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  #1  
Old 09-19-2010, 10:14 AM
bjmjpl bjmjpl is offline
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Default Black Crowes in Charlotte 1/2

Barefoot and Dancing In Front of the Garden Gnome

September 19, 2010 – Road Runner Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC
(UNPUBLISHED EARLY REVIEW)

Acoustic Hor D'oeuvres - Set 1
Remedy
Soul Singing
Hotel Illness
DTMW
Good Friday
Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
How Much For Your Wings
Bring On, Bring On
Roll Ol' Jeremiah
Welcome to the Goodtimes
Thorn in My Pride
She Talks To Angels

Electric Reception – Set 2
And the Band Played On
High Head Blues
Greasy Grass River
Ballad in Urgency
Wiser Time
There's Gold in Them Hills
Darling of the Underground Press
Jealous Again
Go Faster
No Speak No Slave

Encore:
Thick n’ Thin
Shake Your Money Maker

Dancing in place that is. Surrounded by a thundering herd blistering thru a setlist that included a good 90 minutes of acoustic treats followed closely by a pummeling 90 minutes of delicious electric force. That is one way you could describe Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, as he led his band through what appears to be a no-holds-barred break-neck pace to an indefinite hiatus the group will embark upon following their usual 5-night stand at San Francisco’s historic Fillmore Auditorium. This latest stop – at the Road Runner Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC – provided an intimate setting, under a gorgeously still, abeit except for one loner, starless night sky. The warm humidity put no damper as this backdrop proved once again that the last few weeks of this tour everything seems to have been taken up notches and remained.

The Crowes, known for their no-frills approach to their particular brand of Rock N’ Roll, have no opening act, no elaborate production values, a bare-bones stage, nary a wardrobe change, oh, and some carpets on the floor rendering shoes optional, even for the garden gnome perched mercilessly on the floor, relegated to watching the show from behind the barefoot frontman. The light-show, that while obviously well-cared for and literally and figuratively, a part of the musical landscape, is not a distraction and the sound was flawless. The crowd, with usual parts die-hards and casuals sprinkled throughout rose to the occasion as it quickly became obvious that this was not just another Saturday night. And that includes the new-this-tour and oft-debated VIP section, which was home to a more-than-qualifying number of die-hards that, soon into the second number of the electric portion of the evening, were released from their captive seats and rows and permitted to roam free right up to the stage itself or just have some extra space to find the groove. A bunch of corporate suits standing around lost in a sea of fanatics this was not.

The band ambled on stage and to anyone preparing for an acoustic, peaceful intro to the show, in all contradiction was served up a raucous version of one of their biggest hits in “Remedy”. The groove had begun and just as the always perspiring and firing bedrock of the Black Crowes sound, Steve Gorman, had just gotten his drumkit seat warmed up he comes front and center behind a marching band bass drum emblazoned with an old-school two-Crowes logo from the early nineties. In a stunner even to the faithful, he pounded his way thru the next 3 unlikely numbers in this arrangement, 2 of which can be found on the Crowes latest acoustic double-album Croweology. Steve, a founding member of this oft-revolving cast, drove home the beat , while positively showering Chris and, Crowelology stand-out, bassist Sven Pipien in streams of sweat from his head-banging double-fisted attack on that bass drum. This contributed to the unique vibe to the show right off the bat. Again, this was not your typical set, not your typical show.

From there, the still night shattered with the pitch-perfect soaring harmonica lines that pierce through the beginning of the catalog staple Good Friday. The underlying understanding of the true nature behind this song - whether it represents a simple interaction between forlorn lovers or a deeper depiction of a darker time between the two brothers that are the heart and soul of this band – is only punctuated when delivered with such precision and equal parts ease and soul. The brothers Robinson carried the night’s vibe thru to the next rare cover with Rich adding vocals “only related people bound to that sound” can pull off as the two harmonized beautifully on the rarely performed cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man.”

The harmonizing continued on the especially poignant tandem of “How Much For Your Wings” and “Bring On, Bring On”. The classic improvisation and jamming adding to this one-two delivery took the crowd soaring only to peacefully and playfully land them back down with a little down-home in “Roll Old Jeremiah”. Finding the appropriate place to discuss the added dimensions brought to this particular band line-up isn’t easy. However, recent addition Luther Dickinson on Lead Guitar, shining particularly on this track, the first song of the night of which he played lead on the original recording, was in stellar form. Commence sidestepping the heated debate of previous guitarist Marc Ford, and also any tonal differences between the two, string noodling or not. Luther doesn’t blister with his playing, as the man must have the skin of pure calluses on his fingers as I can count on my own fingers the number of times he picked up a pick to play the strings on his various instruments. He has to be a virtuoso in somebody’s book, as I have yet to see someone up close flick and flail as he has done and have the sound come out as wonderfully melodic as he accomplishes, whether playing the notes as recorded or improvising throughout the entire show. It is a sight to behold.

This is usually the point in the review where one can quickly say the rest of the opening set ended with them dutifully playing the hits and then straight to break time. Nope, not this time. From the opening pureness of “Welcome To The Goodtimes” to the all-inclusive band jam comprising the middle of “Thorn In My Pride”, accentuated by another ripping harmonica solo by Chris, and culminating in Rich, the sometimes overlooked, almost-absolutely-never-smiling, but true quarterback of the live shows, strapping on a 12-string and providing the foundation of the Croweology-version of the monster hit “She Talks To Angels”. This is where another band with another frontman would quite possibly deliver a different type of performance. Say what you want about the outspoken and somewhat stationary nature of the bands most visible character. The man, when he is on, sings from deep down somewhere. While others might be better at commanding the attention of stadium-size throngs or have the vocal mastery to sounds exactly as a studio recording, Chris sings from the soul. When he is in the song you can feel it and it can take a fan-favorite and make it something really different and special. And if you don’t believe me try and sing along. Go ahead, try it.
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Old 09-19-2010, 10:15 AM
bjmjpl bjmjpl is offline
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In case you need a bathroom break for this review, take it now, because 15 minutes after the first set the band, back in their custom electric frame of mind, relished in “And The Band Played On”, a delightfully fun-loving ode from their last effort – the double album Before The Frost… Until The Freeze, an album historically recorded before a small core group of fans over 5 nights at the legendary Levon Helms Barn in Woodstock. This unexpected opening took a left turn to deliver the Amorica classic “High Head Blues” with a vigor not found on the studio version and then a sharp right for the underappreciated Lions album track “Greasy Grass River” which has a fervor live that has come to make it a welcomed addition to any setlist -a number that stands up to both the die-hards and casuals in attendance.

This “Say Goodnight To The Bad Guys” tour does have another song coupling that is approaching classic status. They can be found together on their latest release and are a real gem live. The space that the canvas of these two songs together provides for the entire band to improvise and thrive within is unmatched and you lose yourself for what could quite possibly be 20 minutes that pass through the emotional pining of “Ballad In Urgency” and the all out classic road song “Wiser Time” which has come to take on epic proportions as the finale to this one-two punch live jam tandem.

The plaintive story-telling of “There’s Gold In Them Hills” vividly comes alive in the quick acoustic-number-in-the-electric-set as the album Warpaint makes its first and only appearance in tonights set. This beautiful number comes across great live, highlighting the frontman’s increasing vocal authority and control as Chris masterfully vacillates from the subtle nuances necessary for this track to the guttural hard-rockers such as the old-school warhorse of a live experience that punctuates the end of the set and on its first notes leaves no one wondering where “No Speak No Slave” will end.

And as the encore to the night begins with the classic, driving “Think N’ Thin”, and ends with the fun romp thru “Shake Your Money Maker” a dance-jam end to the night as well as a nod to their first album, the multi-plainum smash that started it all 20 years ago, you barely have to time to think back to this band. This band that at the end of the first set surrounded a classic hit in “Jealous Again” with a super-rare track that one can’t even imagine is somehow left off of an album and relegated to b-side status in “Darlings of the Underground Press” and a haven’t-played-in-five-years relentless call to arms in “Go Faster”. This band that has survived numerous line-ups changes, pitched battles between its two-sibling leader songwriters, a musical landscape that scarcely scours up any authenticity, and all the other too-numerous-to-name struggles a band of two decades lives through. This band that somehow has found a way to thrive with new songs, in a new line-up, while staying true to their personal evolution of their music. This band that lives on a tour bus and finds a way to put on a show that a casual fan will enjoy, a show that a true musician can appreciate, a show that rewards the die-hard fan for living the songs and by whipping out a back catalog song out just for them…regularly, this band that can play to all of those aforementioned parties and leave them wanting more. Well, more is just the thing that may be in short supply. I don’t know what “indefinite hiatus” means, but I know when a band is firing on all cylinders, when there is life and soul, breath and breadth, when they are on fire, when they care, when they are not to be missed before they are missed. If you haven’t yet – get a ticket to see the Black Crowes. Get one now. Get one for a friend. Share The Ride. Before the ride is over. You have 3 months.

