The first thing I see as I enter the top of Red Rocks is the full moon just barely sitting on the Colorado horizon. It's got that dusky, orange glow and an uncanny resemblance of, well, dare I say, a Georgia peach. It sat center-stage and shined like a beacon getting brighter and brighter the higher it went. It was my last concert at Red Rocks for the summer and this Georgia boy wouldn't have it any other way - taking it back where it all began with The Allman Brother's Band.

Just in case some of you aren't aware, The Allman Brothers have changed band members more than they've changed strings since the band's conception. The current line-up consists of original members, Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe, and also Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge and Marc Quinones. They appeared to have the chemistry of a family when they took the stage Sunday night and surprisingly launched into Dickey Betts's Jessica. This helped Warren and Derek get nice and warmed up and by the time the fourth solo came around you could tell the night was just getting started. If playing slide guitar could save the world, Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks would be wearing matching superhero leotards.

The Blind Willie McTell tune, Statesboro Blues, was next and immediately showed that Gregg's still got some good wind left in his pipes. Ain't Wastin' Time No More was a personal treat and quite well placed as Gregg sang, "last Sunday morning the sunshine felt like rain." That led to the Gov't Mule song, Rocking Horse, at which point things got interesting. If you were able to pull your eyes off of Warren playing his guts out, you might have noticed Gregg start looking over his shoulder at the stagehands. After much plug twisting and button pushing, they pull Gregg's Leslie amp off stage. While Warren and Derek are volleying solos, Gregg is helping to lift the next amp on the riser. That one doesn't work either. Or…they fixed the other one. In any case, they now remove that amp and replace it with the old one only to find out that something is still wrong. Gregg, taking it all pretty well, turns to the piano after Rocking Horse and begins One Way Out as the crowd anxiously sings along to the chorus. At some point in the middle of the song they discover that Gregg's Hammond organ is the root of the problem and not the Leslie amp at all. Enter Hammond number two.

After much work (I didn't envy this guy's work tonight), everything was back in place and Gregg, joyous to have his organ back, played the beginning notes of No One To Run With. Egypt, a fairly new instrumental was everything you would expect from an Allman Brothers instrumental. It was complex, melodic, epic and the synchronicity between Warren and Derek was astounding. Warren soulfully sang his heart out in the slower paced Dreams To Remember only equaled by Gregg's aged voice in the following Wasted Words. The well-known Midnight Rider was to be expected but happily accepted by the dancing crowd now singing along.

One of the highlights of the evening was an exceptionally well-played Dreams that was yet another testimony to Gregg's voice and showcased Derek and Warren's ability to nail changes effortlessly while Oteil modestly thumped along. Van Morrison's Into The Mystic was a great cover that Warren is known for doing and the Allman's did it great justice Sunday night. With the night coming to a close we new they had probably one or two more songs left in them. Well, they had a 20+ minute Mountain Jam left in them. Warren played the slide so hard, loud and fast I thought he was going to pop something. And Derek, not to be outdone, peaked a beautiful ripping solo into the depths of nothingness as he played while tuning down and down and down until he was literally pulling is low E-string behind the fret of his guitar. This oozed into Drums with Butch Trucks, Jaimoe and Marc Quinones on all things percussive and eventually Oteil snuck back on the bass. Eventually, the whole band reemerges and finishes Mountain Jam in peak-summiting fashion. And as if that wasn't excessive enough, they encored with an exhausting Whipping Post that left the crowd and myself completely satisfied.

Now, I've seen the Allman Brothers quite a few times in my day and in that time I've seen a lot of band members come and go. As strongly as I feel about Duane Allman and Dickey Betts being irreplaceable, this is as close as it's going to get. The music seems fresh and vibrant despite being 30 years old. I can only hope that The Allman Brothers continue to make music for those of us that still feel their music in our souls. On Sunday night, I "went up on the mountain, to see what I could see," and came down with a clear vision of rejuvenation. I believe I'm well stocked for my winter hibernation from Red Rocks – which way to the Fillmore?

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Setlist:

I: Jessica, Statesboro Blues, Ain't Wastin Time No More, Rocking Horse, One Way Out, No One To Run With, Egypt, Dreams To Remember, Wasted Words, Midnight Rider, Dreams, Into The Mystic, Mountain Jam

E: Whipping Post

The Fillmore in Denver has seen Trey Anastasio with four different bands in the past years. In '99 he arrived with Tony Markelis and Russ Lawton as his inaugural solo project. In 2001, he returned with the "super group", Oysterhead, for two nights of Halloween madness. Then, in 2003 the Prodigal Son upgraded his solo trio project to an Octet and gave the Denver crowd another memorable performance. On Saturday, Anastasio returned yet again with another band and on the heels of its debut album release. With a slew of new tunes and a revamped 70 Volt Parade behind him, the jamband maestro took the stage armed and ready.

