So after cementing the new Black Crowes into my head over the past week, it was finally time to see the new material played live. This was my first show since the Town Hall shows last November, and I couldn't have been more excited to get up close to the stage and take in the two hours of music played by my favorite band that was to follow. The show took place at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, a historic venue and a definite musical landmark in NJ, on a beautiful Saturday evening by the beach. I live about a half hour from The Pony, so I decided to leave at 2:30 (doors were at 5), in an effort to try and hear the Crowes soundcheck. The drive took a half hour on the dot, and I pulled up next to the venue and started looking for parking. Before I continue, let's rewind back to yesterday afternoon. I was back at the University of Delaware, sitting in math class, when I realized my wallet was missing. I freaked out, left my class, and checked everywhere I had been since I last had my wallet, but it was nowhere to be found. Eventually, I checked one of my school's student centers and they told me that someone had just turned it in, so luckily, I ended up getting it back after all, and the only thing that was missing was the $38 remaining from the money I received for my birthday. Tough luck, at least my credit card, debit card, student ID and drivers license were still there. When I got back to my room, I canceled both my credit and debit card, opting to get new cards just to play it safe. How does this all tie in to last night's show? As I was driving around Asbury Park looking for parking near the Stone Pony, I realized all the parking was metered. I was flat broke- no cash, credit card or debit card -driving around a town with no free parking. That's a lie, there was free parking, but it would have been a hike, and Asbury Park is a bit of a shady area, so I wasn't exactly favoring that idea. I ended up driving all the way back to my home town of Marlboro, only to turn around immediately and return to the Stone Pony, an hour later than I expected, just to pay a $5 parking meter. A found my place in line, and was about 6 or 7 people back, so all in all, the pre-show mishap wasn't really a loss at all. The doors opened promptly at 5:00, and we were let in to the Stone Pony Summerstage, which, instead of being inside the actual Stone Pony, was outdoors behind it, parallel to the beach. I decided to skip the two bands playing inside the Stone Pony itself (one of which is Matt O'Ree, who I've seen twice before. Good guitarist, that guy is) and get a nice spot along the rail for Truth and Salvage Co. and the Crowes. As usual at Black Crowes shows, I got into some conversations with everyone around me, and met some really cool people this time around, so that helped pass the time between doors and the opening band, Truth and Salvage Co. They went on at about 6:45 and were done at around 7:30, playing a very enjoyable set of material that reminded me of the Band, but a little more country. Shortly after they left the stage, the techs began to the gear and tune one last time, and finally, at around 8 o'clock or so, out came the incense, which indicates showtime is imminent. At 8:10, the Crowes hit the stage with this set...
Good Morning Captain
Make Glad
Under A Mountain
Greasy Grass River
Houston Don't Dream About Me
Shine Along
Roll Old Jeremiah -> Jam ->
Wiser Time
Ozone Mama
I Ain't Hiding
Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Let Me Share The Ride
A Train Still Makes A Lonely Sound
Hard to Handle
Remedy
Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love)
- encore -
Oh Josephine
Hot Burrito #2 GOOD MORNING CAPTAIN- Given the Make Glad opener on the 4th at Westbury, I had a good feeling this would be the opener, and WOW, what an opening it was. This is definitely one of my favorites on Before the Frost... and the song just kicks ass live and is a great way to open up a show.
MAKE GLAD- Rich sustained a note out of Good Morning Captain, then the band segued into Make Glad. This one had a lot more bite than it does on the album, and it sounded awesome. My favorite part of this song is the interlude/Luther's solo. What a cool, laid back groove.
UNDER A MOUNTAIN- Rich was handed a Danelectro electric 12-string which had me completely confused as to what could be next. A few seconds later, Adam started up Under A Mountain with the familiar organ whirl and off they went. I saw this one last year at Town Hall, but it's great to finally see it electric. Great, great song from Three Snakes, and I loved every second of it last night.
GREASY GRASS RIVER- This song was at the top of my list of songs I want to see live, and GOOD LORD did it not disappoint. An awesome, light intro jam led to a loud and heavy performance of an underrated gem from Lions. I'm glad I can finally cross this one off the list, and it was definitely my favorite part of the show.
HOUSTON DON'T DREAM ABOUT ME- This one sounded pretty much as it does on the album, but that's not a bad thing, as it's a very good song. Nothing wrong here, I enjoyed this one.
SHINE ALONG- This is one of the three that I really like from ...Until the Freeze (the other two being Aimless Peacock and Shady Grove), and it was really cool to see live. It had a kind of bluesy, jug-band swagger to it, and the band really seemed to be enjoying themselves.
ROLL OLD JEREMIAH- I'm not particularly a fan of this one, but the outro jam, where Rich and Luther switched from their acoustic and mandolin respectively to electrics was an awesome twist.
WISER TIME- At first I couldn't get a Wiser Time, and now it seems to follow me around. The second solo section is still a mess, and Adam's solo still sucks (it was better than what I've heard recently, but still not very good), but this was the song that started it all for me, and I still welcome it and enjoy it whenever I see it live. The dual solos into the final chorus was great.
OZONE MAMA- I have to say, I think this show might have changed my opinion on this song a little bit. I still won't listen to it on album, but I'm surprised to admit...they rocked the fuck out on this song last night.
I AIN'T HIDING- This was the logical next after Ozone Mama step given the recent setlist history. The choruses and solo are good, but I still don't like the song overall.
OH! SWEET NUTHIN'- Beautiful. I had never heard this song prior to them playing it a few months ago, and it has been the source of newfound interest in the Velvet Underground for me. Sounded great tonight, and I think I caught a little bit of a Dear Mr. Fantasy tease (which seemed to be supported by Sven laughing), and I actually sang the first verse while Luther was soloing, which yielded a pretty weird look from Rich.
LET ME SHARE THE RIDE- You could argue it's one of the weaker songs on Three Snakes (if you think Three Snakes has weak songs at all), but that's not the case live. Nice extended jam on this one.
A TRAIN STILL MAKES A LONELY SOUND- As with Houston Don't Dream About Me, nothing too different from the album version, but it's a solid song, and it was very enjoyable in a live setting.
HARD TO HANDLE- Is this the most overplayed and cliche Black Crowes song in their entire catalog? Probably, next to She Talks To Angels. Did I still enjoy it last night? Yep. I had never seen this one live, so it's good to be able to cross it off the list, but as sick of this song as I am, it was fun to hear live. I'd like to see them bring back either the intro or outro jam in the future.
REMEDY- Once again, I've heard it many, many times, but there is no denying that this song rocks.
BEEN A LONG TIME (WAITING ON LOVE)- WOW. This is the standout track on Before the Frost... and it absolutely kicks all kinds of ass live. This was loud and heavy during the choruses and laid back and groovin' during the verses. The jam was explosive and just straight up rocking. Awesome.
OH JOSEPHINE- Great song, but not my first choice for an encore. Whatever, the Girl From A Pawnshop-esque outro is still a major highlight.
HOT BURRITO #2- This is a Flying Burrito Brothers cover, and it's a really cool song. Great end to a great evening, even though it seemed like Rich was kinda walking Luther through this one. It also occurred to me that I saw the last time this song was played prior to last night as well (2006-11-08).
Overall, I had a great time on a beautiful evening at the beach, met some cool people, and heard a bunch of songs I have never heard before live. The band seemed tight and very, very happy. It's a good time to be a Crowes fan, and I'm disappointed that I can't attend any more shows this year, but according to Steve Gorman, 2010 will be a busy year, so maybe I won't have to wait so long. Only time will tell.
