Allman Brothers return to the Beacon

Over the last 21 years, the Allman Brothers have played over 200 shows at New York's Beacon Theatre during an annual nearly month-long stand, that is until last year when the Cirque du Soleil stole their dates out from under them and the group was forced to move the shows to United Palace Theater (they also moved to Radio City Music Hall for 1995).

Greg Allman, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe Johnson took to the stage of the Beacon Monday to announce that the band would return to the venue for 2010's shows running from March 10 to 19. During that time, they will play eight shows including a special one on March 12 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the recording of their At the Fillmore East album.

Allman addressed last year's shows at the United Palace which is in the area of 100 blocks away from the Beacon. "Last March was a glamorous place and all that, but the location of it was ... well, we won't go into that. Somebody told me the cab ride cost more than the ticket."

James Dolan, chairman of Madison Square Garden who also owns the Beacon, added "I told Gregg before, our apologies for last year. That won't happen again."

Joe Marciano, the president of MSG Enterprises, also said at the conference "Earlier this year we undertook a programming experiment with our friends from Cirque du Soleil. We all know how that little experiment turned out. My dad used to say, 'Son, it takes a big man to admit when you're wrong.' So to our friends in the Allman Brothers, we're wrong. We apologize and we're thrilled that you'll be back again with us this spring at the Beacon Theater."

Dolan also spoke about the March 12 show and his love for the Fillmore album. "If I was stranded on a desert island and there was only one piece of music that I could have, that would be it. That album, when I was I think about 17, 16 years old, basically shook my soul. I had never heard anything like that before. I think I can hum those solos straight through. I'm not going to do it for you now."

The shows are set for March 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18 and 19. Tickets go on sale on December 4.
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