Stellar! I was unsure about going to this show since I had never heard nor seen DTB live. But now, I will not miss any show that comes this way.

That review above was enough to convince me to try out this show...

and it doesn't dissapoint. Incredible music happening...

This show has celestial moments. TIGHT. Definitely a fantastic night for DTB, hitting on all cylinders, etc. At their "worst," DTB meanders,looking for launching points, pro enough to fall back on native proficiency and same ol' same ol'. But here the vibe is massive throughout, the storytelling is unfolding as naturally as clouds making their way across the sky. Luminous musical journeys, highs, lows, phrasing that goes on and on AND coherently, not just a 4-measure blip of cool riffing. This peformance has continuity. Times when the notes sound perfect, and the execution is a stinking rip, start to finish. Some of his best versions of same stuff that this reviewer has yet heard from DTB. This show is now more than a month into the west coast trek and the chops are flexing like friggin popeye. Check out Lonely Avenger from about 3:20 -> 5:40. Listen to a medley of classic Trucks licks, dancing, precise, inspired, lightning flurries. Music is coming through him @50,000 watts, the kind of intensity that connects our little vibrating nervous systems into the ONE Granddaddy FREQUENCY. Compare to 2005 San Fran performance of same with Jimmy Herring. Any band would be proud of that one. Scorching, but more predictable, hang on the flat 9 after a blast of pentatonic notes, less lofty and original. This one, though, is friggin jazz. Listen to Charlie Parker in Bloomdido (Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker). Derek has that kind of solid line going that holds his and our interest. Not a knee-jerk pentatonic flailing like 3/4 of players. Favorite Things, which Coltrane did (DTB's interest is easy to follow), is here. Check out Derek at 3+ minutes on that one. Wickedly Inspired! Check out I'll Find my Way from about 3:40. Feel the band building and building. And Derek following a theme, higher, higher, the band right there pushing him. Then backing off. Freddie's Dead, at about 4:50, back and forth with keyboards, then off into his own story. Lots of torrid runs. Kofi on flute and keyboards is having HIS night. The two of them just hit it together on the same night, one inspired by the other. But the whole band is hot. Recording is very good, crowd noise not generally distracting.