August 20, 2026
Blues
Twelve musicians, two drummers, a horn section and three singers, and the thing that stopped the show cold was a Dr. John cover. Tedeschi Trucks Band played the Rady Shell on August 16, with Derek Trucks' slide and Susan Tedeschi's vocals carrying a set that ran from Let Me Get By to the new Future Soul. Five stars, and a truly enjoyable evening.
Derek Trucks' slide, Susan Tedeschi's voice, and the Rady Shell's acoustics doing exactly what they were built to do.
The band went onstage around 7:30 after an intermission, twelve members strong: two drummers, a three person horn section, and three backup singers. The Rady Shell’s acoustics were designed to show off great sound, and they enhanced the impact of the night’s best song. The band’s members were versatile, capable of playing different instruments.
The highlight of the show for me was the cover of Dr. John’s “I Walk On Glided Splinters” with Mike Mattison on lead vocals, done as Johnny Jenkins’ version with eerie voodoo vocals and wild percussion breaks. Derek’s slide stood out on “Crazy Crying” and “Bell Bottom Blues,” and the band closed out with “Let The Good Times Roll,” lead vocals shared by Susan, Mattison and Mark Rivers.
A 12-piece band, a set spanning Let Me Get By to the new Future Soul, and two encores with the opening act sitting in.
I arrived too late to see the opening act, Lukas Nelson. I asked someone seated near me, and they said that the set was well received. After an intermission, the band went onstage around 7:30.
There are 12 members in the current band, including two drummers, a three person horn section, and three backup singers including Mike Mattison. Mattison sang lead vocals on several songs. The band’s members were versatile, capable of playing different instruments. They opened with “Anyhow” from the Let Me Get By album.
Susan Tedeschi’s vocals were strong throughout the show. She is also an underrated guitar player. Her husband Derek Trucks is simply one of the best guitarists around. For whatever reason, he doesn’t get the accolades that others receive. There aren’t too many others who can play the slide guitar like him. His artistry was on display throughout the show, and Derek’s slide stood out on numbers like “Crazy Crying” and “Bell Bottom Blues.”
The highlight of the show for me was the cover of Dr. John’s “I Walk On Glided Splinters” with Mike Mattison on lead vocals. The band actually covered Johnny Jenkins’ version of the song, with eerie voodoo vocals and wild percussion breaks. The Rady Shell’s acoustics were designed to show off great sound, enhancing the impact of this song.
Other highlights were “Soul Sweet Song” and “Let Me Get By” sung by Susan, and “Let The Good Times Roll” with lead vocals shared by Susan, Mattison and fellow vocalist Mark Rivers. They also did a vibrant rendition of the title track of their new album Future Soul.
Tedeschi Trucks encored with covers of Neil Young’s “Helpless” and the Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends.” For the latter, they chose to do Joe Cocker’s spirited version. They were joined on both encores by Lucas Nelson.
Read our other Rady Shell reviews, including the Avett Brothers and Mike Patton's AVVT/PTTN, and see what else is coming to San Diego stages on our live-music calendar.
I give this concert a 5 out of 5 stars. A truly enjoyable evening.
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