It’s bound to be a glorious weekend in the People’s Republic of Berkeley, with the Tedeschi Trucks Band returning to the historic Greek Theater for a two-night stand here on Friday, 31 May, and Saturday, 1 June. The group’s Deuces Wild Tour features strong opening acts that will often lead to collaborations, in this case, the classic rockers of Little Feat on both nights. Other shows on the tour’s second leg will feature the inimitable Margo Price in the opening slot.
Guitarist Derek Trucks and singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi have been on another roll over the past few years, putting out an ambitious quadruple album with their 12-member band on 2022’s I Am the Moon and continuing to win acclaim on the tour trail as arguably the best live blues rock band on Earth. “It’s a healing power, and it brings people together, and it’s one of those things that people just need, and they need something positive,” Tedeschi explained to PopMatters regarding the blues art form when we caught up with her at the end of 2023.
Keyboardist Billy Payne remains the stalwart force for Little Feat, leading them through an hour of their influential tunes in the opening set. The essential groove of “Spanish Moon” sparks the biggest crowd-pleasing jam, a timeless classic that never fails to ignite no matter who is playing it. Payne also stars with his melodic piano on “Willin’”, and it’s great to see drummer Tony Leone back in action, a local favorite in the Bay Area for his work with both the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Phil Lesh & Friends.
When the Tedeschi Trucks Band open with “Sweet Soul Song” – one of the instant classics from I Am the Moon – there’s an instant sense that it will be a memorable weekend. The song celebrates original keyboardist Kofi Burbridge, who passed away in 2019 at age 57. But there’s such melodic catharsis in the piano parts from current keyboardist Gabe Dixon (who also co-wrote the lyrics with vocalist Mike Mattison), in Tedeschi’s soul-soothing vocal, and in Trucks’ sweet bluesy slide guitar that it feels like Kofi’s spirit is present in the song’s harmonic essence. The group are dialed in from the first notes, and they sound so good here at the Greek.
“Anyhow” features a similarly sweet bluesy sound with a melodic groove powered by the polyrhythms of drummers Tyler Greenwell and Isaac Eady, with Tedeschi’s voice soaring as she sings of sorting through the wreckage in her soul. She trades solos with Trucks for a big peak that wins massive cheers across the Greek when the jam concludes. “Idle Wind” features another hot jam with an Allman-esque solo from Trucks that wins another wave of cheers.
A cover of the Rolling Stones’ “You Got the Silver” hits a bluesy sweet spot, bringing things full circle for longtime fans. Recorded by Tedeschi on her 2005 album Hope and Desire, the 1969 Keith Richards classic was played by Derek & Susan’s Soul Stew Revival at San Francisco’s Fillmore on the couple’s first tour together in 2007. They’ve got the sound dialed in just right, and “Circles ‘Round the Sun” from I Am the Moon builds off it with sonic perfection. Bassist Brandon Boone lays down a gorgeous groove that powers the ensemble to great heights, with the horn section and backing vocalists enhancing the song to a multi-dimensional level that shows the genius of doubling from six to 12 members as Tedeschi’s voice shines like a diamond surrounded by 11 other precious gems. They don’t include the narration from the end of the album version that speaks to “the great forces of nature”, but they don’t really need to because the Tedeschi Trucks Band are a force of nature on nights like this.
A trio of covers ignites the night when the group jams out on the bluesy riffage of Blind Faith’s “Had to Cry Today”, followed by vocalist Alicia Chakour starring on Aretha Franklin’s “It Ain’t Fair” (which featured Duane Allman on guitar), leading to a peak performance of the Allman Brothers Band’s classic “Dreams”. Tedeschi aces the bluesy Greg Allman vocal, and Trucks slays on the extended jam, winning another wave of cheers across the Greek.
Tedeschi shines with more blues power on “Just Won’t Burn” from her 1998 debut before the ensemble provide a climactic jam to close the set on “Beck’s Bolero”. Mike Mattison adds 12-string acoustic guitar here as he and Trucks cycle through the song’s epic changes for another smoking jam with Trucks shredding the fretboard. An encore jam on Joe Cocker’s “High Time We Went” spreads the love around as Dixon crushes a monster piano solo, followed by big horn solos from saxophonist Kebbi Williams, trumpeter Ephraim Owens, and trombonist Elizabeth Lea. The backing vocals from Chakour, Mattison, and Mark Rivers enhance the vibe, and the song showcases the whole 12-member unit for a grand finale.