I was expecting any number of opening songs, but I should have known better than to let my guard down with Anastasio on stage. From out of nowhere, recently added New Orleans drummer, Raymond Weber, counts off and Trey launches into the familiar riff from the Robert Palmer original, Sneaking Sally Through The Alley. If the crowd wasn't excited before, they were now lit up. Trey kept things moving nicely with a Push On Til The Day with Russell Remington on saxophone, Jen Hartswick on trumpet and Christina Durfee in her debut performance on trombone. The dynamic, composed parts of the outro jam highlight Anastasio's real skill for writing truly original pieces of music.

The following Cayman Review had a more New Orleans jazz band feel than the originally recorded "island swing" version thanks to Tony Hall and Weber's influence and Jen's booming tuba. Ray Paczkowski got to show off his finger work on the organ a bit while Hartswick and Durfee's back-up vocals added a little sugar. The eighties esque rocker, Air Said To Me, was the first new song of the evening and was a good representation of his new material for those that hadn't heard any as of yet. The song slowed down into a somewhat flighty and spacious jam with the girls singing melodic harmonies and Trey channeling the almighty O-face we've come to recognize and love so much.

The cheerful and easy going, Sweet Dreams Melinda, was a short and sweet mid-set choice and let the crowd catch its breath before heading into the usually epic Simple Twist Up Dave. Personally, I was really excited to hear Simple Twist Up Dave thrown into the mix considering the 70 Volt Parade doesn't usually play this groovy launching pad of a tune. The girls and Russell picked up the brass instruments again to give the song its due respect.

The smoky, blues based Dark and Down is reminiscent of a Neil Young tune and gave Anastasio a chance to sit back and slowly shred through the last half of the song. This set the stage for Trey's latest single off of his new album with the same name, Shine. Shine is a catchy, energetic song and had a nice outro jam that crept into the ever-exploratory Mr. Completely. As is usually the case, Mr. Completely reached ear-piercing heights and had plenty of tension and release highlights. A perfect closer for a monster of a first set.

Trey's solo acoustic sets have become an intimate and anticipated part of this tour's performances. It's nearly a guarantee you'll hear a couple Phish songs and probably a little humorous or insightful self-disclosure. Tonight's acoustic set showcased Sample In A Jar, which ironically, was once considered poppy by Phish fan's standards and is now welcomed like a mini anthem. Water in The Sky and Bouncing Around The Room were dedicated to a Phish fan that had recently passed away and inspired by a picture Trey had of her on stage. It was an emotional and genuine dedication on Trey's part.

The crowd participation in Twist led to Trey getting a chuckle out of us coming in too early on one of the "Whoo!"s as he slyly laughs, "Gotcha". Twist segued into a Limb By Limb that gave me goose bumps when the crowd sang Page McConnell's parts in a "call and answer' conversation with Trey.

The second set of the 70 Volt Parade came out firing with the band's first rendition of Jimi Hendrix's Cross-town Traffic. This let Anastasio stretch his legs, so to speak, and return his amp to the proper chandelier shaking level. The band really nailed this one – yet another left field cover to catch me off guard. The horns returned for Money, Love and Change and Jen sounded great as usual on back vocals. It's hard really to single out one specific band member that stood out in this tune because they all had perfectly subtle sections that made the song sound so good.

Tuesday, another new one off of the new album, was quite tight and showed just how well the entire band is coming together. Tuesday jams itself into a frenzy of back-up vocals and aspiring Trey riffs that eventually come to an end "when the beat slows down". Spin was a little shaky in parts but I feel this tune is one of the more promising new songs on the album – especially live. It's got a dark and dusky sound with some interesting changes and a nice contagious riff taboot. This particular Spin entered uncharted territory and found itself in a swirling, hypnotizing space that I had yet to see this band explore.

Sleep Again emerged from the 12 minute Spin with its lyrics almost speaking directly to lost Phish fans. "All you'll be and all that's gone is leading you on and on - on and on. You will live again," Trey sings as he hopes to reach those that feel forgotten. Drifting was next and is an always-welcomed Trey tune for its uplifting feel and curiously catchy chorus. Ray had another memorable piano solo in this jam and has definitely earned himself the "most underrated 70 Volt musician" award in my book. One of Anastasio's new favorites, Come as Melody, rounded out the set and closed the show in standard fashion.

The encore, I Want To Take You Higher by Sly & The Family Stone, nearly blew the roof off the Fillmore. That's what I've always loved about Trey and his live shows; he seems compelled to take the energy of the room to ever growing heights. With fists pumping and bubble machines spewing, the band played like a fully loaded Mardi Gras float steam rolling down Bourbon Street – or in this case Colfax.

It was yet another overly ambitious live performance by the man that loves getting other people off through the power of music. If you are having trouble deciding whether you should check out Anastasio next time he comes to town, stop thinking so much. If you liked the man in Phish, you will enjoy his live shows with this band as well. It's pure and honest and 100% from his heart. Thanks again, Trey.

