Everybody’s high on consolation…

 

September 7, 2022

 

Everybody’s high on consolation…

The first night of All IN was a classis with headlining band Hall & Oates followed by the first of the two Dream Sets that were scheduled for the weekend and it would be tough to top such an awesome night of classic rock with some of the most talented musicians alive playing iconic songs. The outside stage concluded with the appearance of the iconic duo of Hall & Oates performing a setlist chock full of their massive hits from the 70s and 80s.

 When the set started, the fans were instantly put in a time machine that catapulted us back to the 1970s and 1980s as archival Hall & Oates footage from their many music videos and performances through the decades were displayed on the jumbotron as they made their way to the stage. The group kicked off the show with their 1982 single “Maneater,” transitioning to their massive 80s hits “Family Man” and  “Out of Touch.” 1984’s “Method of Modern Love” followed as Hall & Oates dove into some of their 1970s hits with Daryl Hall showcasing his many talents by jumping back and forth from guitar to piano, and John Oates bringing the electric guitar riffs.

The 1970s portion of the show was more chill and laid back. Fans used the opportunity to catch their breath from all the dancing while taking in the nice vibes. Of note—the audience was a nice mixture of ages. You saw parents attending the show with their 20-something children, along with couples of all ages. After slowing things down a little bit, the group jumped into their 1981 hit “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do), leaving for a few minutes before coming back for an encore. 

I have seen Hall & Oates about 8 times dating back to the early 80s and they just seem to stay on top of their game. It helps that the vast majority of the crowd was there specifically to see them and knew every word of each of the hits that just kept on coming throughout the night. There were a few sound glitches that were eventually overcome, and they seemed to impact the band more than the audience as I might not have known there was an issue if the band did not react.

It was a great set, but the best was yet to come as the first Dreamset was to follow, it was delayed about an hour and moved inside due to weather concerns.  Sadly, a lot of people left before it got started which wasn’t until around 11 PM. Whether they had been there just to see Hall & Oates, or if they just couldn’t stay that late, the fact is that they missed an amazing performance.

The highlight of the day and possibly the weekend was the all-star Dreamset honoring the legacy of The Allman Brothers Band, which featured a mix of the group’s former members, direct descendants, and spiritual ancestors including Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers Band), Duane Betts (The Allman Betts Band), JoJo Hermann (Widespread Panic), Sunny Ortiz (Widespread Panic), Berry Oakley Jr. (The Allman Betts Band), Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs, Winger), Gerry Hansen, Johnny Stachela (Allman Betts Band), Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Kansas, Dixie Dregs), Bill Nershi (The String Cheese Incident), Samantha Fish, and some very special guests who stopped by to join the fun, including Goose guitarist Rick Mitarotonda and Dumpstaphunk keyboardist Ivan Neviille.

The amazing array of talent meshed together flawlessly as if they had been playing together for years, the changes and transitions during the musical jam session were flawless and the talent both fed and inspired each other in what was a truly inspiring display. I have never been a huge fan of the Allman Brothers, but I always appreciate great musicians whatever they may be playing and this group was one of the most amazing I have had the pleasure of seeing.

The smaller crowd and indoor setting made it feel like we were getting our own special private concert, but I have a feeling the show would have been just as amazing even if there were no crowd on hand at all. The musicians just seemed to enjoy playing with each other for the sake of the music as they did not seem to want it to end. It was very long and very late, past 1:30 AM when they finally wrapped it up. I am so, so glad that I stuck it out to the end as it was a remarkable experience.