Review: Crosby, Stills and Nash

Their opener was “Carry On,” a song about moving onward through loss, pain and changes: “To sing the blues you’ve got to live the tunes and carry on.”

About 5,000 people spent Thursday night at Starlight Theatre, reliving the tunes of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. The trio, backed by a five-piece band that included Crosby’s son James Raymond, reprised some of its best-known songs, covered a few tunes and introduced a few new ones, some of them as socio-political as anything they’ve been associated with.

Crosby and Nash are 70; Stills is 67. Time has taken its normal toll on their voices. So some of the songs in the show, which lasted almost three hours, including a 20-minute intermission, sounded a bit stooped and frayed; some, like “Deja Vu,” sounded slowed to a safer pace. Like a few others, that one was re-arranged slightly, given a heavier coat of sludge blues.

“Love the One You’re With,” which closed the first set, was given a light tropical accent, as if Jimmy Buffett had re-arranged it.

But there were times when the three locked into tight, bright harmonies that came close to reviving their signature sound, at least close enough to stir the crowd into hearty cheers and applause. “Just a Song Before I Go” sounded good. So did “Southern Cross.”

As has been their way since the days of President Nixon, they introduce politics into the evening. The first set included “Almost Gone (The Ballad of Bradley Manning),” a song about the U.S. soldier suspected of passing classified documents to WikiLeaks. When Crosby introduced the song and explained who Manning was, someone in my section yelled, “Traitor!” It all felt so late-1960s.

They sang “What Are Their Names,” a pedestrian poke at “the men who really run this land.” Nash sang “In Your Name,” a hymn about war and death in the name of religion. And they reprised some of their older social and political material, like “Immigration Man,” which ended with a bluesy instrumental storm, and “Almost Cut My Hair.” On that one, Crosby’s vocals were the strongest of the night.

He also got through “Guinnevere,” one of the loveliest songs he has ever written. The harmonies on that one sparkled.

They covered Bob Dylan’s “Girl From the North Country,” and Stills pulled one from his days with Buffalo Springfield: “Bluebird.” Nash’s pop songs got some of the biggest ovations: “Marrakesh Express” and “Our House,” which included a choreographed sing-along with the crowd.

The evening ended with two of their more popular songs: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” from their eponymous debut album, then “Teach Your Children,” dedicated to a teacher in the crowd. That one is from the “Deja Vu” album, whose title track includes the line, “We have all been here before.” That was the unofficial theme of a nostalgic evening filled with so many familiar sounds.

Setlist: Carry On/Questions; Chicago; Long Time Gone; Just a Song Before I Go; Southern Cross; Lay Me Down; Radio; Marrakesh Express; Almost Gone (The Ballad of Bradley Manning); Bluebird; Deja Vu; Love the One You’re With. Intermission. Helplessly Hoping; In Your Name; Girl From the North Country; What Are Their Names; Guinnevere; Daylight Again; Cathedral; Immigration Man; Our House; Almost Cut My Hair; Wooden Ships. Encore: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes; Teach Your Children.

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Comments

[Sommerset]

Some bands, like this one, have the most amazing setlists. WOW!! is the word that keeps coming to mind reading this review.

They have more great songs which people have forgotten about than most new poser bands will ever write in total... or something like that.

CSN is an amazing American band.
Cheers to them.

PS
A a 3 hours set? WOW!! compare that to most new poser bands typical 45-70 minute sets and consider that these dudes are now 67-70 years old. WOW!!

[913KCKKID]

Friend of mine recorded/bootlegged the show and ripped it onto a cd for me. Unbelievable! Without the context of sight telling you that three old dudes are singing you would never guess it was a show from 2012.

[Danny]

About all my favorites on that list, wish I could have gone to that one.

My two favorites missing from that list are 'Woodstock' and 'Stand and be Counted'

[Darrell]

Has anyone heard the "CSN 2012" release? How did last night's performance compare to the album?

[garydean]

913KCKKID send me a email please

musicatto@hotmail.com

[Air Yeezy 2 For Sale]

Own young boy crazy, despise Kunlun, laughing Luliang; wear the sword for several years, this will test the edge. Pretentious is not desirable, but should not sell ourselves short.

[Gerald Noble]

This show compared very closely to the 2012 CD and DVD release. Get it to relive the show at Starlight. About the same setlist.

[borsa louis vuitton]

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[supra skytop]

The article is worth reading,Thank you very much! I will keep your new articles.

[jhnycat]

I thought it was "to sing the blues, you've got to live the dues", and carry on...

[asics tiger]

Life is a smile face the reality that the future of watching over obstacles; life, is to use the mind of the scissors, cut out in the way of life leaves green branches; life, is the face of confusion or darkness, the soul kindled beans big smile was bright and the light show.

[Ellen K.]

@Sommerset. No, not a 3 hour set. According to the review (I wasn't there) a 3 hour show consisting of two sets. Which is still quite admirable.

[Opel opcom]

This article write very well, thank you for your share!

[longchamp tasche billig]

Magandang blog, ay masaya na malaman ng maraming dito, Umaasa ako na maaari kong madalas tumingin, salamat sa inyo!

[Nivek9]

Spammers suck...

This show didn't. It was outstanding.

[Ewal]

You looked so fine, and your wonderful clogs only added to the perfection; I wish every one of your readers could have seen how great you looked!

[Sin City Disciple]

B2R has been dark for a few weeks now. What's up? Can't find on Twitter anymore either. To quote every horror movie ever made "I got a bad feeling about this..."

[Sin City Disciple]

D'oh! Found on Twitter. My bad. But still, it's awfully quiet. Almost too quiet.

[Sin City Disciple]

#IWantMyBackToRockville

[pellboy]

Yeah, as I said in the other thread, they had a review of BB King's Starlight show in the print edition, but still nothing here. Didn't recognize that reviewer either. Sad "special" to The Star. Kind of an odd one too. Almost talked more about the opening act, Robert Cray, than he did on BB.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/18/3767969/timeless-bluesman-bb-king-chases.html

[pellboy]

Seems like maybe we should take this thing over then. Who has a review of Phish or have you come down from the Ecstacy yet?