The Best Show This Reviewer Has Ever Witnessed...The Black Crowes in Boston, Halloween 2001
Nov 03 '01
The Bottom Line Halloween and the Black Crowes...who knew it would be so perfect?
It used to be a rare thing where I would go see multiple shows by the same artist on one tour. The only exceptions were Pearl Jam and the Bosstones. Then I made another exception for U2 and their Elevation tour. When it was announced (finally!) that the Black Crowes would be playing the Orpheum here in Boston, originally, I was only going to go Halloween night. I ended up going both nights, and the first night was an all around excellent show, a good time had by all. However, I don't think I ever expected what happened on night 2, the last show of the Crowes US tour. You see, this show was the best show I've ever seen anyone put on.
Mind you, I've seen some pretty remarkable shows. The Bosstones show on New Year's 1997 will always be special to me, as it probably will be to any longtime fan of that band who used to see them in the smallest and sweatiest of clubs. That was a big celebration. I've seen Pearl Jam 6 times, and each one of those times were amazing shows. U2 was awe-inspiring during their run here in June. I could go on and on.
The band walked on stage and it seemed they might've already been messing with the pre-written setlist. Drummer Steve Gorman (who will figure prominently later on in this review) counted down and the opening notes to My Morning Song rang through the Orpheum with power and soul behind it. Already the balcony's shaking five seconds into the show. About halfway through the song, the band started into a spacey, very Pink Floyd like jam. No one really knew where it was headed, until lead singer Chris Robinson started singing lyrics to Whole Lotta Love. At the end of the jam, they go right back into Morning Song and bring it to a smashing crescendo. It was like a 15 minute version, and every second of it was pure pleasure.
The thing I noticed most about that first 15 minutes of the show was how relaxed guitarist Rich Robinson (Chris' brother for those of you sleeping under a rock) seemed to be. He always looked very uptight on stage, even the night before, but tonight, he was calm, cool, and collected. His new found confidence greatly improved his playing as well, allowing him to branch out a bit more on solos and jams.
Another thing I noticed that I missed in my frantic dancing of the night before was just how good Gorman really is on the skins. On record, he's really basic with his beats and his fills. But live, when the band starts jamming, he holds it all together, placing little obscure fills at just the right times, and drumming with power and swagger at others.
The band kept the momentum up early, revving through No Speak No Slave, a rollicking Lickin, and a light speed romp through Go Faster, a song that had the balcony shaking yet again.
The most appropriate song in the band's catalog for Halloween, Black Moon Creeping was missing something that I can't quite put my finger on. It just seemed the band wasn't into this one, and it was probably the low point of the show.
The middle of the show saw the band jamming a lot more on songs like High Head Blues and Thorn in My Pride, while the back to back ballads She Talks to Angels and Girl From a Pawnshop got lighters in the air, and the crowd to sing along loudly.
When they hit the last part of the regular set, the band obviously wanted to bring it on home. Soul Singin was once again a giant sing-along, proving to me once again this is the best single of the year that any band has put out, and without a doubt, possibly the Crowes strongest single.
Before the regular set closing Remedy, Chris Robinson took a moment to introduce each member of the band. He got to his brother Rich, and then was like "alright, let's go." That prompted Rich to step up and say something along the lines of "um, hello, what about the f*cking DRUMMER?" Chris laughed, realizing his mistake, and Steve stood up and left the stage jokingly. Only the crowd's chants of "Steve, Steve, Steve" could bring him back. He came back, they ripped into Remedy and this show was just getting better and better.
As the band walked out for the encore, Steve was once again MIA. Rich started the intro to Miracle to Me, playing it over and over, circling the stage and the riff like a plane awaiting clearance for takeoff. Finally, Steve ran back onstage behind is kit and he was missing almost all of his hair! He had apparently had an unfortunate meeting with a razor. ;)
Miracle to Me surprised me. I thought it was a strong song, but just didn't know about it in a live setting. I was wrong. It's gorgeous, a ballad that has so much heart and soul, it really should be a single.
The band then started Nonfiction, a song I've always liked. The extra long jam was a little bit too long, but they made it all come together, as they had with every jam during this night.
To close out the show and the tour, the band played Stare It Cold, a rocking number from their debut record Shake Your Money Maker. By this point, the crowd is just eating up every note the band is playing, and loving every second of this show. Many hoped for a second encore, but it wasn't to be. It didn't matter, this was still the best show I've ever seen.
This show had heart, soul, conviction and humor. It held all the qualities that make rock and roll so damn enjoyable to begin with. Each song brought a smile to my face, seeing the band having as much fun playing as we were watching them play. It was just 2 and a half hours out of my life, but no 2 and a half hours has been more enjoyable, at least as far as concerts go. If you missed this tour, shame on you. Soul Singin alone is worth the price of admission, and I won't get into the others again. Now I'm off to try and find a recording of this show so I can relive it over and over again.
Setlist for 10/31/01 Black Crowes, Orpheum Theatre Boston MA
courtesy Blackcrowes.com
My Morning Song into Whole Lotta Love back into My Morning Song
No Speak No Slave
Lickin'
Go Faster
Black Moon Creeping
Share The Ride into Mellow Down Easy
High Head Blues
She Talks To Angels
Girl From A Pawnshop
Evil Eye
Buttermilk Waltz Jam into Mojo Hand Jam into Thorn In My Pride
Soul Singing
Wiser Time
Twice As Hard
Remedy
* encore *
Miracle To Me
Nonfiction/Jam
Stare It Cold
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Member: Matt Aucoin
Location: South Berwick, ME
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Gonna be a daddy, April 2010!
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