Gallery & Review: Tedeschi Trucks Band live at Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL. 1.21.17

Tedeschi Trucks Band is to Blues what Lyle Lovett is to Country. That is to say, while they may often be labeled with a specific genre tag, they are that… but also so much more. Blues, soul, jazz, gospel, and jam band, Tedeschi Trucks Band wears many hats, and wears them all rather stylishly.

The band, whose core is the husband & wife team of legendary slide guitarist, Derek Trucks, and blues singer/guitarist, Susan Tedeschi, is a 12-piece ensemble including a horn section, two drummers and backup singers. The group just completed a well-received three-night run at the historic and elegant Chicago Theatre. I attended the third and final night.

Saturday night’s show had no opener and consisted of two sets, which combined for 2+ hours worth of music, including numerous cover songs done up TTB style, resulting in a varied musical experience that had a little bit of something for everyone (see full setlist & gallery below).

The first set loosened up the crowd and allowed the band to develop a flow like a slow building wave that grew to epic proportions during a red hot 2^nd set that had the crowd on its feet throughout, many furiously dancing and grooving much like a raucous, sweaty crowd at a roaring church revival. And leading this musical house of worship’s followers was Susan Tedeschi’s smooth, yet powerful voice. All the other elements were there on Saturday as well…Derek’s unique sound and tasteful runs and licks, a horn section that pumped up the songs and crowd, gifted background vocalists who also had their chance to shine in the spotlight, and a wonderful rhythm section that propelled deep grooves. The band really seems to be hitting its stride as a live act now.

Setlist:

1. Laught About It
2. Don’t Know What It Means
3. Keep On Growing (Derek & The Dominos cover)
4. Bird On The Wire (Leonard Cohen cover)
5. Little By Little (Junior Wells cover)
6. Goin’ Down To Mexico (ZZ Top cover)
7. Let Me Get By
8. With You Without You / Just As Strange
9. Right On Time
10. Leavin’ Trunk / Vol Slavery
11. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free (Nina Simone cover)
12. Sticks And Stone (Titus Turner cover)
13. How Blue Can You Get (BB King cover)
14. I Want More
15. Soul Sacrifice (Santana cover)

ENCORE

16. A Song For You (Leon Russell cover)
17. Get What You Deserve (Derek Trucks Band cover)
18. With A Little Help Form My Friends (Beatles cover)

**Setlist from Setlist.fm**