At Fillmore East is the first live album by American rock band the Allman Brothers Band, and their third release overall. Produced by Tom Dowd, the album was released in July 1971 in the United States by Capricorn Records. As the title indicates, the recording took place at the New York City music venue Fillmore East, which was run by concert promoter Bill Graham. It was recorded over the course of three nights in March 1971 and features the band performing extended jam versions of songs such as "Whipping Post", "
Composition
Shortly after completing recording of their second album, Idlewild South (1970), band leader Duane Allman was contacted by guitarist Eric Clapton to contribute to his new project, Derek and the Dominos. Allman was a huge fan of his work with the band Cream, and likewise Clapton enjoyed Allman's session work on Wilson Pickett's "Hey Jude" some years prior. They met after a show one night in Miami and had a jam session together until the next afternoon, with the two guitarists regarding one another as "instant soulmates." Clapton invited Duane to join Derek and the Dominos, and according to band biographer Alan Paul he considered it; in the end, he declined and rejoined the Allman Brothers Band, returning after missing a string of several shows. The sessions were collected on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, issued that November.  In the interim, Idlewild South had yet to achieve strong commercial success, but the band's popularity and reputation began to increase due to their live performances. The band played continuously in 1970, performing over 300 dates on the road traveling in a Ford Econoline van and later, a Winnebago, nicknamed the Wind Bag. During this time, the group began struggling with drug addictions. Everyone in the group, with the exception of the brothers, was also struggling to make a living (vocalist Gregg Allman received more money from royalty payments and Duane more from session work). In one incident, tour manager Twiggs Lyndon stabbed and killed a promoter for not paying the band; he later claimed temporary insanity. Their fortunes began to change over the course of 1971, where the band's average earnings doubled.  The Allman Brothers Band had first played Fillmore East in December 1969, opening for Blood, Sweat & Tears for three nights. Promoter Bill Graham enjoyed the band and promised to have them back soon. In January 1970, the band opened for Buddy Guy and B.B. King at San Francisco's Fillmore West, and one month later at Fillmore East supporting the Grateful Dead. According to biographer Alan Paul, "these shows were crucial in establishing the band and exposing them to a wider, sympathetic audience on both coasts." Drummer Butch Trucks considered their performances at the Fillmore East to be the launching pad for their success. In 1970, Duane Allman told disc jockey Ed Shane, "You know, we get kind of frustrated doing the [studio] records, and I think, consequently, our next album will be ... a live recording, to get some of that natural fire on it." "We were not intentionally trying to buck the system, but keeping each song down to 3:14 just didn't work for us," remembered Gregg Allman. "And we realized that the audience was a big part of what we did, which couldn't be duplicated in a studio. A lightbulb finally went off; we needed to make a live album."  At Fillmore East was recorded over two nights -- March 12 and 13, 1971 -- for which the band was paid $1250 each show. The shows were typical performances for the band, and regarded as slightly above average by drummer Jai Johanny Johanson. Ads for the shows read: "Bill Graham Presents in New York -- Johnny Winter And, Elvin Bishop Group, Extra Added Attraction: Allman Brothers." While Winter was billed as headliner, by the third night the Allman Brothers were closing the show.  Tom Dowd produced At Fillmore East; he had previously worked on their second studio album, Idlewild South. He had recently returned from Africa from working on the film Soul to Soul, and stayed in New York several days to oversee the live recording. "It was a good truck, with a 16-track machine and a great, tough-as-nails staff who took care of business," recalled Dowd. He gave the staff suggestions and noted the band had two lead guitarists and two drummers, "which was unusual, and it took some foresight to properly capture the dynamics." Things went smoothly until the band unexpectedly brought out saxophonist Rudolph "Juicy" Carter, an unknown horn player, and longstanding "unofficial" band member Thom Doucette on harmonica. "I was just hoping we could isolate them, so we could wipe them and use the songs, but they started playing and the horns were leaking all over everything, rendering the songs unusable," said Dowd. He rushed to Duane during the break to tell him to cut the horn players; while Duane loved the players, he put up no fight with Dowd. The final show was delayed because of a bomb scare, and did not end until 6 am.  