By Max Stewart

The Tedeschi Trucks Band is arguably the best band touring unit in the world. Something about Derek Trucks‘ slide alongside Susan Tedeschi‘s voice is musical magic. During their 2022 Spring tour in D.C., we witnessed the band during their run at Washington D.C.’s Warner Theatre. The night began with a rare acoustic set, such an amazing and intimate moment to be a part of, especially given the difficulty of the last few years and lack of live music.

Tedeschi Trucks Band’s ability to take live music fans to a place of spine-tingling bliss is a product of Tedeschi’s soulfully-sweet vocals, Trucks’ other-worldly slide guitar acumen, and a group of equally-gifted musicians keeping everything afloat. The 12-piece band in essence produces a sacred ‘wall of sound’, avoiding moments of cacophony while keeping space in the music so it breathes with ease. The line-up includes duel drummers Tyler Greenwell and Isaac Eady, long-time Derek Trucks Band member and vocalist Mike Mattison, with his dynamic vocals and songwriting skills, Brandon Boone (bass guitar), Gabe Dixon (keyboards), the three-piece horn section of Kebbi Williams (saxophone), Ephraim Owens (trumpet), and Elizabeth Lea (trombone), and Mark Rivers and Alecia Chakour on vocal duties with Mattison.

The precision of the large ensemble was on full-display throughout their spring tour, with Tedeschi’s vocals carrying the band to wondrous peaks that continued to soar. These emotional peaks seems to have hit differently as we look back on two years since the pandemic began. Looking around and seeing other music fans rejoicing in the sacred sounds of TTB, it is moment we should not again take for granted. The band will be touring extensively over the summer, be sure to give yourself a full dose of musical remedy and check them out this year.