Enjoy the song.
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Old 09-20-2010, 03:09 AM
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I'm looking forward to our concert - they seem to be outdoing themselves on this last leg of the tour.
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Old 09-20-2010, 05:15 AM
milomom milomom is offline
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They're playing 2 nights in Atlanta in November. I keep thinking I should get a ticket, but I'm a very casual fan at best. Not sure . . .
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Old 09-20-2010, 06:39 AM
bjmjpl bjmjpl is offline
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awww theres my girls! - ive rarely have ever really been down this far on the board.....

T - get the new croweology - its like a greatest hits and staples done acousitc - its awesome and priced as a single cd - its over 3 hours of music and you will love it and be more than ready - this tour they are playing a lot of the hits as they have stated...

i hardly do this as i dont believe in the itunes heroin though i can respect it - if you buy the thing on itunes for 10 bucks you get 2 freebies - boomers story cover by ry cooder and willin' by little feat - both awesome...

and by the way - they are from atlanta - so you should totally see them in their hometown!!!!

back in the day that used to matter even to jovi
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Old 09-20-2010, 07:31 PM
milomom milomom is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bjmjpl View Post
awww theres my girls! - ive rarely have ever really been down this far on the board.....

T - get the new croweology - its like a greatest hits and staples done acousitc - its awesome and priced as a single cd - its over 3 hours of music and you will love it and be more than ready - this tour they are playing a lot of the hits as they have stated...

i hardly do this as i dont believe in the itunes heroin though i can respect it - if you buy the thing on itunes for 10 bucks you get 2 freebies - boomers story cover by ry cooder and willin' by little feat - both awesome...

and by the way - they are from atlanta - so you should totally see them in their hometown!!!!

back in the day that used to matter even to jovi
I have the Greatest Hits already. I'll get a copy of Croweology on the way home tonight, and then I'll decide about a ticket. (I hate buying tunes online, so I'll skip the freebies.) Tickets for the first show are still available at face value from Live Nation, although the second show is sold out.
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Old 09-20-2010, 07:43 PM
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One of my favorite bands ever

Best regards,
the Sexx
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Old 09-20-2010, 08:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by milomom View Post
I have the Greatest Hits already. I'll get a copy of Croweology on the way home tonight, and then I'll decide about a ticket. (I hate buying tunes online, so I'll skip the freebies.) Tickets for the first show are still available at face value from Live Nation, although the second show is sold out.
They put on an awesome show Terri - I think you will enjoy it. I've been seeing live shows since the late 90's - not at the rate I see Bon Jovi or Bruce but consistently when they come around.

They quit previously and came back, who knows what will happen this time.
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Old 09-20-2010, 08:24 PM
milomom milomom is offline
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They put on an awesome show Terri - I think you will enjoy it. I've been seeing live shows since the late 90's - not at the rate I see Bon Jovi or Bruce but consistently when they come around.

They quit previously and came back, who knows what will happen this time.
Perfect - because I really need ANOTHER band that I'll be kicking myself for having missed all these years.
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Old 09-20-2010, 10:56 PM
bjmjpl bjmjpl is offline
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you guys all crack me up - rock on! - enjoy the ride!

these bands REWARD you for a deep dive with their live show - i bet you enjoy it...and wait till you get to watch real musicians let loose and improvise....good times - i learned a lot and expanded what i thought i enjoyed immensely...

k - i am in class now - i am gonna hook up your house into a total smarthome - this stuff is great and tell p its all based in linux in the box so he and you will be happy - but its supercool and really affordable - esp with the dealer discount

woohoo!!!! school fun - who wouldve known
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