Each night following the shows, the musicians and Dowd would "grab some beers and sandwiches" and head to Manhattan's Atlantic Studios to go over the performances. Set lists for following shows were crafted by listening to the recordings and going over what they could keep and what they would need to capture once more. "We wanted to give ourselves plenty of times to do it because we didn't want to go back and overdub anything, because then it wouldn't have been a real live album," said Gregg Allman, and in the end, the band only edited out Doucette's harmonica when it didn't fit. "That was our pinnacle," said Dickey Betts later. "The Fillmore days are definitely the most cherished memories that I have. If you asked everybody in the band, they would probably say that."  On June 27, the Fillmore East closed, and the band were invited to play a final, invitation-only concert, along with Edgar Winter, the Beach Boys and Country Joe McDonald. The Beach Boys initially refused to perform unless they headlined the event, but Graham refused, telling them that the Allman Brothers would be closing the show, and they were free to leave if they disagreed. The Allman Brothers' performance was used for additional tracks when an expanded version of At Fillmore East, The Fillmore Concerts, was reissued on CD.  At Fillmore East showcases the band's eclectic mixture of blues, rock, country, and jazz. "Fusion is a term that came later, but if you wanted to look at a fusion album, it would be Fillmore East. Here was a rock 'n' roll band playing blues in the jazz vernacular. And they tore the place up," said Dowd.  Announcer Michael Ahern opens At Fillmore East with a simple introduction: "Okay, the Allman Brothers Band." Duane Allman biographer Randy Poe describes it as "the only low-key moment over the course of the [show]." The cover of Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues" which opens the set showcases Duane Allman's slide guitar work in open E tuning. "Statesboro Blues" bears close resemblance to Taj Mahal's 1968 rendition, which had inspired Duane to pick up slide guitar playing. "Done Somebody Wrong" follows, and is introduced by Duane as "an old Elmore James song ... This is an old true story ..." Thom Doucette takes a solo on blues harp, and by the end of the song, the band breaks out of the shuffle and "builds up to a dual-lead guitar, triplet-based crescendo."  "Stormy Monday" echoes the band's blues roots, and many guitar parts come from the version cut by Bobby "Blue" Bland in the early 1960s. Allman and Betts trade solos, as does Gregg Allman on the organ as the tempo shifts into a "swinging" beat. "You Don't Love Me" kicks off the first of the jazz-inspired jams and features a solo from Duane Allman in which the entire group stops, leaving it just him and his guitar. The song's conclusion also contains elements of "Joy to the World." "Hot 'Lanta" is an instrumental, which has elements in common with jazz rock and progressive rock, and is a showcase for Berry Oakley's bass-playing. "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", with its harmonized melody, Latin feel, and burning drive invited comparisons with jazz saxophonist John Coltrane (especially Duane's solo-ending pull-offs, a direct nod to the musician). The performance begins with a "long, laconic intro" by Betts employing volume swells, reminiscent of the "dreamy trumpet" used to open songs on Miles Davis' Kind of Blue (1959).  "Whipping Post" (opening in 11/4 time, unusual territory for a rock band) by this point had become one of the longest jams in the band's set; the original album version runs five minutes, while the At Fillmore East version exceeds 23. Aside from the opening bassline and lyrics, the two versions are completely unalike. Again, Betts and Allman trade long guitar solos, with one of Betts' solos quoting what would later become the main theme for the song "Les Brers in A Minor," as featured on the band's 1972 album Eat a Peach. The song closes with "long, sustained notes" from Allman opposite Trucks' kettledrum. Applause concludes the album and the song fades out. During the fadeout, Trucks begins playing the tympani intro to "Mountain Jam" which would not be released in its entirety until its inclusion on Eat a Peach.

Q: What did they compose?
A: At Fillmore East was recorded over two nights -- March 12 and 13, 1971

Q: What was notable or interesting about this?
A: the band was paid $1250 each show. The shows were typical performances for the band,

Q: Was the album successful?
A: It was a good truck, with a 16-track machine and a great, tough-as-nails staff who took care of business,
What happened next with the band and this music?
On June 27, the Fillmore East closed, and the band were invited to play a final, invitation-only concert, along with Edgar Winter, the Beach Boys and Country Joe McDonald.
On June 27, the Fillmore East closed, and the band were invited to play a final, invitation-only concert, along with Edgar Winter, the Beach Boys and Country Joe McDonald.