Review and Photos by Danielle Boise
It was a glorious night on Friday, July 17, as the ‘Wheels of Soul’ Tour rolled into the Alpharetta’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre as it provided the perfect blend of soul and blues. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings kicked the night off in splendor, with a rousing soulful funk with an edge of retro Motown thrown in for good measure. The Dap-Kings warmed the crowd up for a few songs with The Dapettes followed shortly after by Jones herself, draped in magenta sequins with fringe. Jones passionately entertained the crowd in an electrifying way. I was absolutely blown away by Jones’ stage presence with robust energy and stunning voice. But what made the evening great, was Jones herself, her ability to play to the crowd and have fun at the same time.
If you’ve never been to a Tedeschi Trucks Band show before in your life, then you are truly missing out on one of the greatest musical experiences a person can have. Their sound was truly magnificent with the amalgamation of rock roots, mixed with blues, Americana that was composed in a jam-band style infused funk. Susan Tedeschi’s angelic voice (and guitar) balanced out perfectly with her husband’s, Derek Truck, epic guitar skills while being rounded out by expansive nine-piece powerhouse of a band with an impressive horns and percussion sections.
Tedeschi Trucks Band started their set out with “Made Up Mind” followed by “Do I Look Worried,” “Midnight in Harlem,” “I’ve Got a Feeling (The Beatles cover),” “Get What You Deserve (The Derek Trucks Band cover),” “Let’s Go Get Stoned” (The Coaster Cover – with musical guest star, Tommy Tolton, founding member of Cowboy, with Capricorn Records in Macon, “Break In The Road (Betty Harris cover),” “I Pity the Fool (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover),” “Idle Wind” and ended the regular set with “The Storm.” For the encore Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings joined Tedeschi Trucks Band on stage for two covers. The first song was a cover of Joe Cocker’s “The Letter” followed by Sly & The Family Stone’s “Sing a Simple Song/I Want to Take You Higher.” The ‘Wheels of Soul 2015’ Summer Tour runs through August 4, grab your tickets while you can.
Wheels of Soul Summer Tour
July 22 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
July 24 – Portland, ME @ Maine State Pier
July 25 – Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook
July 26 – Readington, NJ @ QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning
July 29 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 31 – Bridgeport, CT @ Gathering of the Vibes
Aug. 01 – Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Concert Pavilion
Aug. 02 – Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center for the Performing Arts
Aug. 04 – Lewiston, NY @ Artpark Amphitheatre
Full Photo Gallery of Tedeschi Trucks Band
Full Photo Gallery of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Full Photo Gallery of Encore with Tedeschi Trucks Band & Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings