Friday, June 12, 2009

Sneakin' Out The Beacon

In case you hadn't noticed, both Jay and I are pretty big music enthusiasts. One band we are both really big on is the Allman Brothers Band and I think the first exchange Jay and I had here on Fack Youk was regarding the annual Beacon run of this past March.

So as the city prepares for the year's first Subway Series, today we report news (h/t jambands.com) about something that is as much a part of New York City to me as the Yankees or Mets. Says founding ABB member Butch Trucks:
"...we won't be at the Beacon anymore. They just announced that Cirque du Soleil is moving in there, sad to say. We'll still do a multi-show thing in New York, but we're looking for another venue. With things the way they are, there's a lot of empty theaters on Broadway."
That's some sad stuff right there, and it's gone relatively unnoticed. After years of freakin' and peakin' at The Beacon, now the ABB is sneakin' out The Beacon. I've gone to at least one show every Beacon Run since 2001. It's every bit as much a right of spring to me as "pitchers and catchers report" and Opening Day. Yet I can't say I'm surprised.

The Beacon came under the control of Cablevision in November 2006. As you may know, everything Cablevision touches - the Knicks, the Rangers, my buddy Art's cable installation - turns to shit. From the time they seized control of The Beacon I suspected this day was coming. Planned renovations nearly derailed the 2008 run, until a last minute deal was reached. In the end, a flare up of Gregg Allman's hepatitis cancelled the 2008 run. Now it's done for good. For Cirque du fucking Soleil. /vomits

Expected or not, it's the end of an era. The Allmans first played The Beacon on September 27, 1989, as part of their 20th Anniversary Reunion Tour. They would play there three more times that month and add 184 more Beacon shows through multishow runs in 1992, 1994, 1996-2007, and 2009. As it stands now, the last ABBeacon show ever was March 28, 2009 - a show I attended - but that's no consolation to the end of this tradition.

The Beacon Run was quintessential ABB. Guests came out of the woodwork to play there. Through the years I've seen Chuck Leavell, Gary Rossington, Peter Frampton, Hubert Sumlin, Bela Fleck, Luther Dickinson, Larry McCray, Dick Griffin, Robert Randolph, Susan Tedeschi, Roy Haynes, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and others. You may not recognize any, or all, of the names, but it was an atmosphere that couldn't be recereated elsewhere.

If 2009 was in fact the final Beacon Run, they went out with a bang. It was the band's 40th Anniversary celebration, and a tribute to the memory of founder Duane Allman. All manner of guests joined in to honor his memory and the history of the band, amongst them: Bonnie Bramlett, the aforementioned Weir and Lesh, John Hammond, Taj Mahal, Levon Helm, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Trey Anastasio, Boz Scaggs, Jimmy Herring, and for the first time ever, Eric Clapton.

This won't be the first time the run moves from the Beacon. 1995 saw a six show run at Radio City Music Hall in place of the Beacon. Radio City is also Cablevision controlled, so I doubt that's where they'll go now. Butch mentioned a potential "Broadway Theater", but my guess would be the United Palace Theater up in Washington Heights. It's becoming the new "it" theater in the city, and was the rumored back-up destination had The Beacon fallen through in 2008.

But it won't be the same. Aside from the atmosphere, and the beautiful, classic venue, I'll miss the neighborhood. Brother Jimmy's, Blondie's, the since relocated P&G, the Gin Mill, the Westside Brewing Co. Amsterdam Ale House. And I'll miss the memories; some of the best music I've ever witnessed in person was at The Beacon, and making that annual pilgrimage with lifelong friends was something I looked forward to every year.

This also marks the end of an era for the ABB. Founding members Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, and fellow CT resident Jaimoe are getting old. Guitar slingers Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks both have their own bands, which they have to neglect for large portions of the year while touring with the ABB. Outside of the NYC run next year and perhaps a summer festival or two, it doesn't appear that the band will be touring any more. And that's real sad. I strongly, strongly suggest you get out this summer and catch the ABB - preferably while they're on the road with Widespread Panic.

All good things must come to an end. And it appears that 2009 will mark the end of The Beacon Run and the ABB summer tour. Like Yankeee Stadium closing last year, it's sad. Something that means a lot to me won't be around anymore. But I look forward to what 2010 and beyond holds for Gov't Mule, the Derek Trucks Band, Soul Stew Revival, and whatever Oteil Burbridge is cooking up.

This is, afterall, a baseball blog. So lest we get chastised again, I'll end on a baseball note. Guitarist Derek Trucks is a big baseball fan and is the nephew of drummer Butch Trucks. Butch is the nephew of former Major League pitcher Virgil Trucks. Virgil is one of four men (Nolan Ryan, Johnny Vander Meer, and former Yankee Allie Reynolds) to throw two no hitters in the same season. He finished his 17 year Big League career in 1958 with the World Champion New York Yankees.

