The Black Crowes are back….with a vengeance!!!!
After a 3 year “hiatus”, during which time, band principals Chris and Rich Robinson went about their solo careers with moderate results. The Crowes returned in March 2005 to, well, silence. No major Press releases …no interviews. Just a word-of-mouth approach this time around.
The brothers had convinced the talismanic lead guitarist Marc Ford to re-join the band. Sven Pipien and Eddie Hawrysch also re-joined on Bass and Keyboards respectively.
They announced a week long residency in New York and sold it out. They then went across the United States and sold out theatres everywhere they went. They joined Tom Petty for a summer tour and it was again, a success.
One-nighters and residencies were received with equal joy by a fan-base which is fervent in it’s’ appreciation of the band.
Original drummer Steve Gorman arrived a few weeks into the initial batch of dates…completing what is, to these ears…the bands’ finest line-up. God bless Johnny Colt, but Pipien is a bassist of real ability…but more of that later.
These London dates were part of a trio of shows announced in November…they sold out almost immediately, along with 2 more in Amsterdam.
I was lucky enough to get tickets for the Saturday and Sunday shows…I was aware of the bands policy for mixing up their sets…so I knew that not be seeing an identical show on the 2 nights.I was also aware of their approach to their shows.3 hours of music with a 10 minute interval half way through…ignoring the option of a support band. Along with promise of plenty of jams and well-chosen covers. It was a pair of shows that I was very much looking forward to.
The Shepherds Bush Empire is a beautiful old Music Hall and was the perfect setting to see the Crowes.An ornate theatre with 2 balconies and a sloped ground floor….it was soon packed as show time approached. It seemed to be genuine sell-out…the place was full to the very back of the room.
For the first night…I had ground floor tickets…so I set up in front of Marc Ford/Sven Pipien down on the left. I had the pleasure of a chat with AeroDC before the band took the stage. He and MongaMc had made the trip over as well for a bit of R’n’R.
The band took the stage to a rather sedate version of “No Speak, No Slave”…a great opener, that they’ve used in the past….the place was heaving…but the sound wasn’t great .Although the band sounded great as a unit. The rhythm section of Steve Gorman and Pipien proved themselves to be one of the best I’ve ever heard; over the two nights.Pipien was a surprise. His bass playing was brilliant. Always playing with real taste and understanding. The problem was that Fords’ solos were getting lost in the mix and not cutting through. This was an issue for the whole of the Sat night gig…only sorted on the Sunday night.
The band continued with “Sting Me” keeping the pace up with the superb “Soul Singing”..And this was the evenings’ first jam…the band extending the tune to a place which was unimaginable listening to the recorded tune.” Ballad in Urgency” led beautifully in the astonishing” Wiser Time”…harmony vocals sang with real purpose.
The band are quite something at the minute…playing originals with a real confidence, and interpreting covers in a unique and exciting fashion. The first set was finished off with” Thorn in My Pride”…simply stunning.
Chris Robinson has a voice that is a God-given gift…you can’t teach emotion and feeling. The man is not only a front man dripping with charisma..His voice is getting better as the years progress. The angry young man of the early ‘90’s has matured into a chilled out artiste who is content with his lot and knows the place that his band can hold in the great scheme of things.
They re-appeared with “Virtue and Vice” this tune is a real favourite of mine from the under-rated “By Your Side” album…it was great to hear it played...it’s also interesting to note how the tunes have been Marc Ford-ized, now that he’s returned to the band. He is one of THE great guitar players…I‘ve referred to him in the past as being the natural successor to Paul Kossof of Free. I still stand by that claim…his playing is an extension of his soul and emotions.
It can’t be over-emphasized how much he brings to the band….his playing simply beautiful. He has a touch that is rare in these days of effects and short-cuts. Ford is in his rightful home…the Robinsons are no mugs…the reformation wouldn’t have been as successful on a musical level without Ford. He also contributes lead vocals and we’re blessed with a chilled version of “Song Of Love”…followed a few songs later with a soaring take on Neil Young’s’ “Alabama”…Fords’ vocal especially touching here. After an extended run through the mighty “Descending.” It’s party time ‘til the end…”Downtown Money Waster”,” Jealous Again”,” Remedy”…..all get the house bouncing, and the packed room is sent home happy.

