Your Ear- Berry Oakley Tribute."




ABB WAREHOUSE PHOTOS Dec.'72 - Jan. '73 BY SIDNEY SMITH


Allman Brothers - Elvin Bishop 12-31-72 "IN YOUR EAR" WAREHOUSE PAPER



"Also attended the New Year's day Warehouse show in 1973,
after Berry Oakley died and remember Gregg making reference
to both Duane and Berry in one of the songs.The crowd obviously
was sensitive to Oakley's death on the heels of Duane's, and I know
that subconsciously at least I was waiting for some type of
acknowledgement by the band to their tragic losses... so maybe someone
else can back me up that Gregg sang,instead of "Lord I feel like I'm dying
...that he sang "Lord there's no such thing as dyin'..."
that's what I remember.
The first show I saw at the warehouse was "It's a Beautiful Day" with Aum opening.
Other memorable shows were Procol Harem/Eagles, Elvis Costello/Squeeze,
and the absolute best show I've ever been to, the Who, in November, 1971.
Tickets were a whopping $6. It was always an adventure crossing the Huey P. Long
bridge following a show on the way back to Houma or Thibodaux."

Tom Lyons
Houma, La.

I was lucky to grow up in Slidell, and saw most all of the early Allman Bros.
shows at a warehouse and in and about New Orleans. These were all special shows
at a special time in the city. My favorites had to be the show with Pink Floyd,
Procol Harum w/Peter Green, the New Years Eve 70 show, and the Sept 71 Thursday night knockout.
Little did we know it would be the last time to see the original band perform.
The Allman Brothers Band were, and still are the most influential band in my life.
1820 Tchoupitoulas Street was a special place, filled with special people, and
life changing music. I was fortunate to make a home there most weekends from March 1970
to the end of 1974. Witnessed just about every name act that came through the doors.
I have one request: anyone that can remember shows, dates, and memories of concerts there
in 70, 71, 72, and 73, please contact me. Hard to believe its been 40 years since our
lives were changed forever. To all the warehouse survivors, the road does go on forever.
Peace to all.
Michael Abshier - sabshier1@cfl.rr.com.


Louisiana Superdome opening 8-31-75 - Allman Brothers Band with
Charlie Daniels Band, Wet Willie, and Marshall Tucker Band.
Photo by Sidney Smith



I saw the Allmans, Wet Willie, Charlie Daniels, and Marshall Tucker
at the Superdome in 1975. My straight cousin, Greg, was visiting from
Florida and I had tickets. There was a giant Confederate Battle Flag
at the back of the stage. It was great. My cousin was a little scared.....
I had already seen the Allmans and Wet Willie several times at the
Warehouse and in Mobile. I was from a small town about 75 miles northeast
of New Orleans going to college at UNO. My memories of New Orleans until
this day are so precious to me. I went to UNO from 1970-1972.
I lived there again from 1974 until 1976. I have several Allman Brothers
and Wet Willie albums. Thanks for a great website with the fantastic photos.
I try to go to New Orleans at least a few times a year,
usually in Spring or Fall. Thanks again.

Gail Tabor


Seasons Greetings from the Warehouse Beaver Productions Crew



Harrah's Casino in New Orleans will be hosting a 40th anniversary
tribute show for The Warehouse on January 29th & 30th, 2010.

INFO: warehousemovie.blogspot.com

Glass Pictures in association with PVW Productions and Rebirth Pictures presents:

" A Warehouse on Tchoupitoulas "

On January 30th 1970 the Warehouse opened it's doors to thousands of fans to see
The Flock, Fleetwood Mac and The Grateful Dead. In the ensuing twelve years some
of the best musicians in the world would grace the stage. Including - The Allman Brothers,
Bob Dylan, The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Who, Bob Marley, David Bowie, Foghat, Jethro Tull,
The Clash, The Talking Heads, Rush, Dr. John and many many more.

We are filming a documentary on the Warehouse in an attempt to capture some of the magic that
so many of us missed out on. There will be a ten minute sneak preview of the film before the show.


~ABB at Atlanta Pop Festival Photos Page~
Photos by Neil Burgard.


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