Top 5 Moments From the Allman Family Revival Show at The Ryman Auditorium

If you’re going to have a revival, it makes sense to do it in a church. And if you’re looking for hallowed grounds, look no further than The Ryman Auditorium.

Devon Allman and Duane Betts are now in their 6th year of proliferating their fathers’ legacy by playing their biggest hits for both day-one stalwarts and a new generation of fans alike. They, along with a host of family friends, took to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to do just that on Dec. 9.

The nearly four-hour show was packed with highlights but, we’ve picked out a key few that were stuck in our minds long after the curtain closed. Read more about our picks below.

1. Guitar Solos Galore

Of course, it comes with the Allman territory, but there were a fair amount of guitar solos throughout the night—sprawling ones. It’s endlessly exciting watching a master at work and many names on the roster could be considered as such. The extended solos were like a language of their own, conversating with their predecessors in the original Allman line-up. It maintained the spirit of improvisation present in the ’60s and ’70s, but every guitar slinger managed to keep things fresh by adding something innate to the mix.

2. Jimmy Hall Gets The Whole Crowd Smilin’

Keeping things in the southern rock family, Jimmy Hall came on stage to perform Wet Willie’s “Keep on Smilin’” early on in the set. Like he always does, Hall gave every ounce of energy to the 1974 hit while the house band backed him up. With his ubiquitous harmonica in tow, Hall extended the song well beyond its four-minute runtime, but still managed to leave the crowd wanting more.

3. Maggie Rose Hits All The Right Notes on “Whipping Post”

If you haven’t had the opportunity to hear Maggie Rose live, rectify that as soon as possible. Her voice is equal parts polished and edgy. She’ll tug on your heartstrings one minute with the smoothest riff you’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing before exploding into a sultry belt the next. All of this made her the perfect candidate for the Allman Brothers’ 1969 track “Whipping Post.” The original version leaves big shoes to fill, but Rose was more than up for the challenge. It was an undisputed highlight of the night.

4. Maggie Rose and Devon Allman Duet On “These Days”

Slowing things down a bit for the encore, Rose and Allman came out on stage to perform their recently released cover of “These Days.” With a picture of Gregg Allman shining behind the pair, the song acted as a poignant ode to Devon’s late father. As we already knew, given the recorded version of the duet, Rose and Allman’s voices complement each other perfectly.

5. Everyone Comes Together For a Round of “Midnight Rider”

To close out the night, everyone in the line-up came out to perform “Midnight Rider” together. The entire crowd knew this song was bound to pop up at one point or another and it couldn’t have been a better closer. “Midnight Rider” sounded as celebratory as it ever has.

Photos by Chris Brush / Smoking Monkey Photo