On Saturday, November 16, 2024 at Putnam Place, local favorite Rob Beaulieu Band took to the stage to perform songs from one of the greatest albums ever written, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.

The Derek and the Dominoes classic was performed with anywhere from 6-13 musicians on stage at a time, bringing in special guests to pay full tribute to the place of eminence Layla has in rock history.
RBB performed a set of original music to open the night, before being joined on stage by a slew of regional musicians to bring Layla to life. Beaulieu enlisted special guests Kelly Bird (vocals), Mitch Elrod (vocals) Brad Hester (vocals, Annie in the Water), Aris Nieuwkerk (guitar) and Stephen Perry (percussion) (Hilltop), Jeremy Walz (bass) and Jeff Prescott (vocals/drums) (Dead Man’s Waltz) Nick Landess (piano), Mitch Elrond and Joe Mele (guitar).

Channeling the songwriting of Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock, the band took the tracks of Layla and created a set that did not follow the tracklisting, but rather brought some of the best known songs to the front (“Keep on Growing,” “Anyday,”) and saved the well-known hits (“Layla,” “Little Wing,” “Bell Bottom Blues”) for later in the show.
Every song was a treat, a surprise almost if you knew the album, wondering where each song might appear, and Beaulieu led the cadre of musicians through each song, introducing new members to the stage before jumping into the next Clapton/Whitlock number.

Blues were a highlight, with “Key to the Highway” and “Have You Ever Loved a Woman” clear highlights, while “Why Does Love Got to be So Sad?” was a peak moment, as seen below. “Layla” was of course the closer of the show, with 13 musicians on stage but never feeling overcrowded throughout the extended Rob Beaulieu Band version.

Stay up to date with Rob Beaulieu for upcoming shows with his band, Raisinhead or Stone Revival Band.
The next RBB show is slated for February 1 a Pinehaven Country Club in Guilderland, with Laura Leigh Band.

Listen to the full show here.
And, if you’re wondering why a show from November is finally shared, you can chalk that up to the Internet Archive being hacked in October, hobbling the site until December. The Internet Archive is an immense resource – and not just for the all important Live Music Archive.
Support the Internet Archive and learn more about the site here.
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