Thursday, October 11, 2007
DAVID CROSBY & GRAHAM NASH LIVE
2007
2007click on photo(s) to enlarge
DAVID CROSBY & GRAHAM NASH LIVEWilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
October 9, 2007
David Crosby wearing a nondescript T-shirt and baggy ("old man") jeans and penny loafers (gasp! That's what Stills wore to this theater...), and looking every ounce of his 50 pound weight loss, with his silver-grey "Einstein" hair, smiled out at the capacity crowd and gave his typical opening "hello," to the microphone, whilst Graham Nash, looking sharp if a very tiny bit pudgy these days strode bearfoot wearing a black cotton jacket over similar pants and began the opening salvo of "Military Madness" and the crowd knew they were in for a treat. Seeing James Raymond (son of Crosby and keys for CPR of course) on stage with the understated and technically excellent Dean Parks on lead and pedal steel and slide guitars and the CPR bedrock of Stevie D. on drums and Andrew Ford on bass guitar made me pinch myself. What a super group this is; and they were.
Overall, it was a great show by two men backed by world class players doing great songs. In fact Nash said they left the show-biz stuff back home and "only brought the songs." We are so fortunate they did! A special thanks to my best friend who came with me at the last moment, and her lovely family who made it possible for us to enjoy such a remarkable evening of music; Y.T.B.!!!
Before I get to the set list and observations, I must once again tongue-lash the otherwise lovely F.M. Kirby Center where the show went on. The Kirby sold tickets beginning with the "first row," and when we arrived, we were greeted by TWO new rows of seats in front of us (‘the pit’ according to an usher). That’s B.S. period! As frustrating as it was for me, who worked all the angles to get decent seats, I think many concertgoers had no idea their say 30th row seats were actually the 32nd row. Sorry, an otherwise wonderful theater ticks me off by "skimming" two extra rows of seats, apparently for big-shots. That’s horse-s$#t. They did this for Tom Jones some time ago, so be forewarned if you ever get to this neck of the planet.
Set List:
Military Madness:
Nash and Crosby strolled on stage and with James Raymond on keyboards, Stevie D. on drums, Dean Parks on guitar/pedal steel, Andrew Ford on bass, ripped into this old tune that was updated to dump on United States President George W. Bush. It was well done, but remember fellas, it’s the women and men in uniform that enforce your right to do so. I do hope they are right, in the finale of the tune, they sang "no more war," in beautiful harmony.
Marrakesh Express:
Parks was absolutely perfect at recreating the "couch album" version of the lead guitar of Stephen Stills on this one, and Raymond played the perfect keyboards. This version of the song was the most faithful to the orignal recording I have ever heard in concert.
Long Time Gone:
A oft-played song; CPR did a nice uptempo jazzy version (available on their Wiltern Live CD), tonight's was much more CSN than CPR. Good job, but not super exciting. Try the CPR version next time, it's a gas!
Lay Me Down:
Parks here on acoustic guitar, with Stevie D. on shaker percussion at first. Just beautiful, vocals by Stevie, Graham, David and James; the Parks guitar however made me smile the most. Very much like the C+N 2004 CD version.
Immigration Man:
A song I love (being in a family of immigrants from all over the world), but I have yet to hear an opening lead guitar similar to the Dave Mason verion from the first Croz/Nash album...Parks almost nailed it. Maybe everyone takes their own shot at this thing, but Mason's will always be the best. Reminds me of "Maybe I'm Amazed," by McCartney. The lead in the middle of "Amazed" is usually thoughtfully reproduced by anyone in concert. Maybe Mason should joint C&N (and not just Stills, as he did on tour this year), to show them how he did it. Otherwise a great live version of the song, much better than the slide leads on C+N's Live CD from 1977.
In My Dreams:
Warning, "this is a weird song," said Crosby. Started with Croz on acoustic guitar and only the bass in backing with Stevie on conga/toms. Finished with a string breaking (his high 'e') lead licks fest by Parks. Better than the original recording by far!
I Used To Be A King:
Here's another song that did nothing for me in studio version, but rocks me on the 1977 Live CD, and every time I hear it played live. Parks played a stunning pedal steel guitar; the absolute best I've ever heard this one (and I've seen C&N together at least 4 times before).