2004-06-30 Aerosmith (Antigone Rising) 2004-10-21 The Australian Pink Floyd Show 2004-10-22 Metallica (Godsmack) 2005-06-22 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (The Black Crowes) 2005-09-15 The Rolling Stones (Alanis Morissette) 2005-10-04 Paul McCartney 2005-10-24 Cream 2005-11-08 Aerosmith (Lenny Kravitz) 2005-11-10 Aerosmith (Lenny Kravitz) 2005-11-23 Aerosmith (Lenny Kravitz) 2005-12-31 Classic Albums Live: Physical Graffiti and Back In Black 2006-07-22 The Black Crowes (Drive By Truckers, Robert Randolph and the Family Band) 2006-08-05 John Fogerty (Willie Nelson) 2006-08-12 Blues Traveler (Matt O'Ree) 2006-08-18 James Gang (JD and the Straight Shot) 2006-08-19 Foreigner 2006-08-22 The Allman Brothers Band (Gov't Mule) 2006-09-06 Roger Waters 2006-09-14 Aerosmith (Motley Crue) 2006-10-10 Peter Frampton (Johnny A) 2006-11-08 The Black Crowes 2006-11-25 The Machine (???, ...Water...) 2006-12-16 The Dark Star Orchestra 2007-03-23 The Allman Brothers Band 2007-04-21 School of Rock All Stars with Jon Anderson of Yes 2007-05-24 Roger Waters 2007-06-22 The Machine (???, ???) 2007-07-08 Rush 2007-08-05 Zappa Plays Zappa 2007-08-07 Joe Walsh (JD and the Straight Shot) 2008-03-02 The Black Crowes 2008-03-14 Robin Trower (Cheap Sedated Hams, Matt O'Ree) 2008-04-08 Ray Davies (Dana Fuchs) 2008-07-02 The Black Crowes 2008-07-20 Gov't Mule (Apollo Sunshine) 2008-10-11 The Australian Pink Floyd Show 2008-10-25 The Black Crowes 2008-11-03 The Black Crowes 2008-11-04 The Black Crowes 2008-12-26 The Fab Faux 2008-12-28 The Machine - Early 2008-12-28 The Machine - Late 2009-06-16 Back Door Slam (???) 2009-07-26 Yes (Asia) 2009-09-05 The Black Crowes (Truth and Salvage Co.) ????-??-?? Hammer of the Gods ????-??-?? Velvet Revolver (Alice In Chains, Kill Hannah)
As I'm sure most of you are aware, the Beacon Theater is a historic theater located in New York City (74th and Broadway to be exact) that has seen many, many top artists and performers grace its stage over the course of the 79 years it has been open (such as the annual spring Allman Brothers run). Over the past few months, the theater has undergone some major renovations, and is set to reopen on February 13th. As some of you may have seen me mention, my dad's company is putting in the carpet in the theater, and today, since I'm home from college for the weekend, I went in to work with him to check it out.
The theater is nearly done (it has to be done by Friday so Paul Simon can come in and rehearse for his shows), but at the last minute, James Dolan (Chairman of Cablevision, owns MSG, the Knicks, Rangers, etc.) decided that he wanted carpet between the rows, so today's task was to cut the carpet and bring it to the theater for installation. We got to my dad's warehouse in Mount Vernon NY at about 7, waited for the carpet to come in, which took an hour, and after about two hours of cutting and loading carpet, we headed over to the theater.
A new wood floor is being put in on the stage, so they put up a curtain to prevent sawdust from getting everywhere.
Work being done on stage. The floor will be painted black.
Because of the curtain, this is the best look out into the seats I could get from on stage.
This is looking out on stage from backstage, stage right.
This picture was taken backstage on the third floor. I was pretty surprised at the backstage area to be honest. Normally, in a major concert venue, you'd expect backstage to be spacious and luxurious, but this wasn't the case at the Beacon. Instead, this theater has eight floors that each contain three or four very small rooms and a bathroom. Granted, this area is obviously not finished, but the rooms are tiny, and not at all what I would have thought the artist's dressing rooms would have been like. Another interesting note, the Beacon Theater is not only a theater, but it is also a hotel, and there is an elevator connecting these backstage floors with the hotel floors. Any artist performing at the theater who happens to be staying in the hotel doesn't even have to leave the building, they can just take the elevator straight up to their room.
Here we see part of the hydraulic system underneath the stage, which can completely lower a good portion of the stage from the looks of it.
Looking out at the orchestra and loge from the backstage entrance.
This is the stage and the first few rows of the orchestra, along with scaffolding on the right side of the theater.
The main lobby, looking out towards the main entrance.
The lobby, looking in towards the theater, which would be on the left. Note: those rolls of carpet in the foreground are the ones we rolled up in the morning, which are going in the rows.
A look down at the stage from the back of the loge.
The left side of the loge.
The right side of the loge.
Right side of the theater, with scaffolding to allow workers to continue finishing touching up the gold on the statues (more on that in a minute).
How the hell they got this thing in the theater is beyond me. James Dolan also decided at the last minute that he wanted the statues and such that were a faded gold color to shine a little bit more, so the workers in this picture are applying gold leaf (a very thin foil of gold. Yes, it's actual gold) to the designs on the left side of the theater.
A closeup of the work being done.
More gold touch up on the right side of the theater.
My dad in the lobby of the balcony
View of the stage between the upper and lower balcony.
Here's some proof that I do actually exist...it's me standing in the last row of the balcony
The view from the last row of the balcony.
Left side of the balcony.
Right side of the balcony.
The newly restored ceiling. It wasn't completely repainted, but rather cleaned up and touched up where needed.
I took this picture to show the difference between the old gold coloring vs. the new gold leaf being put up throughout the theater.
View of the theater from the front row. All the seats in the theater are brand new.
So there you have it. That's what the Beacon Theater looks like, as of about 12 PM on January 31st, 2009...in all it's renovated, yet still unfinished glory!
Fueled by Mike Connolly's blog about his three favorite albums, I'm going to take some time to ramble senselessly (as he put it) about my own personal favorites.
First and foremost, my personal "Holy Trinity", if you will...
The Black Crowes - Southern Harmony and Musical Companion Two years after the release of Shake Your Money Maker, a record full of straightforward rock riffs, the Black Crowes were back with a vengeance. Newly acquired band members Eddie Harsch (keys) and Marc Ford (lead guitar) make their presence known, especially Mr. Ford, who puts on a clinic with great playing and great tone. Southern Harmony features what I believe is Marc Ford's best recorded solo with the Crowes in No Speak No Slave, as well as Chris Robinson's best recorded vocal performance with the band in Sometimes Salvation. The Brothers Robinson really emerged as great songwriters on this record, as there is not a dull track on it, and it was certainly a precursor of what was to come. Check out the run of filthy rock and roll on the second half of the album- Black Moon Creeping, No Speak No Slave, and My Morning Song
The Black Crowes - Amorica In my opinion, this album begins to show the maturation of the Crowes musically. You get the rockers in Gone, A Conspiracy, High Head Blues, P.25 London, and She Gave Good Sunflower, but you are also treated to the best ballads the band has ever recorded- Nonfiction, Ballad in Urgency, and Descending. Throw in a little of both worlds plus some Marc Ford slide guitar in Cursed Diamond, and my personal favorite Black Crowes song- Wiser Time and you've got a recipe for a great album. The only complaint I have with this record is Downtown Money Waster. It's not that I don't like the song, because I do, but I just wish they would have recorded and released it with drums, like they play it live (there's actually an unreleased electric version from the Band sessions, which, if it ever sees the light of day, will replace the Amorica cut making this album 100% complete). Regardless, this is still by all means a classic album, and without a doubt a favorite of mine.
The Black Crowes - Three Snakes and One Charm This is the dark horse of the my little Holy Trinity, and without a doubt the most diverse, but that's what makes it my favorite of the three. From Eddie's swirling pickups into Under A Mountain to the feedback and randomness that ends Evil Eye, I love every second of this album. The vocal harmonies (which are very prominent), the riffs, the acoustic guitars, (Only) Halfway to Everywhere...hell, I even like Blackberry (it's not the best song they've ever done, and it's definitely the weakest on this album, but it's not terrible).
And now, getting on to a few other bands...
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon This album is perfect. There is no other way to describe it. I don't think I can say it any better then Mike did, so I'll just quote him:
It's
more than a concept. It's more than my words or the words of anyone
else could describe. It's more than an album, certainly more than a
collection of songs. It's a place in time... a place we can't get past.
It's a feeling that's indescribable and a beauty that eyes can't know.
It's the greatest musical and social accomplishment ever created, and
there's no better way to spend 45 minutes.
Aerosmith - Rocks Back in the Saddle/Last Child/Rats in the Cellar/Combination/Sick As A Dog. Need I say more?
The Beatles - Abbey Road This album is another one that's up there with Dark Side in terms of perfection. Every time I listen to it, I realize how great it really is all over again. Octopus's Garden is a little cheesy, but I love it. Something is beautiful. The harmonies in Because, the hypnotic outro in I Want You (She's So Heavy), that whole section from Sun King to The End...it's a masterpiece, simple as that.
The Who - Quadrophenia This is The Who's greatest achievement if you ask me. Townshend said it himself- "The music is the best music that I've ever written, I think, and it's the best album that I will ever write." It shows off the amazing talent of this band's backbone...Moon and Entwistle absolutely own this album, and they mix perfectly with Townshend's stellar rhythm guitar. The lyrics are great, and Daltry still had one of the best voices in rock at the time, and this album is not an exception.
Frank Zappa - One Size Fits All A few months ago, I would have been writing about Apostrophe'/Overnite Sensation here. While I still love those albums (I think of them as one), One Size Fits All has overtaken them as my favorite Zappa album. Alright so Evelyn, a Modified Dog is useless, but every other track mixes Zappa's humor and genius forming an overall very enjoyable album. Inca Roads is insane, and Zappa rips it up during Po-Jama People.
Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys The only live album to make my list, this album is my single favorite guitar recording ever. Hendrix just absolutely tears the roof of the Fillmore, especially on Who Knows, Power of Soul, and of course, Machine Gun.
NUMBER OF SHOWS: 9 2005-06-22 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ*& 2006-07-22 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ* 2006-11-08 Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ** 2008-03-02 Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ*** 2008-07-02 The Fillmore at TLA, Philadelphia, PA*** 2008-10-25 9:30 Club, Washington DC*** 2008-11-03 Town Hall, NYC***$ 2008-11-04 Town Hall, NYC***$ 2009-09-05 Stone Pony Summerstage, Asbury Park, NJ***
*with Marc Ford on guitar and Eddie Harsch on keys **with Paul Stacey on guitar and Rob Clores on keys ***with Luther Dickinson on guitar and Adam MacDougall on keys &Opening for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers $ ALL ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE
SHAKE YOUR MONEY MAKER (7/10) Twice As Hard x2 Jealous Again x2 Sister Luck Seeing Things Hard to Handle Thick N' Thin She Talks To Angels x2
SOUTHERN HARMONY AND MUSICAL COMPANION (7/10) Sting Me Remedy x2 Thorn In My Pride x4 Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye x2 Black Moon Creeping No Speak No Slave My Morning Song x4
AMORICA (10/11) A Conspiracy High Head Blues Cursed Diamond Nonfiction She Gave Good Sunflower P.25 London Ballad in Urgency x2 Wiser Time x5 Downtown Money Waster x3 Descending x2
THREE SNAKES AND ONE CHARM (9/12) Under A Mountain x2 Good Friday Girl From A Pawnshop x2 (Only) Halfway to Everywhere Bring On, Bring On How Much For Your Wings? Let Me Share The Ride x2 Better When You're Not Alone Evil Eye
BY YOUR SIDE (5/11) Horsehead Heavy Welcome to the Goodtimes Go Tell The Congregation Virtue and Vice
LIONS (5/13) Midnight From The Inside Out Ozone Mama Greasy Grass River Soul Singing Lay It All On Me
WARPAINT (11/11) Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution x3 Walk Believer Walk x2 Oh Josephine x4 Evergreen x2 Wee Who See The Deep x4 Locust Street x3 Movin' On Down The Line Wounded Bird x3 God's Got It There's Gold In Them Hills x2 Whoa Mule x3
BEFORE THE FROST... (6/11) Good Morning Captain Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love) A Train Still Makes A Lonely Sound I Ain't Hiding Houston Don't Dream About Me Make Glad
...UNTIL THE FREEZE (2/9) Shine Along Roll Old Jeremiah
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LOST CROWES: BAND/TALL (5) Another Roadside Tragedy x2 Wyoming and Me Dirty Hair Halo Feathers Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz
B-SIDES/UNRELEASED/RARITIES (5) Waiting Guilty x2 Darling of the Underground Press x2 Here Comes Daylight Ready For Rain Cold Boy Smile x3
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COVERS (29) Pre-Road Downs Song of Love Alabama Around and Around Ride On A Pony Answers Space Captain Give Peace A Chance Hot Burrito #2 x2 It Takes A Lot To Laugh, A Train To Cry She Got To Get Better In A Little While Poor Elijah/Tribute to Johnson x3 Rockin' Chair Hey Grandma Never Ending Song Of Love x2 Let's Go Get Stoned Don't Do It Brand New Heartache He Was A Friend Of Mine Stoned Faces Don't Lie Wheels Stealin' Lost My Drivin' Wheel Roll 'Um Easy Glad and Sorry You Don't Miss Your Water New Speedway Boogie Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
TOTAL: 101
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1ST TIME PLAYED Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution Walk Believer Walk Oh Josephine Evergreen Wee Who See The Deep Locust Street Movin' On Down The Line Wounded Bird God's Got It There's Gold In Them Hills Whoa Mule Poor Elijah/Tribute to Johnson Hey Grandma Stoned Faces Don't Lie Wheels New Speedway Boogie
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OPENERS Another Roadside Tragedy Waiting Guilty Cursed Diamond Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution x2 Midnight From The Inside Out Under A Mountain Soul Singing Good Morning Captain This'll be updated as I go to more shows.
I woke up at around noon, tried to go to the DMV (or is it MVC now?) to get my adult drivers license (I've been 18 for two months now but haven't had the chance to pick up a new license) only to find out they were closed. Oh well, I'll get it next time. My grandparents stopped by for dinner and offered to drive me to the train station, and by around 5:25, I was on my way (even though I had a good 40 minutes until the train arrived, my grandpa insisted that there was a train 10 minutes earlier- which there wasn't -and my grandma is always rushing us out the door, so I went with it). Train arrived in Matawan at 6:04 and ended up in NYC right on time at 7:10. I walked out from under Madison Square Garden from the same exit I did Monday night and made my way down to 43rd street. I walked up to Town Hall at about 7:25, and like the last night, doors were already open (5 minutes early), so I made my way into the theater and found my seat. ORCH, Row C, Seat 109. 3rd row, five seats from the center aisle. I was one of the first people in the theater, so I walked up to the stage like I did the night before and looked around, at the stage, the empty theater, etc. This time I decided to cheat and take a gander at the setlist, but only looked at the first song- Soul Singing. Cool, I thought, not my favorite, but at least it's different from what they've been playing/played last night. After a few minutes of walking around I made my way back to my seat and listened to the house music (which was the same as last night and 10/25 in DC. It's an album called Little Kingdom by a band called Citay, and I actually really liked it. I'm gonna have to find that album) as people started filling in. Like Monday's show, it wasn't long before the tiny theater was nearly filled, and as I expected, I recognized some familiar faces from the night before/DC/elsewhere (the woman standing next to me in DC was sitting four seats down from me, so I was talking to her for a few minutes. She said she recognized my face, but didn't remember too much, because in her own words, she was trippin' So anyway, lights went down at 8:17...here's the set:
SOUL SINGING
STEALIN’
LOCUST STREET
HOW MUCH FOR YOUR WINGS
DESCENDING
DRIVING WHEEL
POOR ELIJAH - TRIBUTE TO JOHNSON (MEDLEY)
READY FOR THE RAIN
BAD LUCK BLUE EYES GOODBYE
COLD BOY SMILE
GIRL FROM A PAWNSHOP
THERE’S GOLD IN THEM HILLS
ROLL ‘UM EASY
GLAD & SORRY
BETTER WHEN YOU’RE NOT ALONE
WEE WHO SEE THE DEEP
THORN IN MY PRIDE
- encore -
YOU DON’T MISS YOUR WATER
NEW SPEEDWAY BOOGIE (1st time played)
SOUL SINGING- Like I said before, this isn't on the top of my list of favorite Crowes songs, but it is one of the stronger tracks on Lions, so I did enjoy it. It sounds good acoustic too.
STEALIN'- I wasn't familiar with this one, but by the lyrics I was able to tell what it was. Cool song, it was a pretty nice fit in the two spot.
LOCUST STREET- Nothing new and exciting here, but as expected, this sounds very nice in an acoustic setting.
HOW MUCH FOR YOUR WINGS- Now we're talkin'. Number two in the trio of superb acoustic songs from Three Snakes and a real treat to see live.
DESCENDING- Rich brought out the same acoustic he used for She Talks To Angels and Whoa Mule the night before, which had me puzzled for a second trying to think of the other open E Crowes songs when it hit me- Descending! Of course! This is a great, great song from Amorica, there couldn't be a more perfect way of closing that album, and it works very well acoustic. That being said, Adam hit a few weird notes in the piano outro, where I'm still not convinced with his playing on this song. I'm not saying he should play it note for note like the record, cause not even Eddie did that, but I'm just not feeling it. Rest of the song was great though.
DRIVING WHEEL- I'm familiar with this one from Chris and Rich's Brothers of a Feather release, but this was the first time I'd actually heard it live. Very pretty song, I liked it a lot.
POOR ELIJAH/TRIBUTE TO JOHNSON- Man do the Crowes rip this one up, even at an acoustic show. Some people have been giving the band shit for beating some of the 2008 covers to death, and while I agree with them on Hey Grandma, Poor Elijah still sounds great. No exception at this show, it was awesome once again.
READY FOR THE RAIN- This was the second Warpaint b-side in as many shows, and as with Here Comes Daylight on Monday, I had never heard this one either. This one is another very nice ballad (did I mention how good this band is at writing and playing ballads?), and it adds more truth to what Chuck Leavell said about the Crowes- "Those guys throw away songs that other people dream about writing". Very cool.
BAD LUCK BLUE EYES GOODBYE- I always overlook this gem from Southern Harmony, and as expected, it didn't disappoint acoustically. Chris was reading from a lyric sheet, but sounded great.
COLD BOY SMILE- Rich was given an acoustic capoed at the 5th fret, so it was pretty obvious this was coming. I love this song, and always love seeing it live. I was hoping they'd play this on one of the two nights, and like I said when I last saw them do it in DC, this is a great song for where the band is right now.
GIRL FROM A PAWNSHOP- AWESOME. This is another one I was really hoping for, and was very excited when Rich started it up. It sounded very, very good acoustic, and I can't wait to pick up a recording to hear it again. That outro is one of the best.
THERE'S GOLD IN THEM HILLS- Going into these two acoustic shows, in the back of my mind I had a feeling this one would show up. It's my least favorite song on Warpaint, but it fit much better in an acoustic setting then at a regular electric show where it would normally ruin the flow.
ROLL UM EASY- Rich was given a black Les Paul, which completely threw me off, but once he started the opening notes I was baffled. I absolutely love this song and didn't even think that they'd bring it back for these shows. What a beautiful song.
GLAD AND SORRY- I wasn't familiar with this song before this show, but from the lyrics I knew what it was, and knew that they hadn't played it in a while (and I was right, Crowesbase says it had been a little over two years). On a night filled with great song after great song, this was absolutely one of the major highlights of the show.
BETTER WHEN YOU'RE NOT ALONE- This was the final piece in the Three Snakes trio I mentioned before (Bring On, Bring On and How Much For Your Wings are the first two), and it sounded awesome. Rich blew the lyrics to both choruses, but hey, this was only the second time they've played this song this year, so I'll cut him some slack. Plus, screw ups are what make rock and roll so much fun
WEE WHO SEE THE DEEP- Interesting choice for an acoustic show, but according to Crowesbase, this song started out acoustic when they were writing it. I've seen this one at four of the five shows I've seen this year, and while I'd probably rather see a few other songs in its place, I usually don't dwell on stuff like that (unless it's She Talks To Angels). This one sounded good, as it has, and seeing it played acoustically just added to the enjoyment.
THORN IN MY PRIDE- When they started Wee Who See The Deep, I hoped they wouldn't do the Wee-->Thorn that has become almost a given now, but they did. Oh well, one repeat in two nights doesn't hurt, and it just so happened that Tuesday's Thorn was better then Monday's. Same format, but it sounded sharper.
YOU DON'T MISS YOUR WATER- Another cover I wasn't familiar with, but knew once I heard the lyrics. Normally I'm not sure if I'd be too impressed with this one, but it fit pretty decently into the mellow acoustic vibe of the night.
NEW SPEEDWAY BOOGIE- Kory would probably kill me for saying this, but I don't have Workingman's Dead, so I'm not too familiar with this one. Sorry, but I'm not a Grateful Dead Dictionary, ya know? This was a 1st time played with the full band, so that was cool, and I actually really liked this one. Maybe not the best second encore, but I still enjoyed it.
As was the case on Monday, there was nothing unbelievably rare at this show, but as a whole, the set flowed very well with a very good song selection. The performances were top notch, as expected, and I left the theater 100% satisfied with the show. Another thing I realized during this show- Sven can sing. I had always known he sang backup, and I happen to think the Crowes' backup vocals are great (Rich + Sven + Mona Lisa Young + Charity White + Adam), but this show was the first time where I took notice of Sven's voice when it was just him and Chris singing. It's also worth noting that Chris made a sarcastic comment about people calling out songs they want to hear and the band not playing them, then as the crowd continued to do it, and some jackass decided to yell "we miss Ed!", Chris got pissed and addressed the crowd again. And Rich Robinson spoke.
Times Square was mobbed with people watching the election, so I had to walk a few blocks just to cross the street so I could get to the Port Authority. I caught an 11:04 bus, got home around midnight, and because my mom is freaking awesome, she drove me back down to school in the middle of the night.
---MY THOUGHTS ON BOTH TOWN HALL SHOWS--- If it wasn't for some great people in the Black Crowes community, I would never have had the chance to see either of these shows with the seats I had. I anticipated these two shows (it was one for a while, but like I said, thanks to a fan, offering his seat at face value and not ripping someone off with ridiculously inflated prices, I managed to make the second one as well) since they were announced and they didn't disappoint.
I'm not quite sure how to describe the mood of the first show, it felt like they were playing in my living room, yet the song choice wasn't exactly what I was anticipating. That said, it was a very good show. The second show made up for anything the first show lacked. The setlist flowed well, the song choice was great, the perfomances were stellar, I thought the vibe in my section was good (but there were those jackasses calling out requests throughout the crord)...all in all, it was a fantastic show. So with that said, it's probably obvious that I liked the second show more then the first. My favorites over both nights were Under A Mountain, Bring On Bring On, How Much For Your Wings, Better When Your Not Alone, Girl From A Pawnshop, Wyoming and Me, Darling of the Underground Press, Nonfiction, Poor Elijah, Roll Um Easy, and Glad and Sorry.
