Recordings of this show have always been traded under January 20, 1970, but thanks to Bruce Harvie there is now confirmation that the correct date is January 26, 1970.
The pictures that he took of a review that was published in the January 30, 1970 issue of the University of California at Riverside student newspaper 'The Highlander' show that The Allman Brothers Band played a concert there 'last Monday'.
January 30, 1970 was on a Friday, so 'last Monday' can only be Monday January 26, 1970.


This is what Bruce Harvie posted on January 26, 2020 on the 'Duane Allman - Skydog Fan Page' Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Skydog/
permalink/2494653077303360/

I did not know it at the time, but fifty years ago today was a day that changed my life...

I had gone away to college and had sold my surfboard and stored my candy-apple red Stratocaster so I wouldn't be distracted in my studies (what was I thinking?!), and headed to the University of California at Riverside...
I *did* have a radio show at KUCR, and played a lot of bootleg recordings of Buffalo Springfield, the Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and the like, which is how I met a lot of the folks recording shows back then who lived in the area (but that's another story)...

One day above the beautiful old Gates board was the Allman Brothers first record, with a note saying "these guys are playing on Monday at the Mall for free--please spread the word"...
And I did.
Why I didn't get my recording gear ready to go is now a huge mystery to me...

When the day arrived, I cut classes and spent the day listening to some of the best music I had ever heard coming from a band I had not heard of...
I knew about Duane from liner notes, but that's about it...

They were just *on fire*...
Gregg was not singing...throat problems from their recent stint at the Whisky...
Berry sang a bunch...I don't remember Duane singing, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did...

My friend Craig Mack was heading to a lecture with his tape recorder in hand, and managed to capture a few tunes for posterity...
If you have a chance to hear Duane's solos on "Oh Pretty Woman"...well, they are some of my favorites of his...just stunning.

They played a set, and then Duane said "if anyone wants to come up and jam, come on up"...
I said "sure, why not", and played for about 20 minutes or so with the full rhythm section...
Ever heard of Mitchell Froom? His brother Dave was a good friend and fellow student, and a really good B3 and flute player, and sat in as well...
It was the first time I had ever played a Les Paul (Duane's Goldtop) or a Marshall, so that was a thrill, but I'm sure I really really sucked...

The Goldtop had a bum tuner on one of the high strings that wouldn't stick...didn't seem to bother Duane...
We noodled around on some blues, but if I knew then what I know now, I would have called something like "She Has Funny Cars", which I knew well...oh well.

The band played a long second set that was just mesmerizing...definitely "Mt. Jam", and I think "My Favorite Things", although I wouldn't bet the farm on it...
I'd kill to have a tape of the whole shebang...ugh.

Anyway, my whole attitude towards the role that music plays in my life changed then and there that day 50 years ago...
The Strat came out of storage--our family swore by Corididin for colds, so *that* was handy--and I've been playing ever since...
I saw the O6 several times after that, but nothing matched the charm of that day at UCR...

Two weeks ago I happened to be passing by the campus, and decided to take a few pics of the Mall...
While there, I went to the library and looked up the student newspaper to see if I could nail down a date...
Score!
Joel Selvin--the well-known rock critic--was also a student at UCR (and I'm pretty sure had a hand in getting the band to play at UCR in the first place) and had written an article in the Highlander about that day...
Here is is, in all it's glory...
We now know the date was January 26th, 1970, and we have a few more cool pics...

Anyway, thought I'd share.

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." -Bob Marley-