Carry Me:
Technical difficulty delayed this song, which has always moved me...to tears usually. While fiddling with the acoustic guitar on his shoulder and floor monitor with a roadie, Crosby cracked "well, how about those Yankees?" Note to anyone out of the loop, the Yankees tanked this year recently. Then on to the song...I cried, it was so moving and beautiful. "A song about my mom," Crosby said. David, thank you so much for writing this one, and for singing it tonight, and thanks to the rest of the group for doing it such great justice. We should all sing this song once or twice a year to stay grounded, for some day we will all "surely fly."
Cathedral:
A song about "being stoned on acid in Stonehenge" per Nash. CSN used to have the drummer (Joe Vitale) play huge tympani beats...Stevie did just fine with a smaller kit (I'm not sure of synth or not).
Déjà Vu:
Yes we have all been there before, and it never got better than this version, soft and hard rocking at times. Croz said, "Stills writes great rock and roll songs, Nash writes great ballads. I do weird. Nash, Stephen and Neil are not weird." Nash quipped, "if you look up weird in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of Crosby!"
BREAK
Our House:
Why Nash got all the hot women, "this song," according to Crosby, just Nash on electric piano and Crosby on vocal. Wonderful surprise.
Guinnevere:
A simply beautiful song, beautifly done by Crosby on acoustic and Nash on vocals. You could really heard the soaring vocals in this particular theater with superb sound; among the best I've heard anywhere on earth.
Milky Way Tonight:
Easily my new favorite song from the 2004 Crosby-Nash double CD. With Raymond on a lap-accordion-pump keyboard.
Just A Song Before I Go:
Intro with the story of how Nash wrote this to win a bet. Heard the story before, but enjoyed it again anyway, and NICE job with the tight vocals here, especially with James Raymond and Stevie D. on background harmonies. Great live rendition of a fine song, Parks did the Stills licks on lead electric guitar as well as Stills did…and I am a huge Stills fan too.
Naked In The Rain:
Again "weird" per Nash and Crosby…ok, why not be weird.
Wasted On The Way:
Parks again on tasteful pedal steel, and only Nash on acoustic guitar with Crosby on vocals. Lovely rendition and nothing short of a perfect vocal performance, even if you are listening to the studio CD version on the way home, you'd say so. I could not believe I was hearing a live group singing this one so well; high end voices were amazing.
Jesus Of Rio:
A great song, great thought. Nash intro about how a friend once fell off this statue taking photos some 1200 feet. Yikes! Graham, try another way to intro the song at the next stop!
To The Last Whale…Critical Mass/ Wind On The Water:
Done without the film of the whales and hunters, so we watched the entire group just listen to the prerecorded vocals at the beginning. The recording sounded a bit dull compared to the live sound when the band joined in, Nash on electric piano. I just love when he strikes those first few live notes. Well done otherwise.
Almost Cut My Hair:
A war horse if there ever was one, Crosby with CPR did this at the Kirby (without the 2 extra rows of surprise seats by the way, I’m still ticked as you can tell) some time ago, and I’d give the edge to the CPR version. But this one DID ROCK. Nice to have Nash singing harmony on a few of the lines with Crosby. Gave it a tad of an update that way.
Wooden Ships:
Perhaps the single song that this blogger has heard in concert the most, between the Airplane, CSN, CN and CSNY permutations. Nice job. Crosby especially pretty rather than harsh in his delivery…no easy task at the end of a show.
Teach Your Children (encore):
A good way to end the show, with a sing along. But note Parks pedal steel guitar was again heavenly. In fact this is the best time I’ve heard this song done live (and I’ve heard it from every permutation), due to the flawless pedal steel. Rivals the album version.
Bottom Line: 5/5 stars….now, just make the rows of the seats honest when you sell them, ok?
Now, equal time: here's a link to the Citizens Voice review that is in spirit very accuate, but I was there (and taking notes), they did NOT perfrom either "King Midas In Reverse," nor did they do (quoting the writer) "Crosby's 'It Doesn't Matter;'" that's a Stills' song for goodness sake! Also here's a link to the Times Leader review that is shorter and sweeter, and much more accurate.
Zeph, out
PS: I just viewed the new David Gilmore Live DVD for the second time (with David and Graham as special guests), and Crosby has lost the weight of a grade-school child since that show! Highly recommended DVD if you like Gilmore/Floyd, or even so-called classic rock. I'll try and post something more about it in a few weeks.
