This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
When is a great live album a disappointment? When it’s really just the soundtrack to an even better DVD.
That’s the bizarre conundrum of the new Allman Brothers Band set One Way Out: Live At The Beacon Theatre. Make no bones about it: This double-CD — recorded last year at the group’s annual New York City residency — is a stunner. The veteran band, rejuvenated by guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks, are firing on all cylinders. Singer-keyboardist Gregg Allman sounds stronger than he has in years. The sound and mix are pristine. And the set list — loaded with classics like Statesboro Blues, Midnight Rider, Trouble No More and (of course) Whippin’ Post, topped up by newer gems like Desdemona and Old Before My Time — is a fan’s dream. But here’s the glitch: Nearly all of it is from the same shows used in last fall’s DVD Live At The Beacon. Unless you’re a completist and need the handful of cuts that weren’t duplicated, buy the video and savour it all in full colour and Surround Sound. That’s the best way to get into the tunes from One Way Out.
