The set lists promise to be heavy with classics when the Allman Brothers Band conclude their reign as one of rock's top live draws with one last six-night stand at New York's Beacon Theatre this month, but don't expect any famous friends or faces from the past to join them.

Allmans co-founder Gregg Allman spoke with Relix during the run-up to the band's return to the Beacon tonight, insisting that the group would say farewell with the current lineup. "We held a meeting yesterday and we decided that there's only six gigs left, and we're going to play them ourselves," he revealed. "There will be no one sitting in."

That response is sure to prove disappointing for fans who'd been holding out hope that founding member Dickey Betts, fired from the band in 2000, would be welcomed back for the shows, but Allman argues that his absence isn't the group's fault; in fact, he was the one guest that might have been welcome, but scheduling got in the way. "Dickey is in the middle of a hunting trip," he insisted. "Of course we reached out."

But according to Betts' manager, David Spero, that's not the case. "This is a load of crap!" he wrote on his Facebook page. "Dickey was never asked to be a part of the final shows. A complete lie!"

Either way, as previously reported, the Allmans intend to retire after closing out their final Beacon shows, scheduled to take place tonight, tomorrow, Oct. 24-25 and 27-28. But as Allman told Relix, he fully intends to make his way back to the venue. "I've really enjoyed these years at the Beacon," he reflected. "I fully intend to come back here every year, if I can get in, with my [solo] band to play."

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