Words + Photos by Tom Dellinger

It was a big weekend for ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) as they wrapped up their ninth Tour D’Amour with a two night run (plus a children’s matinee on Saturday) at San Francisco’s historic Fillmore. The band announced online that this would be a “Flashback Friday” show, featuring a complete performance of their debut 2005 release, Fly Between Falls.

The evening kicked off with a tasty set from Portland based Fruition, who quickly made a strong connection with the crowd. Drawing from bluegrass to blues to folk-rock, their set featured originals with plenty of foot stomping energy.

One of the most popular and enduring bands in the bay area, ALO took the stage next, delivering another one of their spectacular performances. Playing all of Fly Between Falls along with other nuggets, the band comfortably sailed through the evening and had the crowd dancing and smiling all night long. Along the way, there were guest appearances by Jason Crosby on violin, Carly Meyers on trombone and Stu Allen on guitar.

With a backdrop featuring the artwork of their 2005 tour, the stage looked every bit as good as the band sounded. This Fillmore run marked the end of a 10 city tour, and ALO appeared energized and refreshed as they played for an essentially hometown crowd. Broken into two flawless sets, they returned for encore performances that brought Stu Allen and openers, Fruition to join them for a roof-raising rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock”.




www.alomusic.com


TheWaster.com | California
3.2.15