I spent somewhere around $180 between the actual show tickets, Amtrak, and bus/train tickets to and from NYC, plus I'm physically exhausted and am behind with my homework, but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Despite the fact that I went to both shows by myself, I enjoyed myself immensely and am glad I had the opportunity to attend these special shows. Do I wish they would have dug a little deeper and pulled out some serious back wall gems? Of course. But the fact remains that this band has yet to disappoint me, and I will continue to buy their albums, collect their live shows, and go to their concerts.
Well, this is the one I'd been waiting for, so here it goes...
I had classes until 3:20, but skipped chemistry so I could catch the train to NYC. Train arrived both in Newark, DE and NYC right on time, and I walked a block (alongside the greatest arena in the world- Madison Square Garden) and met up with my dad who works in the city. We found a parking lot up by 43rd street (Town Hall is on west 43rd between 6th and 7th avenue if I remember correctly), where I found out that the plan was to have my dad leave the car, take a bus home, and have me drive home from the city by myself. Now, I don't consider myself a bad driver, nor am I a timid driver, but I had never gotten behind the wheel in NYC before, and anyone who has can tell you that NYC drivers are nuts. Whatever, there's a first for everything. Anyway, we took a walk to Broadway, looking for a place to eat. We ended up at the Hard Rock, which is always a treat...I'm like a kid in a candy store at that place. After dinner we spent some time walking around and gazing at all the memorabilia. Cool stuff. It got to be about 7 o'clock so we headed down to Town Hall. My dad left and I sat there for about 20 minutes until doors opened. I went inside and bought a "Euphoria or Bust" sticker for my guitar case then went to find my seat- Orchestra Right Center, Row G, Seat 112. 7th row, Rich's side. Once I was situated, I got up and walked right up to the stage, like I usually do, to gaze at all the gear and whatnot. The setlist sheet was right in front of me, but I opted out of reading it, deciding not to ruin the surprise. Town Hall is TINY (it reminds me of the Beacon Theater, only smaller), and it wasn't long before most of it was filled. I saw the same group of people I saw last Saturday, and said hello to one of them sitting the row in front of me. Tomorrow I'm gonna have to linger a little more and say hello to the woman who stood next to me last Saturday (the one on mushrooms, remember?). Anyway, lights go down, band comes out, 8:15 on the dot.
Here's the set:
UNDER A MOUNTAIN
NONFICTION
NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE
WYOMING AND ME
BRAND NEW HEARTACHE
WISER TIME
SHE TALKS TO ANGELS
OH JOSEPHINE
WHOA MULE
DARLING OF THE UNDERGROUND PRESS
BRING ON BRING ON
HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE
HERE COMES DAYLIGHT
THORN IN MY PRIDE
STONED FACES DON’T LIE (1st time played)
WELCOME TO THE GOODTIMES
DOWNTOWN MONEY WASTER
- encore -
WHEELS (1st time played)
GOODBYE DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION
UNDER A MOUNTAIN- Once everyone in the band sat down, they all looked over to Adam, and I was wondering that could mean. Well, as soon as Adam hit the first note I was overcome with joy. Under A Fucking Mountain. I absolutely love this song, and think it is a great way to open a show. Bravo, boys, bravo, I can now cross this one off the list of songs I'd love to see.
NONFICTION- Rich brought out an acoustic capoed at the third fret and I PRAYED for Thunderstorm 6:54, but alas, it was Nonfiction. Another first for me live, and it sounded great. Nice one/two opening with Under A Mountain and Nonfiction.
NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE- I saw them do this one back in July in Philly and thought it completely ruined the flow of a rocking show. In this situation, however, it was fun. The first three songs (but especially this one) really gave this show a feeling of a "Robinson Family Hootenanny" (I think Chris said something similar too ), as if they were all just sitting in a living room jamming and having a great time.
WYOMING AND ME- Whoa. When Rich brought out a guitar tuned to standard, and Luther on mandolin (I think), this was the last song I was thinking about. This was a very, very pleasant surprise, and it was beautiful (and not flawed ba dum tsss. It's in the lyrics of the song. Geez ). Very, very cool, another one to cross off the list.
BRAND NEW HEARTACHE- I had never heard this one before and it didn't really impress me. I'll have to take a listen to the recording to further form an opinion.
WISER TIME- Alright, well, now comes the obligatory ripping on Adam MacDougall for playing a crappy keyboard solo, right? Well, kind of. While I still hate his meandering 5th grade toy piano solo, it fit the song much better this being an acoustic show and all. I've also complained that the Crowes should shorten this one up to its traditional length live, but this time, it felt right for it to be extended. Again, the feeling of "hey, we're all gonna sit up here on stage, enjoy ourselves, and watch everyone do their own thing" came into play. It was very cool. Another thing- during Luther's solo, it was basically just him and Sven playing, and the two of them kinda fed off each other. It was great. P.S.- Rich picked up a strat halfway through Adam's keys solo and finished the song on it.
SHE TALKS TO ANGELS- I'd like to never hear this song ever again, k? Thanks.
OH JOSEPHINE- One of the coolest moments in this show happened during this song- where everyone stops playing but Rich and Chris on vocals. It was one of those special moments where I realized how much I love listening to this band and seeing them live. This one had soul tonight, the Crowes really are great at writing and playing ballads.
WHOA MULE- I don't have anything bad to say about this song. It's so peaceful, and it sounded very good again tonight.
DARLING OF THE UNDERGROUND PRESS- YES. This is an early b-side from the Southern Harmony days and it rocks. Awesome to see this one again (I got it back in July as the first encore), Rich was on a strat capoed at the second fret.
BRING ON BRING ON- Hands down the best song of the night. They did a little intro jam, so I knew it was coming, and man did it sound great. The whole "like the gift of sight, the baby's eye" part gave me chills. I've been waiting to see this one as well, so I can cross it off and put an asterisk next to it. Fantastic.
HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE- This was not bad, but nothing special in my opinion.
HERE COMES DAYLIGHT- This is a Warpaint b-side, and I haven't obtained those yet, so this was the first time I had ever heard it, and I liked it. Rich sounded like he was in drop D (maybe double drop-D, or even that plus down a half/full step a la Neil Young. I was hoping for Pardon My Heart when I heard him start playing in that tuning, but oh well). Rich played some cool fingerstyle parts here.
THORN IN MY PRIDE- No intro jam, no drum solo, no 15 minutes of the same stuff we've been hearing for years. This one did have a jam in the middle, but it was cut down to a tolerable length, which is, in my opinion, what they should be doing with this song at electric shows as well. Plus Chris Robinson was ripping it up on harmonica. That makes two different versions of Thorn that I've heard at two shows about a week and a half apart. Nice.
STONED FACES DON'T LIE (1st time played)- Another cover that I'm not familiar with. This one was decent on first listen, but I'd have to hear it a few more times to form an opinion.
WELCOME TO THE GOODTIMES- Interesting choice, but I always seem to be satisfied hearing it. I love the "nah nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah naaah" part right after the chorus, and you bet I was singing along.
DOWNTOWN MONEY WASTER- Rich and Luther were both on electrics for this one, and Steve was poundin' the skins pretty good, so it's hard to say this one was "acoustic", but either way, it sounded great. This song live absolutely owns the studio version. The biggest flaw on Amorica is having this song without drums. It loses all the swagger that I like on the live versions. Either way, great song, and I love hearing it live.
