Dogs In A Pile's annual holiday show at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, on December 21, 2024, was a lively celebration for the band's loyal “Dog Pound” following. The performance showcased the group’s distinctive blend of jam-band improvisation, jazz fusion, funk, psychedelia, and classic rock. The night featured a mix of originals, live debuts, covers, and a few surprises for the dedicated fanbase.

As it has so many times over the past 100 years, the legendary Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom became the epicenter of jazz and funk fusion on Friday night, as a stellar lineup of musicians gathered to pay tribute to one of the genre’s greatest visionaries: Herbie Hancock. Long before Cervantes’ earned its reputation as one of Denver’s premier venues for jam bands, hip-hop, and electronic music, the space had a profound legacy rooted in Jazz excellence.

Watching them, it doesn’t hurt that the junior Allman and Betts share their dads’ genetic exteriors. Betts, in particular, has features that emulate his famous father. Better still, Devon and Duane’s voices have tone and timbre similar to Gregg and Dickey, and their guitar shredding and (for Devon) organ skills would make their papas and Uncle Duane proud. I’m still going to vote for Derek Trucks as the top of a very impressive heap in this generation of Allman Bros. spinoffs—but he actually played in the Allman Brothers, so maybe he doesn’t count. I suppose that bumps D & D up to the pinnacle.

This month, the hallowed halls of the Kennedy Center got themselves a little shake, rattle, and roll as the 47th Annual Honors broadcast on CBS. On a night filled with pomp and circumstance, something altogether more cosmic entered the mix—our beloved Grateful Dead, riding the long, strange trip right into the arms of America’s cultural canon.