Allman Brothers Band Prepare for Two-Week NYC Run

For the past two decades, the Allman Brothers Band has been bringing their legendary live show to New York for a string of dates in March. On Thursday, March 11, the group will begin a two-week residency at the United Palace Theatre, with five shows recently added to the end of the run due to popular demand.

Although the band has been running through nine-hour rehearsals leading up to the shows, drummer Butch Trucks says that he is having a blast with current bandmates Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes, Jaimoe, Oteil Burbridge, Marc Quinones and his nephew, Derek Trucks.

"This line-up just keeps getting better and more fun to play with," Butch tells Spinner. "I know by the fourth or fifth show I'll be totally exhausted, but then midway through playing the first song I'll feel like a kid again."

The 13-date run follows the band's 40th anniversary celebration and tribute to Duane Allman last year, which featured mammoth set lists and unforgettable performances by Eric Clapton, Lenny White and Kid Rock. More guest musicians are expected to appear this year, and Trucks says that the band may run through close to 100 songs.

This year's string of shows is also moving from longtime home the Beacon Theatre to the slightly larger United Palace Theatre. Trucks believes that the United Palace's capacity of 3200 offers a more intimate experience than the arenas that the band played during their 2009 US tour.

"It seems like an audience that size is perfect for what we do," he says. "It doesn't matter where we are. The last 40 years have been a series of adventures, and they've all been at different places."

Trucks is also excited to give fans outside of the New York area a chance to experience the shows. Like last year, a webcast of all 13 shows at the United Palace Theatre will be featured on Moogis.com, a site that Trucks helped develop. Moogis will allow subscribers to stream the video of the shows for an entire year, as well as offer forums and chat rooms for users to discuss the Allman Brothers and other jam bands.

Following the New York run, the Allman Brothers Band will host the Wanee Festival on April 16 and 17, and perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival one week later. Aside from those dates, the band does not have any shows scheduled, and will give time to Gregg Allman and Derek Trucks to work on their respective solo projects.

"After all [the touring] we did last year, we promised Derek and everybody that we'd have a lighter load this year," says Trucks, who is more focused on making the New York dates as memorable as possible. "Right now, we're just ready to go."