WHEELS (1st time played)- Another cover that I don't know, but it didn't impress me. Again, I'll have to give it a few more listens.
GOODBYE DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION- I've heard it a million times on CD, and this makes three times live in three shows since the release of Warpaint (two if you get technical...the first time was before Warpaint was released ) but I still like it. Nice groove to this one, and it's a big sing-a-long. Especially for one guy a few rows in front of me...he seemed to be really enjoying it
So yeah, my first impressions were very mixed. Lots of great stuff, yet still some "...what?" moments, but now that I look back on it, it was a very good show overall and I'm glad I went. I'm still praying for Peace Anyway/Thunderstorm 6:54/Spider In The Sugar Bowl Blues, and with a lot of stuff I thought I'd hear at either one of these two shows out of the way (Bring On Bring On, Nonfiction, Wyoming and Me, Whoa Mule, Wiser Time, Never Ending Song Of Love), I can only hope the Crowes will come back tomorrow with an even more impressive array of songs.
I woke up at 5 AM on Saturday, the 25th, showered, ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, and headed for the bus station at about a quarter after six. I really underestimated how creepy it was going to be being seemingly the only person awake on my campus in the very early hours of the morning. Anyway, got to the bus station, sat there for about 20 minutes, and the bus came early, so I paid my fare and got on. The 7:05 AM bus from Newark, Delaware (my college's town) took about an hour to get to Wilmington, and once I was there I made my way to the Amtrak station, picked up my ticket, bought some Pop Tarts, a Snickers, a Gatorade and a pack of gum, and headed upstairs to wait for my train. The train was right on time arriving in Wilmington and DC, leaving Wilmington at 8:37 and arriving at Union Station in DC at 10:20. Once I got in, I called my uncle (who lives about 10 miles from DC), and he was running a litle late, so I sat outside the station for about 20 minutes until he came to pick me up. We took a quick driving tour of DC (I had been there once before in my life, and it was a long time ago), then met my aunt and cousins for lunch. After lunch we drove back to their house, where I passed out until about 6ish. We ate dinner and then my uncle and I headed over to the 9:30 Club. My uncle dropped me off (he wasn't going to the show) at about 7:15, and I waited in line until doors opened at 8. Once inside, I found myself a phenomenal spot behind two smaller women who were leaning on the railing halfway between Chris and Rich Robinson's set ups, giving me a clear view of the whole stage. The same group of people that I keep seeing at Black Crowes shows (they've been to around 20 shows this year so they say) were in front of me, so I was talking to them for a while, then met a girl from American University who was new to the Crowes but had a similar taste in music as me, so I talked to her for the hour or so until the Crowes went on. One of the women in front of me took a picture of Adam MacDougall's setlist taped somewhere on his rig and zoomed in so that she could read some of the songs, but I opted out of knowing what was coming. She said she could only read the encore, which I then asked "Don't tell me what it is, but is it good?" to which she responded "oh yeah, one of my favorites". So that was a good sign. They also took a picture of me after they found out that I posted on Crowesbase, so that picture is somewhere out there on the web for anyone who's interested
The band walked out at 9:17. This was the set:
GOODBYE DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION
STING ME
GO TELL THE CONGREGATION
BALLAD IN URGENCY
WISER TIME
SHE TALKS TO ANGELS
POOR ELIJAH/ROBERT JOHNSON
COLD BOY SMILE
WHOA MULE
LAY IT ALL ON ME
WEE WHO SEE THE DEEP
THORN IN MY PRIDE
FEATHERS
REMEDY
WOUNDED BIRD
- encore -
DON’T DO IT
GOODBYE DAUGHTERS- Knowing Evergreen opened the show on the 24th, my guess as an opener was either Movin' On Down The Line or Goodbye Daughters. Rich came out with his black custom shop Tele and played the first chord of Goodbye Daughters as the band was getting settled, so I knew it was coming. Solid opener, I enjoyed this one a lot.
STING ME- Rich picked up the ES-335 for this one, which I didn't see coming at all. That was the first time I'd seen this one live, and I loved it. So what if they played the heck out of this one, it's a great rocker and a lot of fun to see live.
GO TELL THE CONGREGATION- Now, I might be in the minority here, but I like the By Your Side album a lot, and this song is one of my favorites from it. This is another one I didn't see coming, but have been hoping I'd see sometime at a show. Great stuff, Rich still on the ES-335. Chris even ended it with "everythaaang is everythaaang", as it is on the album.
BALLAD IN URGENCY- This was a fucking religious experience. I distinctly remember Ballad-->Wiser from the first time I saw this band, when they opened for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and I knew maybe two songs max, and since then I've been praying to see it again. I got Wiser Time back in March and finally got the full Ballad-->Wiser on Saturday, and man was it great. The jam between the two was very good, and they completely caught me off guard by kicking up the tempo and turning it into a more rocking jam. They then slowed it back down and handed it off to Adam for the bridge into Wiser Time. Rich on a cream-colored custom shop Strat.
WISER TIME- While I fully enjoyed belting the lyrics to one of my all time favorite songs, these guys lost me in the jams. Adam MacDougall is still playing a sub-par piano solo, and this song is not even close to being at a comfortable tempo, they've been playing it very slow lately. They need to go back to the standard 7 or 8 minute version of this song at the right tempo, with the correct solo order (Luther in between verses, then Rich on slide, Adam, Luther, Luther + Rich). Whatever, I'll be happy with a Ballad-->Wiser any time I see it, regardless of the flaws. Rich was using a Zemaitis for this one
SHE TALKS TO ANGELS- Rich's tech brought out an acoustic before the show and was tuning it and whatnot, and I realized it was tuned to open E. My first thought was Whoa Mule, but then when Rich brought this out during the show and I got a chance to see where his left hand was on the neck, plus the fact that Steve Gorman was still behind the drum kit and not out front with the djembe, I knew what was coming. Did I sing along? Yes. Could I do without seeing this song live ever again? Yep. Unless it's the piano-driven acoustic B-side version.
POOR ELIJAH/TRIBUTE TO JOHNSON- Chris brought out an acoustic, and since Rich was on the white strat (which I knew was tuned to standard because of Ballad), I knew this was next (when Chris brings out an acoustic I always pray for Waiting Guilty). They jammed the hell out of this one, and it was a pretty damn decent jam.
COLD BOY SMILE- Rich was handed an acoustic capoed at the 5th fret, and there is only one Black Crowes song I know of with a capo at the fifth fret, and this is it. Very, very cool to see again, this is a nice fit for Mr. Slidey McSlideslide, Luther Dickinson.
WHOA MULE- Rich brought out the 12-string, and as soon as Steve Gorman came out front, I knew this was coming. I really love this song, and I finally took the time to figure out what the hell Rich is playing during the verses.
LAY IT ALL ON ME- This is not my first choice for hearing something from Lions (sorry Mike ), but it was surprisingly good live. One of the best moments of the show came during this song- Rich started on an acoustic, then during the piano break picked up an electric (not sure of the brand or anything, but this is the one), and came back in really hard and loud for the outro jam. It was awesome.
WEE WHO SEE THE DEEP- Alright, here's where things got interesting. This song is a nice rocker, and when Chris picked up his beautiful ES-335, I could tell it was coming. Chris had a solo somewhere in the middle, and while he was nowhere near the best guitarist on that stage, it was great watching him and his brother go at it, trading licks, and totally enjoying themselves in the process. As expected, they went into a jam at the end, and I spotted Rich's tech preparing a Tele capoed at the 4th fret backstage, so I knew it would eventually lead into Thorn In My Pride, but first, a few words on the jam. This thing turned into a complete psychodelic freakout. Rich's sound was drenched in delay, Chris was playing slide with his harmonica around the pickups of his guitar, getting those really high pitched squeals, and the lighting was very trippy. I've never seen them do anything like that before. Eventually, Rich was handed the Tele I saw before, and I expected to hear another typical Thorn intro jam, but man, was I wrong...
