Derek and the Dominos with Skydog
This is the only known live performance of Derek and the Dominos with Duane Allman. The insert claims that he joined the band on at least one other occasion but so far nothing has been documented. There are two known sources available for this show in Tampa. Previous releases include Live at Tampa on Red Light and two versions by Mid Valley as Soul Mates and Soul Mates 2 (each containing different bonus tracks). Soul Mates 2 is also said to contain the better source tape. This third version from Mid Valley is a two source mix with the main source sounding very good, having a fuller and more defined low end. The secondary source is a step down in quality but is used only to fill in the gaps of the primary source. For some reason, the running order of the songs on Twin Flames is different than the two previous Mid Valley releases, but shares the same order as Live at Tampa.
“Layla” really benefits from two guitars tonight. Duane adds a lot to this version, adding guitar fills to the versus and picking up the signature melody in the choruses, things Clapton was not able to cover alone on guitar. Duane is also highlighted during “Key to the Highway” with some very nice slide playing. Throughout the show, the interplay between him and Clapton seems very natural, probably because they share a similar blues background. Aside from Duane’s guitar being out of tune for a few of the songs (“Why Does Love”, “Blues Power”, and “Have You Ever Loved”), the show goes off pretty well. This is certainly a unique and intriguing performance by the band, warts and all.
This title is recommended to those who were not lucky enough to have got one of the previous versions. Limited to 1000 (did I just say limited?), Mid Valley delivers an excellent package. Their artwork is printed on thick card stock and the insert contains a short essay about the event. The cover art even contains a rare photograph from the show. This is a great release that’s worth its weight in gold due to the historic value alone. Pressing this on gold discs would have been a nice touch.
