The Black Crowes TONIGHT... 2nd show of the tour...

If you haven't ever seen The Black Crowes live and you are free tonight, you should really try to go. Definitely one of the best Blues, Rock, Soul, Funk, Jam bands I have ever witnessed. They will be at Nokia @ Grand Prarie and the show starts at 7:30. Opening band is Grady (SRV & Double Trouble's drummer, Chris Layton and two other Austin dudes) whom I saw open for Robert Plant a few months back, and I became a huge fan (Punk/Rockabilly/Grunge). Anyway, tonight promises to be a fantastic show due to the fact that they just played the first night of the tour in Houston last night... and you KNOW the energy there was insane due to Rita.

IF I happen to have any tickets fall down from the powers that be, I will let whomever replies to this first have them... free, of course.

Here's the review from the Houston show:

BLACK CROWES “ALL JOIN HANDS” TOUR OPENER
APRIL 21, 2005
VERIZON THEATRE
HOUSTON, TEXAS

By Bob Ruggiero

It was the news that fans had waited years for. Brothers Chris and Rich Robinson were actually reforming The Black Crowes after playing their last show as a band in late 2001 and then announcing either a hiatus or break-up in early 2002. The telltale signs were hard to miss—Chris abruptly cancelled an already planned tour with his band New Earth Mud shortly after the release of their second LP, and Rich put the breaks on his own band, Hookah Brown.

Just as the world’s Catholics waited for that puff of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, the reactivation of the Black Crowes web site with puffing, animated birds (though surely the smoke was of a different nature…) seemed to signal a reunion was afoot. And so after several warm-up gigs both announced and secret (including runs in New York and one-offs in other cities), this show marked the opening of their official return to the stage.

And what a glorious return is was! This sold-out crowd of 3,000+ were clearly there for a good time, and a cool vibe persisted throughout the evening—no drunks, no fights, no idiot provoking a classic Chris rant from the stage. A genuine communal spirit was in the air. The stage set, which featured scores of electric candles and chandeliers, string circus lights above the pit, and a hall-like backdrop, certainly helped to set the mood.

The lineup for the reunion—in addition to Chris (vocals, harmonica) and Rich (guitar), included players straddling different lineup eras including fan-favorite Marc Ford (guitar) and Sven Pipien (bass)—both previously ejected but welcomed back. Longtime keyboardist Eddie Hawyrsch—physically and (seemingly, mentally) in a world of his own to the side of the stage, added plenty of fine piano and Hammond B3 touches throughout the set.

Absent was drummer Steve Gorman, the only other Crowe who lasted from Day One to Dissolution. It’s not clear whether he rejected an offer or was never asked, so Bill Dubrow took over the drummer’s seat. This in itself was something of a surprise, as word had circulated among hardcore fans that Dubrow had been sacked after the preview shows in favor of Jeff Sipe.

After an impressive opening set by Austin, Texas hard rock/country trio Grady, the Crowes filtered onstage, opening with “Virtue and Vice.” As usual, Chris Robinson was the visual anchor with his whirling dervish-like hopping and stage moves—a skinny tornado of beads, hair, and beard. Frequent wide grins and clapping showed that he was truly enjoying himself, unlike some previous Crowes shows in which his mood was underlaced with aggressiveness. He was also in fine voice throughout, often buoyed with some call-and-response by two black female backup singers. They added a perfect touch to the live versions of record tracks that also featured backup singers (“Horsehead,” “Black Moon Creeping,” “Remedy”). Now if they could only do a massive show with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band onstage to replicate their parts…

All the Crowes played well —but with just enough looseness to indicate they are still experimenting with tune selection and pace (the seven date NY run featured more than 60 different numbers!). Musically, though, the night belonged to Marc Ford. In fact, though Ford’s somewhat sickly, aged appearance surprised some, but it certainly did not extend to his guitar work. He was clearly the missing factor that hampered some shows on his post-dismissal tours. Whether ripping on solos (“Sting Me,” “Sometimes Salvation,” a country-ish tinge to “By Your Side”) or lost in the jam, he was simply amazing, and his lick trade-offs with Rich were a show in itself.

The tour opener was nicely mixed with hits, rarities, covers, and instrumental jams, highlights included an energized “Sting Me,” the guitar stampede of “Horsehead,” a languid, groove-inflected “Ballad in Urgency” which led to “Wiser Time,” and the incendiary “Sometimes Salvation.” “Thorn in My Pride”—usually the band’s jam centerpiece—showed no signs of aging and included several solos from members (Dubrow’s drums, Chris’s harmonica) that made it seem to have movements like a classical number. All of the band’s studio records—save Three Snakes and a Charm—were represented somewhere in the choice of material.

The show also featured (according to hardcores who posted on the band’s website, www.blackcrowes.com) the first-ever complete version of “Peace Anyway.” And while show enders and best-known songs “Jealous Again,” “Hard to Handle” and “Remedy” might seem ubiquitous, they clearly energized segments of the crowd not as familiar with the band’s entire catalogue, as men an woman alike happily bopped and boogied around the house.

On this opening night, The Black Crowes are a band attempting in many ways to rediscover themselves and their songs—although it appears that their fans hadn’t gone anywhere! Until (when or if) that possible new studio record comes out, fans can take solace that the Crowes will offer release a dozen live shows on the tour through Instant Live (www.newburycomics.com).

As their headlining tour winds through the country (and then morphs into a summer jaunt at larger venues supporting Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), fans can only hope that this “reunion” turns into something permanent again. Especially after a show like this one.

Me!

[Barbara Butch]

I saw them @ Bonnarroo and was really impressed

Originally Posted by Phatbuddha

Me!

I'll let ya know. I'd say there's a 50/50 chance.

[tanyat]

I got to see them about 7yrs ago with Lenny Kravitz in Houston....they were great! And the 2 dumb broads I was with had no idea who they were..I was really disappointed.

I SAW THAT SHOW!!!!!


Awesome.