Photos and review by Paul Bloomfield
Concert Photos HERE
From their extensive and legendary careers, Crosby, Stills & Nash expertly share decades of their artistry and passion with generations not-so-young, but also not-so-old. Their well-known musical sound still manages to separate and define them from popular music that came before and after them.
Opening with songs such as Questions and Marakesh Express, and Guinevere, a beautiful yet haunting song that rises and falls in waves that typifies both their individual and collective use of voices, CSN still possess something unique as artists and performers. Often the formula for pop music is a lead singer with back up vocalists, but few if any share the responsibility as fluidly and creatively as CSN.
This is my first CSN concert, and there seems to be an atmosphere of benevolence and respect from the performers to each other and the audience as they readily acknowledge the work of each other, and dedicate a song for “ a dear old friend Joni Mitchell,” who is currently in hospital. “This is for all the teachers.” declares Nash, a roar from the crowd with they strum first chords of Teach your Children.
Soon after, Crosby quips, “Enough of the hits…Nash writes the hits. I write the weird stuff.” Crosby recalls losing momentum for a song he half wrote, and with encouragement from a “beautiful” Jackson Browne, they go on a quest for a piano, eventually finding one at Warren Zevon’s house, where Crosby completed the next song of the evening Delta.
With an extensive repertoire between their individual and ongoing careers, former careers, and the group itself, which few line ups could compete with, it is important to understand the performer as an artist that still creates new expressions. Graham Nash received a warm and enthusiastic response to a new work. Speaking of new songs, declares Crosby “That’s the reason I get up in the morning.” However, this is not at the expense of what many have come to see.
Classic CSN songs performed, such as Our House, Wooden Ships, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes fill the theater with joy and nostalgia. Stephen Stills iconic For What It’s Worth get everybody off their seats, even the most reluctant ones. You can’t help but realize you are in an atmosphere of greatness when you hear a song that evokes an era, and is performed by the writer (then with Buffalo Springfield). The whole mood is uplifting, almost euphoric.
Crosby Stills & Nash remind us that their music is not only represented by the decades of feelings evoked from radio, vinyl, CDs, and even mp3 files, but, when performed live, our past and present happily fused for almost 3 hours under the roof of the Wang Theater, Boston.
Crosby, Stills and Nash at The Wang Theater – Boston, MA
