Above: Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. He walks like a hippie but sings like a Southern blues man. Photos by Chris Oberholtz/The Star
Next month, the first Woodstock music festival turns 40 years old. Thursday night at the VooDoo Lounge, the Black Crowes spent more than two hours reviving the spirit of that mythical event and the sounds (and aromas) of that era.
The Crowes first flourished in the early 1990s but they've always had a deep, unrepentant appreciation for classic-rock sounds. Thursday night they evoked all of them: the Allmans, Faces, the Band, the Byrds, Skynyrd, several flavors of the Stones, Wilson Pickett. And to prove they've got some classic country-rock in their bones, they covered Gram Parsons' "She."
Thursday's set list bounced around the band's entire catalog, including tracks from their earliest albums, like "Twice As Hard," "She Talks to Angels," "My Morning Song," "Under a Mountain" and the show's opener, "Cursed Diamond."
The Crowes are now a full-fledged jam band (with two background singers), and they spent more than quarter of the time on stage indulging in instrumentals. But even during the jams, the Crowes can be a sight to watch. They are fierce and taut, especially when guitarists Rich Robinson and Luther Dickinson square off.
Some of their jams were short, concise and electrifying. Others were more cosmic and psychedelic and way out in space -- almost live intermissions. The crowd of about 1,000 used some of that time to take care of business (beer, bathrooms), but for much of the show, most were focused on the music, and not just the older material. "Oh Josephine" from last year's "Warpaint" album got one of the louder responses of the evening.
The VooDoo is a 21-and-older venue, and most of the crowd was in the 35-and-older demographic. But there was a significant number of patrons who seemed to be pushing the minimum-age requirement. This band is slowly replenishing its younger fan base, a trick that eludes bands half as old as the Crowes. (Chalk that up to festivals like Wakarusa, where a rock band like this can connect to younger audiences.)
There were a few down moments ("Whoa Mule"), but Thursday's show had plenty of highlights: "Oh Josephine"; the lambent cover of "She"; the epic, ballistic version of "My Morning Song"; the jail-break rendition of "Twice As Hard," which put the crowd on the verge of hysteria; and "Angels," the first of two encores. Chris Robinson turned the first verse of that over to the crowd, which roared it back at him; his brother Rich Robinson smiled beningly at drummer Steve Gorman, as if to say, "Here we go again." That one, it seemed, was for the fans more than the band -- a debt every classic rock band needs to pay at least once a show.
| Timothy Finn, The Star
Setlist: Cursed Diamond; Under A Mountain; Walk Believer Walk; High Head Blues; Ozone Mama; I Ain't Hiding; Young Man, Old Man; Whoa Mule; She; My Morning Song; Oh Josephine; Nonfiction; Movin' On Down The Line; Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution; Twice As Hard. Encore: She Talks To Angels; Pimper's Paradise.
With the Crowes you never know what you're going to get night to night as they play radically different set lists.
I went to the show with a small group of pretty hard core Crowes fans and I have to say we were thrilled with the set list and the energy of the band. Last years show was a 2 hour lullaby, this one was Rock and Roll all the way. With some nice touches as you mentioned above like Gram's "She".
Posted by: Patrick D. | July 10, 2009 at 12:21 PM
"Fierce and taut" -- great description for this show.
Another term also comes to mind: Cutting heads.
I don't think I've ever heard the Crowes play that loud. It was also the best sound I have ever heard at the VooDoo. The sound was perfect.
Posted by: kk | July 10, 2009 at 02:00 PM
Interesting take on the appeal to younger audiences. I saw them last Saturday up at Rothbury and while I merely thought it was a good strong set, my 10 year old son who I regrettable brought with me (between the nudity and the drugs it was definitely an R rated event)and who is also on a 16 or 17 year old level musically was all over them. Out of the God knows how many bands we saw, including Dylan, the Dead, Son Volt, Zappa Play Zappa, Government Mule, etc., the Crowes were by far his favorite.
Posted by: NEW | July 10, 2009 at 03:12 PM
just happened to see the Black Crowes last night in Minneapolis at the Basilica Block Party and they were also fantastic up here...not too much jamming and noodling and TONS of energy, great show!
Posted by: Nick | July 11, 2009 at 05:14 PM
Wow they finally played "She talks to Angels"
Can we have pics of the whole band too ?
Posted by: Gary Dean | July 13, 2009 at 09:02 AM
They smoke
Posted by: Tom | July 15, 2009 at 08:50 AM