The Black Crowes Bring Old School Rock Swagger To Mahaffrey Theater in St. Petersburg, FL (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

With Hurricane Milton bearing down on the gulf coast of Florida a little more than a week after the destruction of Hurricane Helene, fans of old-school rock and roll took a break from storm prep and packed into The Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg to see The Black Crowes. Nashville rockers The Sedonas kicked off the night. They were without bassist Adrian Martin, who couldn’t make it due to the weather, but the band sounded good even as a bass-less trio. They played a thirty-minute set of twangy southern rock with pop hooks. Singer James Connor Wike sang in a boy-next-door baritone as Ryan Sise played catchy riffs and drummer Casey Green laid down the rhythms. Only Wike brought energy onstage, but the band’s dynamic likely suffered from the absence of Martin.

“This is the calm before the storm,” said The Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson early in the band’s set. The current iteration of the Crowes offers a different take on the band. For decades, the Atlanta rockers were known for extended jams and setlists that eschewed the hits in favor of deep cuts. With Chris and Rich Robinson as the only original members, this version is happy to play to the crowd with a set full of favorites. There were still deep cuts, like a furious rendition of “No Speak No Slave” and the anthemic “My Morning Song.” But all the obvious songs were there, even “Hard to Handle,” the band’s breakthrough hit that had been shunned from setlists for years.

Chris Robinson was as charismatic as ever, strutting and dancing the length of the stage while belting in his raspy voice. Midway through the show, he gave the audience a good-humored lecture about living in the moment rather than recording the show on their phones. “It’s not a documentary; it’s a concert. Enjoy the show,” he said. For his part, Chris seemed to relish each moment, whether singing, grooving, or joking with the crowd. “This is a Sunday night, so this song is for the sinners,” he said before the band crushed a funky version of “Go Tell the Congregation.” When introducing “High Head Blues,” he said, “When I wrote this in 1995, when you smoke weed, you’re an outlaw. Now, when you smoke weed, you’re a patient.”

The band delivered infectious, danceable grooves and classic rock riffing. When they slowed things down, such as with the ballad “She Talks to Angels,” they played with soul. Guitarist Rich Robinson has never been the showman his brother is, but he played with a swagger. He and guitarist Nico Bereciartua alternated between rhythm and lead duties, with both axeman offering impressive solos. 
Happiness Bastards is a mediocre Black Crowes album, but the songs sounded better live than on the album. In a move foreign to the old Crowes shows, the band closed the regular set with a string of crowd-pleasing hits, culminating in “Jealous Again” and “Remedy.” For the encore, they returned with a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Torn and Frayed.” And then, it was time for everyone to go home and rest before finishing hurricane prep.