As we mentioned last week, we’re really excited to expand our coverage west of the Mississippi. On that end we’ve added Portland-based journalist A.J. Crandall to the Hidden Track Staff. Please join us in welcoming A.J. to the team.
On a half moon lit Friday night in Troutdale, The Black Crowes laid claim to being one of the best rock and roll bands in America. My words, not theirs. Brothers Chris and Rich Robinson have been making music together for most of their lives. The band, throughout its many personnel changes, has been making music since the mid ’80s. How many other American bands can reference an over 20 year history? Oh sure, they disbanded (pretty literal reference word in these circumstances, don’t you think?) from ’02 till ’05. They regrouped (literal reference, part II) and toured relentlessly. The brothers Robinson wrote ten of the eleven songs on War Paint in that time. They added Luther Dickinson of The North Mississippi All Stars to the lineup. They buried their much storied differences in the name of group dynamics and generally have their poop all in one pile.
The crowd was primed for the Crowes on this Friday night. Flags, hand painted signs, actual war paint on faces, they were going all out. A fellow next to me, Chris, recently had his Black Crowes tattoo touched up and planned to show it off proudly to the band from the front row. I counted eighteen different Crowe T-shirts from various tours over the years. My own included, a 2005 Bonnaroo tie dye.
READ ON for more of A.J.’s Black Crowes @ McMenamin’s Edgefield review…