It’s been a sensational show from start to finish here on Friday night that could easily stand on its own. Yet the Berkeley Greek Theater is blessed with a second show on Saturday, 1 June, featuring an entirely different setlist, highlighting the group’s deep repertoire and what a treat it is to catch the Tedeschi Trucks Band on consecutive nights.
They come out with the clear intention to deliver a big show when they open with “Statesboro Blues”, most associated with the Allman Brothers Band yet originally written and recorded by Blind Willie McTell in 1928. The seminal classic thereby represents the staying power of the blues art form across three generations. Tedeschi also honors local history as she comes out playing Jerry Garcia’s “Alligator” Fender Stratocaster, a guitar Garcia used frequently in the early 1970s that’s been loaned out to worthy players in shows around the Bay Area in recent years. She rips a hot solo herself and then gets into a cutting duel with Trucks for a fiery jam that picks up right where Friday night left off to launch the show in maximum style.
The infectious “Part of Me” from 2013’s Made Up Mind showcases Tedeschi’s rock star power as she shines like a supernova on the uplifting vocal, with the group riding a rocking wave for a spectacular extended jam that gets the dance-oriented members of the crowd going. A groovy debut version of the Rolling Stones’ “Monkey Man” is another crowd pleaser, as is a hot jam on the Grateful Dead’s “Mr. Charlie” that honors the Dead’s original keyboardist and frontman Ron “Pigpen” McKernan as Tedeschi riffs out on Garcia’s “Alligator” guitar again.
The sustained high level of the Saturday show starts to feel like an extension of the Friday show for one long monster jam session that seems likely to go down as one of the group’s peak tour stops of the year. “Outside Woman Blues” is another highlight, with a bluesy psychedelic jam that honors both the 1929 original from Blind Joe Reynolds and Cream’s arrangement of the tune on their classic 1967 Disraeli Gears. The Tedeschi Trucks Band are on fire with both their performance and the setlist curation, and the near-capacity audience loves every minute.
When they roll into the upbeat “Bound for Glory” from 2011’s debut, Revelator, there’s nothing bound about it because they’re already there with this glorious weekend in Berkeley. That continues to prove when their seminal transcendent jam vehicle pops up next with “Midnight in Harlem”. A buzz of anticipation moves through the audience as Trucks takes his time with a patient intro before leading the ensemble into the cathartic song’s first verse. Tedeschi’s heartwarming vocal over the soul-soothing groove is honey for the soul. Mike Mattison has to be credited once again for authoring this timeless classic that also appeared on the group’s debut album. Brandon Boone stars again on the dynamic bass line before Trucks provides some of his best slide guitar jamming of the weekend.
“Yes We Will” provides a bluesy gem from I Am the Moon as Tedeschi speaks to hard times, singing, “Oh, our planet is changing fast, And the way things have gone, it just won’t last… Don’t be surprised when it happens, When the writing’s been slapped on the wall, Come on wake up people, can’t you see it now?”
Tedeschi brings the weekend home when she sings out for peace and harmony on Joe Cocker’s “Space Captain”. She implores everyone about “learning to live together” while the group conjures a rousing jam around her. Tedeschi really digs into her role of blues medicine woman here, playing the character of an extraterrestrial visitor who gets stranded on Earth and is compelled to share universal wisdom with mankind — “We got to get it together!”
All the members of Little Feat are welcomed back to the stage for a monster encore jam on Sleepy John Estes’ “Leaving Trunk”. The now 18-member ensemble takes the massive groove for a gloriously extended ride, featuring a sensational lead bass solo from Little Feat’s Kenny Gradney as Boone jams alongside him. The big jam segues into a short jam on Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s classic “Volunteered Slavery”, with Tedeschi pleading once more to be saved. Whether blues power can help save this world gone mad from its dystopian decline remains to be seen, but the Tedeschi Trucks Band appear ready to do so or die trying.
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