Just before kicking off the Allman Brothers’ annual New York run, Warren Haynes dropped by the Rolling Stone offices to warm up with a couple tunes. The virtuoso guitarist delivered solo acoustic versions of the Allman’s track “Old Friend” (watch it above) as well as “Railroad Boy,” a haunting, traditional blues song that Haynes covers on the latest Gov’t Mule’s new record, By a Thread (see it after the jump!).
For years, the Allman Brothers rocked a multiple-day residency at New York’s Beacon Theatre, but with Cirque du Soleil calling the Beacon home with a new show in April, the Allmans were forced to move further uptown to the United Palace Theatre. “I’m a little disappointed that we’re not at the Beacon, just because that’s our home turf,” says Haynes. “Not to say that these shows aren’t going to be great — we’re going to have a wonderful time. It’s a beautiful theater. Change can be good, too, so we’re excited about it.”
For last year’s residency — which celebrated the band’s 40th anniversary — the Allmans were joined onstage each night with surprise guests like Eric Clapton and members of Phish. And while the 2010 residency won’t be as star-studded as last year’s, Haynes says fans can expect plenty of guests. “I’m sure we’ll have some friends stop by to do a lot of collaborative jamming,” he says.
Also expect the Allmans to bring plenty of off-the-cuff, improvisational heat — particularly when it comes to the set lists, which will change each night. “Normally, at somewhere like the Beacon or the United Palace, where we’re in once place for a long time, we just want to make sure that every show is differ...
Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily