Allman Betts Family Revival
The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY – December 5, 2025
Review and Photos – Rebecca Wolf
https://www.instagram.com/rebeccawolfconcertphotos/
This year was the 9th Annual Allman Betts Family Revival, a performance created by Devon Allman after the 5/27/17 passing of his father, Gregg Allman, founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. What began December 2017 to celebrate his father’s musical legacy, on what would’ve been his 70th birthday, has now become an annual celebration. Hosting this event with Devon Allman is Duane Betts, son of Dickey Betts, fellow founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, performing with Allman Betts Band members, including Johnny Stachela, slide guitar, Justin Corgan, bass, John Ginty, keyboards, John Lum, drums, Alex Orbison, drums, and David Cultura, sax and percussion. In addition to this core of musicians, each year the “family revival” brings together a multitude of musical artists (family friends, old and new) to perform the legendary music of The Allman Brothers Band and to keep the spirit of Gregg Allman alive (as well as Dickey Betts, since his passing on 4/18/24.) While The Allman Brothers Band are founding fathers of Southern rock, the annual roster of musical artists joining the revival includes musicians and vocalists beyond the realm of Southern rock. As Southern rock is a blend of rock, country and blues, it’s fitting for musicians from these genres to weave their unique sound and spirt into the music of The Allman Brothers Band.
I’ve attended the Allman Betts Family Revival (initially named the Allman Family Revival) for the past five years. My first year was at The Fillmore Philadelphia, followed by three years at The Beacon Theatre in NYC and this year at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. The Beacon was a very special place for The Allman Brothers Band as they had a residency at The Beacon every fall for years. The theater was like a home base for the band. While every tour stop on the Allman Betts Family Revival is special, the history and spirit within the walls of The Beacon Theatre makes it that much more special. You can feel the energy of The Allman Brothers Band while the Allman Betts Family Revival is on stage and there’s the distinct sense that Devon Allman feels especially connected to his father on that Beacon stage.
After three years attending the Allman Betts Family Revival at The Beacon Theatre, on December 5, 2025 I made my way to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, for this year’s show. The Capitol Theatre is one of my favorite venues, so I was enthusiastic to be returning to the venue that hosted some of the biggest 1960s rock acts, including The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and Janis Joplin. Equally enthused were the fans, who packed the theater for the sold out show. Even before the band’s arrival on stage, high energy and positive spirits permeated the audience, as all were eager to join in celebrating the legacy of The Allman Brothers.
Cheers and applause rang out as the band entered the stage, bathed in an orange glow from the psychedelic colors illuminating the towering backdrop. A solo mic stood empty, awaiting Devon Allman’s arrival. Opening with “Wash in Am” the music transitioned to the dynamic blues-rock instrumental “Hot ‘Lanta,” with intense guitar grooves and a powerful drum solo by John Lum. As the song came to a fiery end, Allman slipped on stage, seated himself at the organ, and played “Stormy Monday”
with gritty, soulful vocals, and an electrifying, wailing slide guitar solo performed by Johnny Stachela.
As with all Allman Betts Family Revival shows, guest artists enter and exit the stage after performing various numbers, each having the opportunity to showcase their individual musical and/or vocal skills. A close Allman friend and yearly contributor has been the iconic Jimmy Hall, who made his way to center-stage and began the legendary number “Statesboro Blues” with the squeal of his harmonica, followed by Hall’s powerful, raspy, blues-filled vocals. Pedal steel guitarist, Robert Randolph, returned for another year with the tour and performed with immense passion on his instrument, rocking the pedal steel guitar forwards and back, his feet lifting off the floor, as he was accompanied on “Come and Go Blues” by longtime friend of Allman Betts, Mattie Schell and her soulful, textured vocals.
Newcomer to the revival, singer-songwriter Judith Hill, was welcomed to the stage and added her bright, impassioned vocals to the upbeat, full-band jam “No One to Run With.” Hill was further highlighted during “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” as she sang soulful, sultry vocals and played guitar along with blues rock guitarist Luther Dickinson, who joined the band onstage and created electrifying, wailing notes on his guitar that elicited cheers from the crowd. Luther Dickinson, along with drummer brother, Cody Dickinson, have played on the Allman Betts Family Revival for several years, with Cody and Alex Orbison rotating behind the drum kit. Singer and fiddle player Amanda Shires, another first-timer, arrived to demonstrate her phenomenal speed and skill soon the fiddle and trade vocals with Hill during “Southbound,” while guitarist, harmonica player and blues, funk, rock vocalist G. Love, added an additional layer of soul with his phenomenal guitar and harmonica playing….making it abundantly clear that Jimmy Hall wasn’t the only harmonica master von this tour.
Throughout the two-set performance, when one of the extended “family members” wasn’t performing lead vocals, that honor was shared by Allman and Betts, including during a four-song acoustic set, with Allman singing lead on Gregg Allman numbers, “Dreams,” Melissa,” and “Multi Colored Lady” and Betts taking the helm on Dickey Betts songs, “Blue Sky,” “Seven Turns,” and “Where It All Begins.” The evening’s musical energy and spirit was enhanced by the beautifully vibrant, psychedelic lights and images that swirled about the stage and filled the venue walls and the nostalgic photos that illuminated the backdrop; it was a multisensory experience. Even with the changes in artists, each number flowed from one to the next and the electricity onstage never faltered, from opening number til the encore of “Midnight Rider,” that brought all revival members onstage. The audience was in equally high spirts from arrival through departure….singing, dancing and cheering, clearly displaying an overwhelming devotion to the music of The Allman Brothers, and an abundance of appreciation to Devon Allman, Duane Betts and the revival members for keeping the music alive.
As with the previous four Family Revivals I attended, it was a fabulous performance. I have to admit though, I missed seeing the show at The Beacon Theatre. If you’ve attend at a Beacon performance you just know. I think it’s akin to sitting at a concert further back in the theater and feeling good about your location because you don’t have another perspective. If you subsequently sit in the front and experience the difference, the prior location will never feel quite the same. Although the show may be just as good, the perspective has changed.
Next year will be the 10th Annual Allman Betts Family Revival…the tenth opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Gregg Allman and the entire Allman Brothers Band. I’m already looking forward to attending the 2026 performance. My hope is to be at The Beacon Theatre, where you can truly feel the Allman Brothers’ energy, as well as the ever present connection between Devon Allman, Duane Betts and their legendary fathers.
Set 1:
Wash in Am
Hot ‘Lanta
Stormy Monday
Statesboro Blues
Blue Sky
Come and Go Blues
No One Left to Run With
Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More
Want in D
Dreams
Set 2:
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
Trouble No More
Southbound
Can You Fool
Melissa
Seven Turns
Multi Colored Lady
Back Where It All Begins
One Way Out Whipping Post
Encore:
Midnight Rider
