Article Contributed by Backstage Flash
Published on 2026-02-25
Devon Allman’s Blues Summit | Washington’s | Fort Collins, CO | February 24th, 2026 – photos by Backstage Flash
Devon Allman does not pay attention to stop signs or guardrails when it comes to his long, adventurous musical road. He only sees green lights, passing lanes, and a road that goes on forever. Allman has a very enthusiastic and improvisational approach to anything he puts his mind to. For over three decades of recording and relentless touring, Allman has always been true to himself and his audience. He writes music and plays that music from his heart with sincerity and ferocity. From solo records to his past and present bands—including Honeytribe, Royal Southern Brotherhood, Allman Betts Band, Devon Allman Project, and perhaps a few I don’t even know about—he has been busy entertaining the world for quite some time. It seems he is always looking for the next cool musical collaboration, recording opportunity, or tour that excites the hell out of people. Well, Allman has found that next tour, and yes, it’s also a collaboration with his band, the Devon Allman Project, featuring special guests Jimmy Hall, Larry McCray, and Lakasoul.
Allman has a way of bringing artists together to play music. Each year since 2017, he has brought scores of musicians together to honor his late father, Gregg Allman. This gathering of musicians goes out on the road for typically a month or so to pay respect to Gregg and the music of the Allman Brothers Band. The tour is appropriately titled The Allman Family Revival. The vibes on the road are incredibly cool, and the music played is delivered with such passion and power it makes your head spin and takes your breath away with nostalgia, family values, and pure rock n’ roll swagger. The Allman Betts Band anchors the Allman Family Revival, with many special guests making appearances along the way.
Allman is currently on the road with The Blues Summit Tour, and they made a stop at Washington’s in Fort Collins, Colorado, last night. Allman, on guitar and vocals, brought along a guitar army, including blues guitar master Larry McCray. Also on guitar was longtime friend and guitar shredder extraordinaire Jackson Stokes. The three of them together brought sounds out of those guitars that seemed unreal at times. The rawness and purity that flowed out of these three guitar virtuosos was something that can’t be explained properly here—it must be seen and heard in the same room for the full-throttle effect. I can go on and on about the power and poise they each possess, but that would take the whole page, so let’s just say they implemented elements of rock, blues, and soul that lit your senses on fire. Don’t even get me started on the chunky, gritty guitar tones coming out of the amps behind them—it almost seemed like a competition over who could get the dirtiest, greasiest sound out of their guitar.
With all that guitar magic, there needed to be a low-end foundation, and who better to build it than John Lum on drums and Nate Gilberg on bass guitar. The solid footing of their combined percussive power was thick and rich with punch-you-in-the-gut grooves. They built a wall of sound that exuded tightness and compatibility, creating a foundational platform for the rest of the band to launch from. Mark Harris on keyboards was driving the arrangements into uncharted waters. His cascading, flowing fingers caressed the keyboard with style and class. These three rhythmic minds worked so well together, forming a wonderful melodic environment of electric energy.
Jimmy Hall, on vocals, harmonica, and all-around great vibes, was a showman from the word go. His vocals were strong, clear, and packed with a pureness that brought you into his musical conversation. The vocal clarity and rich tone of his voice reached everyone in the room with soul-scorching power and poise. Hall is very comfortable in the spotlight; his audience interaction was fun and full of spirit-lifting attitude. He has had a long career as a Southern rock frontman. If you don’t know his back story, he was the lead singer of Wet Willie, a Southern rock band from Mobile, Alabama, that began in 1971. He also performed with Jeff Beck for many years as his vocalist. Last night, he sang beautifully and blew the doors off the place with his skillful, soulful harmonica licks.
David Gomez, on percussion and saxophone, gave the band a very universal feel with jazz-inspired, blues-infused energy. His playing style on the hand drums was highly skilled and improvisational, adding fiery flavors and percussive moods to the overall sound of the band, making it even bigger and bolder with every slap on the skins. Lakasoul—wow, what a voice—and what power and elegance she brought to the stage. Her glowing soul exploded into the hearts of everyone in front of her. Her vocal tone textures were compelling, with a slow-burn warmth and richness that filled the room with soulful energy. She had such great stage presence coupled with confidence, bringing the show to a fever pitch of soulful vibes.
Every one of these talented artists spanned and explored the gritty blues spectrum by delivering a wildly entertaining show that was rich with timeless blues traditions and contemporary presentation. Every band member’s respect for one another was highly visible and shot off the stage with the same velocity and strength as the music itself. The band’s collective energy was a power punch of grooves, moods, and melodic magic. The set was stacked with songs from the band’s new Devon Allman Project Blues Summit album, as well as a few tasty cover tunes from the Allman Brothers Band, Jimi Hendrix, and Jimmy Hall.
Opening the show was the Koch Marshall Trio. These three gifted musicians shined a new light on the words power trio. Greg Koch on guitar and vocals, his son Dylan Koch on drums, and Toby Marshall on keyboards presented blues rock without a bass guitar. Marshall took care of that with his left hand playing the low notes on his Hammond organ, while Greg Koch lit the stage on fire with his masterful guitar skills. Dylan Koch brought a lot of percussive power to the party, laying down a strong foundation of bold beats. The band played a great mix of their music, with a few classic guitar-driven cover tunes sprinkled into the mix.
All of these gifted artists share the same passion for music, and we are grateful for their commitment to keeping the blues/rock genre alive and well for generations to come. Thanks to the Devon Allman Project and their special guests Jimmy Hall, Larry McCray, and Lakasoul. Thanks to Martin Lewis and Chris Brush for keeping it all together behind the scenes, and thanks to the entire crew at Washington’s. A very special thanks to Music City Hot Chicken for providing the amazing food for the guys before the show. If you are a touring band passing through Fort Collins, they have two locations, so please look them up—they will get you fed and fueled up for your show.
We have included the set list from The Devon Allman Blues Summit portion of the show below.