THORN IN MY PRIDE- They started this one off with a new jam, which was very refreshing after what they've been doing for the past few years, but by far the best part of the entire song was as they were bringing the jam back down into what would eventually be Thorn, Rich started playing around with some familiar sounding chords high up on the neck. It started off loose, but then got more structured, and when I realized what was happening, my jaw hit the floor. I literally stood there with my mouth wide open saying to myself "NO. FUCKING. WAY. It can't be!" It was Spider in the Sugar Bowl Blues. Chris and Rich played this twice in '06, but it hasn't been played by the full band since '97. The band eventually went into Thorn as I expected, but the Spider in the Sugar Bowl Blues tease makes it totally possible that the full song will show up at Town Hall on November 3 or 4. Thorn still had the same format as usual (Thorn-->Jam-->Drum solo-->Harp-->Jam-->Thorn), but the harp solo/jam after the drum solo was different, and included some Sugar Bee lyrics, so that was, again, refreshing.
FEATHERS- Rich pulled out his white Gretsch, and my first thought was Walk Believer Walk, but I was obviously wrong. This song was mesmerizing and spooky. I took a look around the room at the rest of the crowd and no one seemed to be into it, besides the group of people I mentioned before who were standing in front of me. Their loss, this song is a treat to see live.
REMEDY- Rich had a clear guitar capoed at the third fret, and once I saw the capo, I knew what was coming (No Speak No Slave is capoed at the third fret as well, but given the fact that they haven't played that one with Luther very often and I'd think Rich would use a different guitar for it, I knew it was Remedy). This was the first time I've seen this one live, and it was pretty cool. The crowd was very into it, and I obliged and sang along as well.
WOUNDED BIRD- Rich on the ES-335 again, it was obvious that this was next. Another good rocker from Warpaint, but they've sure been playing it a lot on this tour. Whatever, I still sang along and enjoyed it.
DON'T DO IT- During the encore break, Chris' ES-335 was taken off stage and replaced with an acoustic, so, like I said earlier, I hoped for Waiting Guilty, but Rich came out with his white strat (I think? I know they do this in a different tuning, and his strat was in standard the whole show), so I knew that was out, but what they did play was even better. When Mr. Gorman started up the drums and Sven played the intro bass riff I lost it. Don't Do It just brought the house down. Everyone around me was singing along, and I used whatever was left of my voice to join in. It was great.
Before the Crowes went on, one of the people in the group in front of me mentioned they needed to get the girl next to me a drum stick, it being
her second Crowes show and everything, and I mentioned that this'll be
my sixth show and I haven't gotten a setlist sheet yet, so I'd love to get one of those. Well, after the show, I stuck around the stage as I usually do, to try and grab a setlist, and while I was unsuccessful at getting one of those, the women in front of me grabbed some drum sticks and remembering what was said earlier, she gave one to the girl next to me and one to me. I said goodbye to the friendly people I'd met (this band has some great fans, even if they're on shrooms. One woman I was talking to before the show just out of nowhere goes "I'm going to be honest with you. I ate some mushrooms earlier". That explained a lot I also found out that most of them would be at the Town Hall shows, both of which I'm going to, as well), walked out and went back to my uncle's house.
The story doesn't end there though. I got up the next morning, took the metro into DC with my aunt, uncle, and cousins, and headed to the National Museum of Natural History for a few hours. I like that kinda stuff, so that was cool to see. We then took a cab to Union Station, where I was to catch the Amtrak back to college, and when we got out of the car, we walked past a guy with glasses, a full beard, and reddish hair with his family taking their bags out of a cab. As we were walking by, I turned to my uncle and said "Is that...?" and he went "yeah, I think it is". So once we got into the station, we stopped for a second until he walked in behind us, and sure enough, it was who we thought it was. Who was this mystery man? Trey Anastasio, the lead vocalist and guitarist from Phish. We walked behind him over to the Quik-Traks (the machines where you can buy train tickets or pick up pre-bought ones) and I ended up using the one next to him.
So that's the end of my story. While the Black Crowes show might not have been the best I've seen from them, it was a great one overall, and I still enjoyed it. Plus, I walked out with a drum stick, met some great people, spent some time in the nation's capital, and saw Trey Anastasio on the streets. Worth the $130 something dollars it cost me when all was said and done (train to DC, show ticket, train back to Delaware)? Absolutely, I'm glad I went.
I also took a ton of pictures, so I'll see if I can get some of those up on the site somewhere.
Now I've got a shitload of homework to do, so until next time, - Matt
Since I have nothing better to do, here's a list of my favorite guitarists, and a little bit about why I like them.
Joe Walsh I have a Joe Walsh compilation bootleg that is titled "The Clown Prince of Rock and Roll", and I think that perfectly captures the essence of Joe Walsh. He has a unique personality, and is sometimes hit or miss with his song catalog, but when he wants to, he can hold his own with the best in both writing and playing. At this point in the game, after all Joe has been through, it seems like he really enjoys playing music, and that really shows in his playing these days. I got the chance to be up close and personal at one of Joe's solo shows in August '07, and it was one of the most enjoyable shows of my life. Check out the first two James Gang albums (Yer Album and Rides Again), as well as So What, The Smoker Your Drink The Player You Get, and But Seriously Folks.
Joe Perry Maybe not the most technically gifted guitarist in the world, but what he lacks in ability, he makes up for in style and attitude. Pair him up with Aerosmith's other guitarist- Brad Whitford -and you've got one hell of a guitar attack, as the two are at their best when they are together. He's also a great rhythm player, and don't count him out as a slide guitarist either. Suggested listening- Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic, Rocks, Live Bootleg, and Rockin' the Joint.
David Gilmour Gilmour himself admits that he was never about pure technical ability. What he is about, however, is well placed notes that seem perfect for the song he is playing and TONE. Gilmour can make that guitar sing better then anyone else. Wish You Were Here (the album) and Animals contain my favorite Gilmour solos.
Marc Ford Marc's claim to fame was his time with my favorite band- The Black Crowes. He played with them from '92-'97 and then again in '05 and summer '06, and his impact on the band is glaring. Being an avid collector of Crowes live shows, I've heard a lot from Ford, and while the Crowes have been/are good and even great without him, Marc Ford just brings them to another level with his superb lead guitar parts. Another reason why I love Marc is his tone...his setup is simple, but his tone is pure fuzz heaven. I highly recommend picking up The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, Amorica, Three Snakes And One Charm, or even his first solo album- It's About Time to get a feel for Ford's playing, and if you really want to see what he's all about, go download a live show or two from the years he was with The Black Crowes. You'll thank me later.
Frank Zappa Zappa has a totally unique style of playing, and it never ceases to amaze me. He had a weird right hand technique, and I think his son Dweezil said it best when he described Frank's right hand as the chicken versus his left hand, the spider. I could (and have) listened to Zappa play all day. I'd recommend Apostrophe'/Overnite Sensation, One Size Fits All, and the all instrumental Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar.
Rich Robinson Rich is the only true rhythm guitarist on my list, and for good reason. Chris may be the lead singer and frontman of the Black Crowes, but as far as I'm concerned, Rich is the backbone of the band. He is a fantastic rhythm guitarist, a hell of a slide player, and a force on stage. During live shows, he is in complete control of the band, watching him direct the Crowes from up close is a sight to see. He also happens to turn up louder then anyone I've ever seen, so if you decide to get up close on Rich's side at a show, don't expect to be able to hear anything the next day. Check out any Black Crowes album (preferably Southern Harmony, Amorica, or Three Snakes), and his solo album- Paper.