After being treated to that superb Saturday show…I couldn’t wait for the following night.By fuck…I was right to be excited.
Thanks to the swine traffic of the M25…I missed opener” Cursed Diamond”. I was sprinting up the stairs as the band launched into a vicious version of “Stare It Cold”…the first thing that hit me was the improved sound…REALLY clear…the lead guitars were cutting through with a clarity that had been missing on the previous night. The band were pumped up too…ending the song with a great vocal take on Joe Cockers’” Give Peace a Chance” from ~”Mad Dogs and Englishmen” The vocals are a surprising element of the Crowes in 2006…although they’ve always provided them in the past…they’ve had a tendency to sound like they’re in great pain,at times. Rich has benefited greatly from his solo stint as lead singer as well as guitarist…his voice is much improved and has a character that compliments his elder brothers’ nicely. The backing vocals provided by Robinson Jnr, Ford and Pipien are now tuneful and also forceful…
The set rolled on…the mighty “Black Moon Creeping” was dark and brooding…”My Morning Song”. Which is my favourite Crowes song, by the way…was as good a piece of music as I’ve ever heard at an actual gig. The jamming in the mid section of this song was genuinely uplifting…when they returned to the main tune it was frighteningly great. Music as it should be…life affirming, transcending, and a band at the top of their game. Superb.
Rich took lead vocal for an acoustic take on ~”You’ve got to hide your love away” which was followed by a frankly dirty version of the groovy “Tied Up and Swallowed”. The first set rocks to a end with a blistering version of “Shake Your Money-maker” Great stuff…difficult to follow????
No chance…the second set on the Sunday night was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. The Sunday night gig was perfect. No arguments.
This is why we go to gigs…to see your favourite bands deliver on every level.
The Black Crowes deliver on EVERY level.
They perform a version of “Greasy Grass River” from the brilliant “Lions” album which begins with an astounding vocal jam…all of the front line singing around the chords of the tune. This goes on for a few minutes before the pace picks up and the mighty riff of the tune roars out. At this stage. it was case of “How can they follow that?”…yet follow it they did. Marc Ford sings a sublime version of Dylan’s” Most likely you go your way, I’ll go mine”…sweet Jesus…what more can they play here????
How about the Pink Floyd’s “Fearless” with Rich and Marc singing dual lead vocals?
How about a funky” High Head Blues”…complete with a guitar duel jam at the end of it?
How about a strangely rejuvenated “Hard to Handle”…with a verve and bounce it has no right to have after 15 years.
How about a gorgeous” She talks to Angels” …with Rich on 12-string and great harmony vocals?
How about a bulldozing” Twice as Hard”…genuinely…the only time that I’ve enjoyed that song. It’s amazing what a PA blasting into your ears does for a tune.

They then go off for the usual fake ending…leaving the crowd (including the Stereophonics and Kate Hudson) roaring for more.
They returned to lash out a gloriously haphazard “Street Fighting Man” which was driven by the superb Steve Gorman bass drum.
Make no mistake; the Crowes are firing on all four at the minute.
They played 3 nights in London, three hours a night and didn’t repeat a single song. That’s all well and good but if your back catalogue is poor and your choice of cover is wide of the mark, and your jams are directionless and tedious…then you’ll not last The Crowes, though...in my eyes.. Are doing it in a manner which highlights all that’s good about Rock’n’Roll music.
Songs…musicianship…emotion…style. Confidence…craft…
It’s all there in abundance.
As I’ve said previously…the second night at Shepherds Bush was one of the finest gigs that I’ve ever seen…..from one of the finest bands that Rock’N’Roll has produced. The Saturday show was a complete success aswell.The band must be congratulated on their admirable stance towards their art. In these days of corporate acts and quick fixes. It’s nice to see something of substance.
It was a pleasure to be a part it.

DIXIE