March 9, 2013 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND

Every January, usually the first week into the New Year, I receive the e-mail notice that, yes again, The Allman Brothers Band will be hitting the note at The Beacon Theatre during their extended run in March. With no time to spare I check the Ticket Master web site for prices and locations, in the event there would be any modifications as to time or place. A little contact with the usual guys to check on our availability dates and BINGO... three seats in the loge usually for a Saturday night. This year was no different. We were set.
Brother Pat brewed a batch of his famous HOMEBREW for the looooong train ride, an express from Babylon to Penn Station. When Brother Joe arrived, we caught the preordained LIRR and took our seats. With SOLO cups in hand we toasted our good fortune, another year of good health for families and friends , and once more for those whom we have lost. Now we got down to business of sipping the HOMEBREW while telling fantastic stories about the world around us; jobs, friends, politics, etc. The LIRR made its appointed minimal stops and within two large bottles of HOMEBREW each, we had arrived at our destination, Penn Station.
First order of business was to grab a cab to our next stop, The White Horse Tavern. Having started to feel the effects of HOMEBREW #2, I suggested we board a PediCab thereby skirting the long taxi queue. Unfortunately the pedicab is made for three miniature sized folks rather than three grown men that we are. Despite the PediCab operators plea that we would be comfortable when he started on the road, we opted for more traditional form of metropolitan transportation, a yellow cab.
The White Horse is our favorite haunt prior to a show in NYC. The food, the crowd, the service never disappoints. My cousin and his new girlfriend were already there and grabbed a table for five when they arrived.Nice.
More beer, this time a Brooklyn Lager, a cheese burger (the best in NY), a lot of laughs, and a few cigarettes outside concluded  a wonderful dinner. Walking a few blocks to the subway we grabbed the train to 72nd Street, only a few stops. A short walk and there we were, The Beacon. After displaying our tickets complete with the customary scanning we reunited in the lobby for a quick beer before heading to our seats. (Stop counting the beers). The lights dim and DONE SOMEBODY WRONG opens the show about fifteen minutes after the hour. Minus a short intermission (more beers) The Allman Brothers Band played until just shy of midnight. Glorious show, one of the best yet, but I tend to state that each and every year. jazzbus@gmail.com