In Grateful Web, Gabriel David Barkin wrote, "The Allman Brothers have had a plethora of amazing guitar players in their lineup, mostly two at a time (the latter-day version with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks was notably delicious), but the Betts-only years had their own magic steeped in the blues maestro’s own blend of Southern comfort.... The way the mics captured Oakley may be the best thing about this recording. His Fender Jazz "Tractor" bass is prominent on every cut."[4]
In Under the Radar, Frank Valish said, "What's striking about this concert is first and foremost the absence of Duane. Betts does a fine job of filling Duane’s shoes, but there is a certain guitar energy found in early ABB performances that is still missing here. But the other thing that stands out... is Oakley. His bass, which is high in the mix, becomes just as much of a star as the band's guitar, keyboards, or vocals on this night."[5]
In Glide Magazine, Doug Collette wrote, "The range and power of their imagination render fresh an otherwise familiar array of covers and originals... Manley Field House Syracuse University April 7, 1972 is thus an essential entry in the ABB discography, and at the same time, an indispensable missing link in the history of the increasingly influential blues-rock ensemble."[6]
