With two good but little known albums behind them, the Southern rockers stepped on the stage of Filmore East, New York for three evenings in March 1971 and created history of sorts in the realm of live albums. It also turned The Allman Brothers Band into an overnight sensation with Duane Allman (guitars), younger brother Gregg Allman (vocals and keyboard) and Dicky Betts (guitars) burning bright.

At Filmore East is made out of these concerts by the skilful producer Tom Dowd’ssnipping skills. Before this, rock-live albums were all about the energy of the musicians conversing and mingling with the energy of the audience. Allman Bros. changed it with this album. They turned it into a jazz and blues inspired, long and winding jam sessions. It was an indulgence of sorts which was also lapped up by music lovers, enthusiastically. Just consider Whipping Post taking one side (Side 4) of the Double LP, clocking 22 minutes and 40 seconds or You Don’t Love Metaking yet another side (Side 2) with the length being 19 minutes and 6 seconds. This scheme of things had never happened before.

With two great drummers (J.J. Johanson and Butch Trucks), two brilliant guitarists and a great vocalist/keyboard player, this was one of the tightest ensemble in rock history and tight is their music here. It showcases the band's eclectic mixture of blues, rock, country and jazz.

In the words of Dowd, "Fusion is a term that came later, but if you wanted to look at a fusion album, it would be Fillmore East. Here was a rock 'n' roll band playing blues in the kazz jazz vernacular. And they tore the place up."

The first two sides consist of an all-blues set, with Duane taking off on slide guitar. Starting with Blind Willie McTell's Statesboro Blues, the first side moves on into Done Somebody Wrong, and ends with eight and a half minutes of one of the finest-ever versions of T-Bone Walker's Stormy Monday; the second side is entirely dedicated to Willie Cobbs' You Don't Love Me, a cut on which every band member gets in his fill.

Side three is devoted to the group's tune Hot 'Lanta and nearly 13 minutes of In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, written by Betts, who plays lead. I find this version better than the original that appears in their second album ‘Idlewind South’. Side four is the encore; Gregg Allman's Whipping Post, with Duane and Betts sparring with leads around Gregg's organ, while both the drummers take off.

Today, 45 years later, this Double LP is the pinnacle of live rock music, defining America’s finest blues-rock sound. It’s on several Top lists including a rank of Number 49 on Rolling Stone magazine’s The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

But, this narrative has an unfortunate and sad ending. If it’s not the drugs, it’s an accident. Just three months after the release of this album, Duane Allman, the world’s finest slide guitarist died in a motorcycle accident. He was only 24 and had such a long way to go down the music road. It still troubles me.

Year: 1971

Genre: Southern rock, Blues, Blues Rock

Duration: 76:26

Label: Capricorn

Producer: Tom Downd

Rating: 5/5

Reviewed by Meraj Hasan

Meraj Hasan is a Mumbai based communication professional (and an amateur poet/musician) with a passion for listening to music the vinyl way. His 25 year old Technics turntable along with a humble collection of LPs across genres like Classic rock, Classical, Blues and Jazz (amongst others) are his prized possessions.

He can be reached at +91 9833410791 or email: meraj.hasan@gmail.com