Is there a better place to 'see music' than Red Rocks? With it's surreal, natural appeal and rock history ridden presence, it is no wonder why Trey Anastasio still gets excited to play Colorado's favorite venue. "I've said before, but I'll say it again," Anastasio readmits on Saturday night, "this is the most incredible place to play on earth."  Three years ago when Anastasio played here with his Octet the weather did not seem as equally respectful and Saturday night didn't look to be much different. As the seats filled up with hooded fans wrapped in their warmest water-resistant attire, spirits were high despite the surrounding fog and permeating drizzle. Besides, how can you not be excited when you see the familiar color schemes and textures of Chris Kuroda's lights painting all sides of the natural amphitheater.

The unseasonably cold weather had everyone hoping for a hot-out-of-the-box opener to get them dancing but Trey, not straying too far from the rest of the tour's setlists, opted for the lyrically appropriate Drifting. "The storm has lifted," Trey sings optimistically,  "we've got the moon and the stars above." This was a standard version of the song with the exception of Les Hall providing some great subtle slide guitar work. Cayman Review was a reworked version of the original recorded track from Anastasio's 2002 self-titled album. The song has some noticeable changes that give the tune a much choppier, funkier feel thanks to Ray Paczkowski's finger work and Les Hall's backup keys. Dark & Down was next and it was the first 'new tune' of the evening. Trey's voice was a little soft at points, as he seemed to be concentrating more on playing the music correctly than annunciating. Les Hall again added some great texture and ambience on slide guitar. At this point I'm already impressed with Les Hall, not only for his versatility, but also for knowing his subtle place in the band and yet adding noticeable, poignant layers of music. The jam was short and sweet and segued fairly smoothly, yet seemingly rehearsed, into Air Said to Me. Air definitely has that 70's rock feel that Trey so nostalgically talks about in interviews regarding his new band. The song is a hybrid of some Cheap Trick meets The Who song. You can't deny its rock and in time will mold itself nicely into Trey's new repertoire.

Next Trey and Les picked up their acoustics for Invisible, the rumored title track of the new album. Invisible had a simple structured jam that ends much like Phish's Meat, but without the excessiveness. The tune is quite digestible and one can see how it might work as an album's title track if it is so chosen to be. Like the previous new tunes, Invisible, with much practice, has the makings of a very good tune. The familiar beginning riff of Night Speaks To A Woman is a now welcomed lick among Anastasio fans. They know some of his best, and longest, jams in the past years have morphed out of Night Speaks. Tonight was no exception as the song had many vintage tension and release points for Trey to jump and dance.

Spin is another new song that seemingly reflects Anastasio's recent thoughts regarding his newfound freedom from Phish and the fans skepticism. I was quite pleased to hear Plasma, as it had only been played once previously in the tour. Plasma was 'interesting' to hear without horns but the band looked comfortable playing it and pulled it off much better than I had expected. Next up, a refurbished Push On Til the Day where, again, the horns were noticeably absent, but the festive song kept the crowd warm and dancing. The song has a much "swankier" feel to it than previously performed and actually works quite well. I believe we might have Skeeto Valdez on drums to thank for this song's new feel. Anastasio introduces the next song, Goodbye Head, as a song he co-wrote with his daughter Eliza, who was in the crowd that night. He then takes the time to introduce and walk out his 93-year-old grandmother. Guess Trey felt like showing The Anastasio family tree from top to bottom. Goodbye Head is probably the most "composed" of the new songs as far as the extended jam goes. It twists and swirls with an eerie tone that mixes melody with dissonance but tells a story at the same time. The band hits many highs in this jam and nails the sporadic changes nicely before melting quietly into silence and the band leaves the stage for set break.

During the break Anastasio explains how at Jones Beach he realized when he would leave the stage for set break he would pick up the guitar and keep playing backstage. So since that night, he's not left the stage and has been playing mainly Phish songs solo on acoustic guitar much to the delight of the fans. I must say, it's unselfish and highly commendable in the eyes of this appreciative fan. Saturday night's acoustic set was Back on the Train, Inlaw Josie Wales, a struggling Pebbles and Marbles followed by a quite beautiful Waste.

The 70 Volt Parade sneak back on stage as Trey and the band launch into an uplifting Shine that marks the start of another electric set. "And the light shines on," Anastasio and backup vocalists, Jen Hartswick and Christina Durfee, sing, "while we all ride on!" A fairly standard rocking version of Sand is well received by the drying crowd and eventually slows down to make way for Tuesday, another new song with a poppy chorus and is respectfully short. The always explorative Mr. Completely let Trey stretch his legs a few more times and segued slowly into 46 Days to which bassist Tony Hall seemed to be having a great time singing along.

A show ending Come as Melody was to be expected as were the Love is Freedom and I am The Walrus encore, but you can see why he loves covering the Beatles song. It's got some crowd-singing participation and it can't help but be high in energy and vintage Trey shreddage.

All in all, Trey played his heart out Saturday night at The Rocks. I had a great time at the show and was more than impressed with Anastasio's energy and focus. I don't see how anyone could complain about not getting his or her money's worth after nearly 3 hours of continuous music. The man is excited and rejuvenated and whether it's your thing or not, you can't deny his enthusiasm. If he shows up again next year, you know I'll be there with galoshes and poncho in tow.