Accept No Substitute! You Want the Real Deal: Les Brers

Les Brers are back on the road again with four dates this month, starting Wednesday in Ridgefield CT with dates in the Northeast. Butch Trucks and his merry men have another five East Coast shows scheduled for October.

Les Brers first popped up at Wanee 2015, the first Wanee after the Allman Brothers Band officially retired in October 2014. At the time, it was listed as Butch Trucks and Friends, and it was a killer show. Fast forward a year, and the closing set at Wanee 2016 Friday was a ridiculous late-night blowout by Les Brers. At the time, we wrote:

Into that potential void stepped Butch Trucks and his Les Brers collective. Many remembered the excellent set Butch and friends put on last year on an early afternoon, and certainly everyone who crowded the Mushroom Stage was looking for that ABB vibe. But I doubt anybody was prepared for the absolute brilliance of the nearly three-hour set that was to unfold before us. Look at the setlist first:

[Hot ‘Lanta, Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More, Just An Expression, Trouble No More, Les Brers, The Same Thing, Please Call Home, Anyday, Hold On to What You Got, Dreams, I Can Fix It, Jessica, I Walk on Gilded Splinters, Every Hungry Woman, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed; E: Whipping Post]

Butch and company wasted NO time getting right to it, “Hot ‘Lanta” the perfect kick-off. One of the many facets of ABB was the incredible percussive onslaught of Butch, Jaimoe and Marc Quiñones, and the entire set was driven by this trio along with Oteil Burbridge on bass. His intro to “Les Brers” was mind-blowing, once again.

Then Butch welcomed Warren Haynes to the stage (how many times have you heard Warren say, “Please welcome to the stage…?”). Warren always enjoyed performing Willie Dixon’s “The Same Thing” with ABB, but again I’m not sure anyone expected a legendary 15-minute take on this song. Bruce Katz, fabulous all night on piano and Hammond B3, had a huge piano solo.

Les Brers were graced by Jack Pearson and Pat Bergeson on guitars, and they sounded awesome. Also sounding awesome was Lamar Williams, Jr., on vocals. “Jessica” and “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” were just superb.

We had anticipated a two-hour set, but it was clear we were gloriously going over when the subtle strains of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” emerged. Pearson, Bergeson and Katz were amazing. The band left the stage after Butch introduced the band, including: “Where the fuck’s Jaimoe? Ah, his shoulder’s sore.” I doubt anybody was anticipating more, much less a 15-minute crushing on “Whipping Post.”

Les Brers indeed!

During the summer, Butch had his Freight Train Band rollin’ down the tracks, a fine band in its own right.

Fasten your seatbelt, ladies and gentlemen. This is the originator, not the imitator. And the boys got all warmed up at the recent Peach Festival, so you know they’re ready. Are you?

Les Brers are: Butch Trucks, drums; Jaimoe, drums; Marc Quiñones, percussion; Oteil Burbridge, bass; Jack Pearson, guitar, vocals; Pat Bergeson, guitar; Bruce Katz, keyboards; and Lamar Williams, Jr., vocals.

les poster