This critic implied the Allman Brothers were boring in 1969
He completely missed the point
This one made me chuckle. It is one of very few negative reviews I found on the original Allman Brothers Band. It’s not really all that negative either, but you can tell the band didn’t resonate with reviewer David Hawpe, who reviewed the band’s September 27, 1969 set opening for John Mayall1 at Curtis Hixon Hall.2 It’s extra baffling to me because it comes from their home state of Florida, specifically the Tampa area—Dickey and Berry’s old stomping grounds with the Second Coming.
The other group on the program was the Allman Brothers, an organ and three guitars with little to distinguish them except a special sound that came through best in a Mississippi blues piece.
The Allman Brothers concentrate on nothing but playing. They rarely look at the audience and show no emotion, though occasionally one appears to be enjoying his work. You have to watch closely to catch that rare expression.3
His criticism contains some praise, the kind the Allman Brothers earned regularly in this era. The band had an original sound that he called “special.” But the two phrases that stand out to me are “little to distinguish them” and “show no emotion.”
Because what Hawpe interpreted as “emotionless,” most took to mean the Allman Brothers Band were serious practitioners of their craft. Playing life was a life-or-death matter. The music demanded it.
“The most incredible six musicians ever to be lined up in front of a row of amps.”
“The Allman Brothers concentrate on nothing but playing.”
The photos above are two examples of that from the band’s first year.
Hawpe was correct. This is not a band showing off. They are not psychedelic poseurs. They come to play their asses off, to set the people boogying, to burn down the house with Godzilla-like intensity. This is precisely Rory O’Connor’s experience just a month earlier at gig just across Tampa Bay, in St. Petersburg.4
Allman Brothers Shake Electric Zoo
The Allman Brothers are six musicians who brought the audience up off the floor onto their feet, clapping and shouting for encores in a frenzy that had to work its way to the top, increasing in momentum from meek beginnings to a purely ecstatic end.
The band’s foundations are Duane and Gregg Allman, who play lead guitar and organ, respectively. They have two drummers, one of whom used to be in Otis Redding’s band, another guitar player and a bassist, all of whom are the most incredible six musicians ever to be lined up in front of a row of amps.
When they started their set, half of the audience was outside. Those inside knew something was up the second the band started, and about halfway through the most gratifying set probably ever played at the Electric Zoo, everyone was inside being mowed over. Duane Allman (who has played on Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett records) is a guitar player who is in the same class with Clapton, Bloomfield, and all the big guns as is guitarist, Dickey Betts, who trades solos off and on with Allman.
The Brothers really got off when they did Donovan’s “First There Is a Mountain” [“Mountain Jam”]. Everybody soloed, especially the two drummers, who cook like crazy without getting in each other’s way. The song was mostly theirs, but the others took short perfectly timed licks in turn every now and then. When it ended, the audience wouldn’t let them off stage without an encore, “Hoochie Coochie Man.”
The Allman Brothers have an album on Atlantic due for release in six weeks. Watch for them at the upcoming John Mayall concert September 27.5
Your boy is playing Woodstock!
My friends at the Museum at Bethel Woods, site of Woodstock, have invited me to town August 29-31. I’ll be selling/signing copies of Play All Night!6, sitting in with the Chris Raabe Band, playing a late-night campfire jam, taking a Woodstock VIP tour with LLtABB paid member Tom Pragliola (Tom’s also going to record an oral history). I cap all this off with my ABBsolute favorite band going—Tedeschi Trucks Band, who play Bethel on Monday night.
Hope to see y’all there!
Long Live the ABB fall 2026 tour
August 29-30 Woodstock! Museum at Bethel Woods, Bethel Woods, NY
September 22 Memphis Listening Lab at Crosstown Concourse, Memphis, TN
October 19-22 Jam Depression recording session, Orlando, FL
November 6-8 Everything Fab Four Fest (Beatles conference), Monmouth University, NJ
Lagniappe
Henry Cruz Band with Michael Turner of the Poor Elijah & the Bluebyrdes ripping it on the Allman Brothers’ “Stand Back” and “Preachin’ Blues”—Son House by way of Derek Trucks Band. The music is alive and well.
🍄Play All Night! Duane Allman & the Journey to Fillmore East🍄
Brought to you by the paid members of the Long Live the ABB community.
🍄 MUSHROOM 🍄 MAGICIANS 🍄 Brent W. Hammond, Craig Stevens, Ken Lupson, Laura McCarty, Steve Marshall
🍑 PEACH 🍑 PALS 🍑 Allen Barnes, Art Dobie, Baileys Mike, Bob and Laura, Bob Johnson, Brent Pruner, Bruce Miles, Buddy Lewis, Cabinetsales, Caroline Doolittle, charlie2541, Chuck Zumwalt, Clifford Morse, Cwktwo, Danbookin, David Manes, Dennis Newton, Denny, Ed Ashton, Ed Pokorny, F. D., Frank Young, Gary Nagle/Chairman Wonwayout, Gary Smith, Gary Williamson, George Holman, Hlnbkt, Irishbeatz, James Reynolds, James Yerrill, Jason Hecht, Jcsarphie, JD Guitar, Jeff Kushmerek, Jeff Schein, Jerry K, JoaquinDinero, Joe Sokohl, Joel Berger, Joel Tanzer, John Delaney, John Dolan, John Haughey, Jordan David, Joseph Lilly, Kenton Lee, Kevin Harper, Kevin Walker, Kurt Nielsen, Mark Leitner, Martha Haynes, Mike Clark, Peter Poulos, Phillip Page, Preston Root, Randy Woodall, Ray Tillman, Robert Porter, Rose Brandt, Scott Green, sswoger, Stanleyglennie8, Surrender Cobra, Taylor Kropp, Tim Langan (Hot ‘Lanta Tim), Tina Christopher, Tom Pragliola, Tony Gioia, Wade McCurdy, Wiszowa
Hawpe didn’t like Mayall’s show either. “This is the tail end of a long American tour for Mayall, and he seemed tired by the ordeal.”
One of only two places Duane played live with Derek & the Dominos, December 1, 1970.
David Hawpe, “He sings like it is, band or not,” St Petersburg Times September 29, 1969.
O’Connor was an early proponent of the Allman Brothers Band. I quoted him pretty extensively in Play All Night.
Rory O’Connor, “Allman Brothers shake electric zoo,” Tampa Tribune, August 30, 1969. Note O’Connor previewed the very show that left Hawpe unimpressed. Wish O’Connor had also covered that one. It’d be interesting to see the contrast.
Tickle that algorithm, y’all. It tells other good people about Play All Night https://www.amazon.com/dp/0813069505.
🍄🍑MERCH🍑🍄
Jimmy Carter reppin’ the ABB July 4 weekend 1976.
Ad for ABB’s March 1971 run at Fillmore East. Here’s the original ad—with Johnny Winter at top of the bill.
Was this the longtime reporter, managing editor, editor, and editorial director at the Louisville KY Courier-Journal? Sounds like he had strayed a ways too far.
I was searching through Nashville newspapers including the Vanderbilt University newspaper for reviews of the Led Zeppelin show at Municipal Auditorium in 1970. Didn't find any reviews but in the Vanderbilt Hustler I did find a review of the 1970 homecoming concert. The Dave Clark Five with The Allman Brothers opening. The reviewer was not impressed by the Allmans at all had to endure their set to get to the great Dave Clark Five set. Oh well.
I did go to Vanderbilt but later. My freshman year homecoming show was Ray Charles. Little Feat with Lowell George was the year before. And I saw Bob Marley and Albert King and Muddy Waters and many other great shows while I was a student there.