After months of waiting and speculation for this tour, my first stop on the Black Crowes' 2008 Euphoria or Bust tour (and 5th Crowes show total) finally arrived- July 2nd at the Fillmore at TLA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I had been checking the setlists for the past three nights and had been pleased with the variation (and a bit angry at some of the great stuff played the night before the show I saw. They rarely repeat songs on back to back nights, so I had to forget about a few things I would have liked to have seen), and last night did not disappoint. Left the house at 5:40, got to Philly at about 10 after 7 and got my place in line in some back alley around the corner from the venue. Doors opened at 8 and my friend and I found a nice spot about 5 rows of people back directly in line with Chris Robinson's mic stand. This place was tiny. The capacity was a mere 800 people. A group of shorter people were in front of me, so I had a great view of the entire stage (with the exception of maybe keyboard player Adam MacDougall, but that didn't really bother me). I saw Luther and Sven walking around backstage before the show, and later got into a discussion with the guy behind me about the band, the new members, the recent setlists, etc. and the guy seemed to know his stuff. It was cool to have a conversation like that with someone face to face. We started guessing opening songs as it got closer and closer to 9...his friend said Black Moon Creeping, he wanted No Speak No Slave, and I said judging by the recent setlists, Movin' On Down The Line- which was not likely since they played it the night before -or Wounded Bird. All three of us were wrong. Here's the set:
Midnight From The Inside Out
Evergreen
A Conspiracy
Walk Believer Walk
Another Roadside Tragedy
Locust Street
Never Ending Song of Love
Good Friday
Girl From the North Country
Wee Who See the Deep
High Head Blues
My Morning Song-->Catfish Blues-->My Morning Song
Oh Josephine
She Gave Good Sunflower
Wounded Bird ---ENCORE--- Darling of the Underground Press Let's Go Get Stoned
MIDNIGHT FROM THE INSIDE OUT- The band walked on at 9:03 (ticket said 9 PM...that's the closest I've ever seen a band come to being on time), and I thought to myself what some of the opening possibilities could be just from the guitar Rich brought out. He had a Les Paul that I hadn't seen before, so I was a little thrown off, until he hit the first notes of the night. The thought went through my head "...it can't be!" and I turned to the guy behind me and yelled "MIDNIGHT FROM THE INSIDE OUT!!!" This was only played 5 times live since the end of the 2001 tour, and all five were in 2005. It's not the rarest of songs (90 total live plays since its debut on 2001-02-03), but the first play since 2005-10-31 was pretty special, and on top of that, it's my absolute favorite from the hit or miss Lions album (I'd even go so far as to say one of my favorite Crowes songs) so I was pretty floored by this one. Especially as an opener. I really could not believe what they were playing.
EVERGREEN- Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Sven Pipien show. This is a nice rocker from the new album, and Sven threw it down on bass.
A CONSPIRACY- A personal forgotten classic in my mind (seriously, I often forget that this song is so good), and it didn't disappoint here. I believe Rich was playing a see-through guitar with Luther on an SG.
WALK BELIEVER WALK- I called this one as soon as Rich picked up the Gretsch. This was my favorite song on Warpaint all the way back when I saw them do it at the first "One Night Only" show two days before the album's US release, and it's still remains a favorite four months later to the day. This song is just downright dirty. I love it.
ANOTHER ROADSIDE TRAGEDY- I first saw the Crowes play this on 2005-06-22, when they opened for Tom Petty. Only problem was, I didn't know a single Black Crowes song other then Twice As Hard and Hard to Handle when I saw that show. I later learned that that performance was only the 16th ever of that song, and grew to love it. I'd really wanted to hear this one again live after not realizing what was going on back in '05 and got my chance tonight. Freaking awesome. Luther and Rich really went at it in the middle jam.
LOCUST STREET- This not even close to my favorite song from Warpaint, but that doesn't mean that I don't like it. After the furious five that preceded it, this was a nice change of pace. Plus, Luther played mandolin (I saw his tech preparing it during Another Roadside Tragedy and knew this was next).
NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE- This was the only misstep of the show. This song might work for an acoustic show/set, but I think this disrupted the flow of this show. Chris and Rich on acoustics for this one.
GOOD FRIDAY- The Black Crowes need to play more from Three Snakes and One Charm. Great, great album, and Good Friday is a nice selection from it. Would have loved Under A Mountain or One Mirror Too Many, or even another Evil Eye, but hey, Good Friday is still a pleasure to hear, so I can't complain.
GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY- Very nice laid back Dylan cover. I love Rich's vocals on this one. Chris was on acoustic guitar, Rich on a strat.
WEE WHO SEE THE DEEP- Another Warpaint track. This one sounded surprisingly heavy (Rich on a Les Paul). It also had a nice spacey jam added on to the end of it.
HIGH HEAD BLUES- Very cool. The chorus was heavy as hell, and while I normally don't like the outro jam on all the other shows I've heard, I enjoyed this one. Maybe you just have to be there to appreciate it.
MY MORNING SONG- Sure it's been played 536 times since its debut on 1991-06-05, but this song never ceases to disappoint. The crowd went nuts when they launched (and I do mean launched) into this. The buildup into the final chorus wasn't as fierce as the 2006-11-08 Starland show I was at, but the jam in the middle (including the Catfish Blues section) was great. I'd also like to note that this was the first appearance during this show of Rich's beautiful red ES-335.
OH JOSEPHINE- This one has always reminded me of Girl From A Pawnshop, though not as epic. Still a great song (the Crowes really know how to write a ballad), with a great Pawnshop-like outro. Rich on a strat for this.
SHE GAVE GOOD SUNFLOWER- Rich walked out with a Zemaitis and my first thought (which was echoed by a guy somewhere in the back of the venue) was Soul Singing. While that's a good song, I'm a little tired of it. Instead, much to my surprise, Adam started up the chords to Sunflower. I personally love this song (great guitar work throughout), so I was ecstatic to finally hear it live.
WOUNDED BIRD- I had a feeling this was coming after Rich brought back the ES-335 (tuned to open G for this song, not standard like I expected). I have a feeling this one will be a Black Crowes live standard for years to come, and it works well as an opener and closer. Nice end to a great set.
DARLING OF THE UNDERGROUND PRESS- Not my first choice for an unreleased back wall song (WHERE IS EXIT OR NEVER FORGET THIS SONG?!), but hey, it's a good bluesy song regardless.
LETS GO GET STONED- I actually liked this a lot as the final encore. It finished the night on a high (olololol pun) note. Chris on electric guitar here.
My final thoughts: I wish I was going back for the last of three shows at the Fillmore at TLA in Philly tomorrow. These guys just flat out kicked ass, and I highly recommend seeing them on this tour. Right after Darling of the Underground Press I heard the guy in front of me turn to his friend and say "play something I know!" then he went and yelled "Remedy!" before the band started the final encore. My point in mentioning this is that if you go see this band, know that you're not going to get a greatest hits setlist. These guys have played 43 different original songs over the course of four shows. You're going to get variety. You're going to get extended jams. You're going to get a great rock and roll show.
Oh yeah, Luther should use a pick more often when playing lead (he sounds great on slide, but when he goes for a straight lead, he should use a pick) and Sven Pipien is fucking awesome.
It's 3 AM and I'm dead tired, but I couldn't be more satisfied with the show I saw on July 2nd, 2008.
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BrainDamage's blogs, last updated : November 30, 2009
So anyway, lights went down at 8:17...here's the set:
This was a 1st time played with the full band, so that was cool, and I actually really liked this one. Maybe not the best second encore, but I still enjoyed it.
). Very, very cool, another one to cross off the list.
) but I still like it. Nice groove to this one, and it's a big sing-a-long. Especially for one guy a few rows in front of me...he seemed to be 
