November 10, 2008
Black Crowes Rock the Hammerstein Ballroom on Halloween
On a warm and drizzly Halloween, the Black Crowes were at the end of a three-night stand at the Hammerstein Ballroom and in the middle of a NYC residency. While they may have left the tradition of a cover-set behind them, the Crowes brought blues and rock jams both old and new. However, the Atlanta natives made sure to also bring out their 70's influences like the Rolling Stones' "Torn and Frayed," Led Zeppelin's "Hey Hey what Can I Do," and Bob Dylan with the Band on their b-side "Ain't No More Cane On the Brazos." The band has spent a majority of 2008 supporting their self-released Warpaint and for the first time it's great to see Chris and Rich Robinson with a well-rounded collective of musicians. Their new record is a fresh take on a southern rock sound that picked up where they left off in 2005 with increased accessibility. Most noticeable is the addition of Luther Dickenson (North Mississippi Allstars) on guitar adding fiery slide and lead parts. While the show certainly was not a hit parade, they did sneak in "Remedy" and "She Talks to Angels." The crowd had a blase reaction to the later, as it has been road tested for their entire career (and is second in popularity behind their cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle") Since then it seems to have lost some of its original fire. But, for many fans enjoying their first Crowes concert, the song was welcomed. A number of songs from Three Snakes And One Charm made it to the set including "Halfway to Everywhere," bringing the straight-up rock and roll, "Good Friday," a mellowed-out song of love gone sour, and the dark and spiritually themed "Evil Eye." Their acoustic efforts are just as good as their heavy hitters and "Whoa Mule," from the new album, featuring drummer Steve Gorman on djembe proved that. The show did not have a true highlight but contained multiple peak moments. The first set of them were in the ferocious run throughs of newer songs like "Evergreen," "We Who See the Deep," and "Wounded Bird," with Rich Robinson and Luther Dickenson in friendly competition for the tastiest guitar licks. The later half of the show jammed out earlier material like "Thorn in My Pride" and "Wiser Time" that brought the mid-tempo blues improvisations slow-burning moments, along with spaces filled by the keyboard runs of Adam MacDougal. In their two-hour plus performance the Crowes satisfied fans of jam, hard rock, and southern rock. All in all the Crowes still have it. Their new record, band configuration, and live performance outlook give the impression they will be kicking it for years to come on their own terms.
Be sure to check out www.liveblackcrowes.com to purchase soundboard downloads from their current tour and past performances.
As a belated Halloween treat I have included a stream of "Wounded Bird" from the show which closed their main set.
FYI- To get a taste of the southern sound described above, the North Mississippi Allstars' newest release Hernando is available for loan at the Manhasset Public Library.
John Paul Leonardi
Posted by msrap at November 10, 2008 3:41 PM
Comments
Your reviews are awesome! I am book-marking your blog! :)
Posted by: chrissy at November 20, 2008 8:29 PM