The Black Crowes show at the House of Blues in Boston last Thursday highlighted a conundrum faced by many successful artists; namely, how to please all the fans all the time?
The Crowes, founded by brawling brothers Chris and Rich Robinson burst on the scene in 1990 with a cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle” from the album, Shake Your Moneymaker. Initially the band was big on swagger but inexperienced as musicians. Over the next twenty years the band’s musical abilities grew tremendously. Although the second guitar spot became somewhat of a revolving door, the band ventured into a much wider repertoire. In addition to their own catalog of over 100 songs they added Gram Parsons, Velvet Underground, The Band and Bob Dylan deep cut covers just to name a few. The live show incorporated more of a jam band persona featuring different set lists every night. Ironically as their abilities increased their audience shrank; leaving a hardcore group of devoted fans which supported the band’s relentless touring. The band was able to play to full houses at smaller more intimate venues. This period of the band’s development peaked with five magical nights at the Fillmore in 2010. The band then made good on the earlier promise to take an indefinite hiatus; after doing a few more shows in Europe. No one ever accused rock & roll of being an exact science.
Declaring the hiatus over the band has returned this spring with the “Lay Down With Number 13” tour. Many of the shows sold out quickly. Therein lies the rub, as the fans of Moneymaker and the follow-up The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion prefer the known quantity whereas the Fillmore fans look for the unknown, experimental side of the group. On Thursday the Crowes did their best to appease both camps.
The new line-up features original members, Chris, Rich, and drummer Steve Gorman. Sven Pipien who joined the band in 1997 is on bass and the keyboard player of five plus years Adam McDougall is back. Jam band darling Jackie Greene is now on guitar filling in for the departed Luther Dickinson who regrouped with his North Mississippi Allstars.
The set opened with “Jealous Again” which was somewhat uninspired. The band then tore through the rocker “Thick and Thin”, a deep cut from Shake Your Money Maker. “Hotel Illness” which sounds like an Exile on Main Street outtake led into the barroom bluesy “Good Morning Captain” from Before the Frost…Until The Freeze. The band played the opening three numbers pretty straight and both the mix and the playing were solid.
Chris in faded blue jeans, a denim shirt and moccasins was the usual ringleader. Although he was more reserved, rather quiet and offered no “Chris-isms,” physically he was still the consummate front man; dancing, clapping and twirling. The stage was Greene in jeans, t-shirt and straw boater stage left. Pipien was to his right, then Chris and Rich stage right. Gorman and McDougall were sitting behind the four. Separated by soundboards each musician had their own station complete with oriental rugs.
The Traffic cover, “Medicated Goo” was extended by Greene’s two lengthy guitar jams. Greene’s laid-back style gives the band a slightly different feel but his straight ahead lead guitar sound fits in nicely.
The slow bluesy, “Sister Luck” oozed attitude and the band was in a nice groove. “Wiser Time” built and built and built throughout the twenty minute version with solos by Greene, McDougall, and Rich Robinson. On past tours Rich had been known to play seventeen guitars on twenty songs. This night he economized sticking to mainly a couple of Fenders.
After a strong start the band then played the obligatory “big hit” “She Talks To Angels”. The song many audience members want to hear while many of the more hard-core fans don’t care if they ever hear again. There in lies the rub when a band is both musically capable and commercially successful.
Three more jam-oriented songs, “My Morning Song”, “Soul Singing” and “Thorn in My Pride” followed. However, Jackie Green’s stellar playing was not as evident as on earlier tunes. This may simply be a result of his limited time with the band as this was only the twelfth show of his Crowes career. Then it was back to the “hits” with record versions of “Remedy” and “Hard to Handle”. The set ender, Deep Purple cover “Hush” was interesting, refreshing and enjoyable.
The two encores, usually a spot for covers were Crowe’s tunes, “How Much for Your Wings” and “Bring and Bring On” -two slow numbers. The band’s effort was solid all night however on some of the more popular tunes the band’s playing sounded more like fulfilling an obligation as opposed to true inspiration. As a result the set’s inconsistent energy did not set up the two mellow tunes in the encore spot. Almost as if they sensed it a third encore, Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well” was added and left the crowd on a high note.