See, it all comes back to baseball....

19 comments:

  1. Go Allman Brothers, and Go Red Sox!

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  2. I'll agree with you on half of that.

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  3. After last night's sweep may I please suggest a song for the ridiculous and absurd fackyouk jukebox? Here you go:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsDGqVsb_nk

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  4. Less posts about your tastes in stupid hippy music! MORE posts about how the Yankees fucking suck!!!! LOL!

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  5. Derek Jeter, man hes a big cheater
    Even somehow worse than Alex Rodriguz
    Enrique Wilson man he thinks hes the best
    But in his mind he really wants to play for the Mets
    Bubba Crosby, Kenny Lofton, Never heard of them both
    I should know their batting averages why don't u gimme a post
    Hideki Matsui man can he even speak american
    Or is he just a chinese man with no caring
    Gary Sheffield, Ruben Sierra, and three more guys
    Bernie Williams , Jorge Posada John Flarety, they make me cry
    thats the full roster Oh did i miss someone
    Roger Clemens wait he got traded for a nun
    Now I got everyone and now you know the rule
    If your a fan of the yankees than your obviously a fool
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la

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  6. Derek Jeter Gay?
    All of my gay friends and myself have long thought he was gay. If you don't know who it is then I don't see why you're still reading. If you know who he is, or have seen him on tv, or something then what is your opinion? I was just talking with someone who flipped out when I said that I though he was gay. But I can't be the only one. If you know who he is then what do you think?



    I found this question on yahoo and felt it was important to help this fella resolve it. If ANYONE has ANY information regarding the homosexuality of Derek Jeter...I've posted a link to where you can answer. THANK YOU

    AMERICA!!!!!!!!! LAND OF THE FREE!!!!GAY'S SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PLAY BASEBALL, TOO!!!!!!!

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND REMEMBER TO VOTE

    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070512101245AAGsdMT

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  7. That was... Um... how do I say this... incoherent?

    Nice effort, I guess, but Hideki Matsui is Japanese and "can't speak [English]" and Clemens was never traded.

    "If your[sic] a fan of the yankees than[sic] your[sic] obviously a fool"

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  8. Speak American????? Moran.

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  9. moran? i believe you mean MORON meredith? GEEEEEZ learn to speak american

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  10. Dude, please go the fuck away. There are plently of other Yankees blogs where you will get a rise out of people.

    There are plently of Sox fans that read and post here. Either contribute something worthwhile or shut the fuck up.

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  11. That parody song about the Yankees was pretty worthwhile to me Cliff. Seeing as you guys are such big 'music enthusiasts' I fail to see what the problem is.

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  12. Wow, Derrick, are you and Anon in the same 7th grade class or something? Yes as a music enthusiast I really should have appreciated the subtle nuances of a "poem" that had no consistent schematic to it, was riddled with ridiculous errors and made no sense.

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  13. Jay-Have you ever heard of rap music? or hip hop?

    Or are you too busy wackin off to Derek Jeter... at a medium pace?

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  14. Jordan - Allow me to say "welcome" because you obviously weren't reading this blog before the Red Sox series started.

    http://fackyouk.blogspot.com/2009/06/game-57-serial-killaz.html

    That post was from Monday's game against the Rays and features a Snoop Dogg song. Is that hip hop enough for you?

    And I am by no means a Jeter homer. See here:

    http://fackyouk.blogspot.com/2009/03/whats-difference.html

    and here:

    http://fackyouk.blogspot.com/2009/02/number-of-days-until-spring-training_11.html

    Thanks for stopping by, though!

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  15. I was simply wondering if you had ever heard of it. You might try writing Mr. Dogg and correcting HIS grammar. Wait! Maybe...just maybe...you could fall off your high horse(named Jeter's Dick)and appreciate someone other than yourself.

    That song was AWESOME and I DEMAND an apology.

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  16. Hey Cliff, why don't you go jump off of your namesake! LOL!

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  17. Anon #5 is having trouble typing coherent statments because Youk's faggy beard is tickling his balls.

    Jeter is gay, according to you and "all your gay friends"? I think it is more likely that you and your faggot friends fantasize about it when you are engaging in your circle jerk sessions.

    T

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  18. Yogis! ( which is now a big hole in the ground on Broadway just north of the Beacon) I'm guessing they head uptown to United Palace Theater or whatever its called

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  19. Good call on Yogi's. They had the giant wooden bear out front. Place was a shithole, but had cheap PBR.

    RIP Yogi's.

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