Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel – Isle of Hope Tour
The Vogel at Count Basie Center for the Arts – Red Bank, NJ – April 22, 2026
Review & Photos – Rebecca Wolf
https://www.instagram.com/rebeccawolfconcertphotos/
Duane Betts recently began the Isle of Hope Tour with his band Palmetto Motel, including Johnny Stachella (guitar), Pedro Arevalo (bass), Vince Fossett Jr. (drums), and Max Butler (keys), ahead of the June 12th release of his new album, Isle of Hope. Two singles from the album have already been released. The melancholy “Heartache,” written by Betts about the passing of his father, showcases touching lyrics and anguished vocals, while “Down to Houston” packs upbeat, jivving energy for “riding high” car travels. Betts has expressed that this album is very personal to him and through its ten songs, Betts shares the life experiences that have helped form him, guided him and provide him with hope. Although Isle of Hope won’t be out until mid June, hearing Duane’s passion during the first two singles has created eager anticipation for the album’s release. On April 22nd, Betts brought those emotional numbers, along with songs from his 2023 album Wild & Precious Life, and some classic Allman Brothers Band favorites to The Vogel at Count Basie Center for the Arts. The intimate setting at The Vogel was an ideal location to perform during the first week of the tour.
With a seating capacity of around 400 patrons, and a dinner theater-like atmosphere, there’s a casual, relaxed energy at The Vogel that makes it the perfect place for Betts to perform. Betts is not about being a showman or an entertainer. He’s not a “big” performer who needs to entertain to a large crowd His performances are focused on showcasing the music he’s written (and the beloved music he’s covering) and highlighting his phenomenal guitar skills. Betts’ performances convey an emotional connection to the music that draws in the audience and holds their attention.
The evening at The Vogel opened with “Waiting on a Song,” from Wild & Precious Life, which immediately engaged the audience with its feel-good, Southern rock energy, and lyrics that portray bits of Betts’ youthful Florida days. With the show underway, Betts welcomed fans to the tour for his upcoming album, performing the album’s high energy single “Down to Houston,” followed by “Best Wishes,” a song from the album that’s yet to be released, both of which were received with eager enthusiasm by the crowd. The upbeat vibe continued with the light, breezy energy of “Saints to Sinners,” from Wild and Precious Life, featuring Johnny Stachela on slide guitar, that speaks of pushing through life’s challenges. A cover of the Allman Brothers Band’s blues rock tune “Hoochie Choochie Man” brought local Jersey shore legend Danny Clinch to the stage on harmonica. Clinch wowed the adoring audience with his incredible performance, as bass player Pedro Arevalo provided powerfully gritty blues vocals.
While Betts is not one to frequently engage in banter with the crowd, he periodically shared bits of information about upcoming numbers. Before performing the soulful, melodic “Colors Fade,” from Wild & Precious Life, Betts noted, “Johnny wrote the melody of the next song at my dad’s house after he passed.” Looking at Stachela as he shared this memory Betts appeared to be thinking about his dad and his dad’s home as he continued, “ I didn’t know that until recently.” It was clear the connection to the song continues to stir up emotions for Betts. With this feeling of connection at the forefront, it was the perfect time to segue to an Allman Brothers Band song that connects Betts to his father like few other numbers. “Blue Sky,” written by Dickey Betts marked his debut with the The Allman Brothers Band as a vocalist. Watching Duane perform his father’s iconic number, the gentleman next to me, an adoring fan of The Allman Brothers, stated in awe, “He now looks and sounds exactly like his father!” The set ended with “Taking Time,” from Betts’ 2018 EP Sketches Of American Music, a bright Southern rock track about heading out west, watching the sun going down, the stars spin around and taking your time getting lost. What a great visual for all to connect to.
The carefree, light feeling of the first set transitioned to the raw emotionality of Isle of Hope’s “Heartache,” which opened the second set. “This next song is about losing someone you love,” shared Betts. “I wrote this for my dad.” The heaviness in Betts’ heart was evident as he sang, “Heartache, there’s nothing you can do.” However, this melancholy feeling did not last for long, as it was quickly followed by a number written by Betts with Derek Trucks, a song with dynamic, electrifying guitar jams (not surprising since Trucks was involved) called “Stare at the Sun,” for Wild & Precious Life. Danny Clinch was welcomed back to the stage for a cover of Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s “Everybody Knows This is Nowhere.” Clinch would be considered a whiz on the harmonica wherever he performed. However, as a Jersey shore legend, being by the Jersey shore made him that much more adored.
The mellow, Southern breezy feeling of “Rivers Run,” from the Allman Betts Bands’ Bless Your Heart gave Betts another opportunity to evoke wonderful imagery of walks down old roads, and trips back home, while the passionate blues rock number, “Cold Dark World,” from Wild & Precious Life allowed Betts and Stachela to trade fierce guitar licks and Max Butler to wail on the keys. As wowed and engaged as the fans were, most remained seated throughout the performance. “I know it’s a comfortable place but you can get up for a song or two,” Betts said, attempting to encourage the crowd. “Or not….” he replied with a shrug and a bit of a grin when only a few stood. However, Betts knew what was likely to get everyone up on their feet. I’m not going to make anybody… but it sure makes it feel good if you do,” he again quietly encouraged. As a smattering of fans rose to their feet, the band began to play The Allman Brothers’ beloved instrumental, “Jessica,” penned by Dickey Betts. As Betts correctly suspected, this brought everyone to their feet, dancing, swaying, losing themselves in the music. An encore of Wild & Precious Life’s “Forrest Lane” brought the evening to a glorious Southern rock end.
It’s clear from the songs Betts has written for Sketches of American Music, Wild & Precious Life and Isle of Hope (what we’ve seen so far), as well as the numbers he penned for the Allman Betts Band, that he creates music that’s personal to him. Betts is a storyteller who paints pictures and evokes feels through his words and phenomenal guitar skills. Betts does not need to be a showman. His performances elicit an emotional connection to the music that draw audience to him. It was no surprise after the performance that the line to buy merch was packed with fans eager to make a purchase and meet Betts. And, it was no surprise that Betts, though not one for frequent onstage communication, was ready to connect with fans, with a broad smile and a friendly chat. So, be sure to catch Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel if they travel through your area on the Isle of Hope Tour and if Betts is at the merch booth, stop by for a smile, a chat and of course some merch!
