Crosby Stills and Nash at Tanglewood
The Dinosaurs Tour
By: Charles Giuliano - Sep 02, 2010
No, the frost is not yet on the pumpkin. But this week the kids are back in school.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra has packed and vacated Lenox. Just a couple of days ago the last notes of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” filled the Shed.
While not quite the last rose of summer, last night, we enjoyed a two hour plus concert by those Stoned Age dinosaurs, Crosby, Stills and Nash, at Tanglewood. On the first day of September, a school night in many homes and with most vacationers packed and gone, it was a less than capacity event.
Mostly our neighbors in the Shed appeared to be middle aged. Old enough to remember CS&N in their prime. May have even caught their set at Woodstock. They are, after all, senior citizens. David Crosby is the oldest (August 4, 1941), with Graham Nash in the middle (February 2, 1942) and baby bear, Stephen Stills (January 3, 1945).
This is most evident in Crosby who shows all too clearly the wear and tear of a rock ‘n’ roll life. For mere survival he is as much a miracle as Keith Richards.
But in a glorious event of rich and varied music on a steamy end of summer night Crosby proved to be the MVP. My partner for the evening, Vin, exclaimed between sets that “Crosby is a lion.” It referenced his flowing mane and immense girth, but also his king of the jungle presence, and riveting persona. Even sitting still on a stool while singing along.
It made me flash back to Sound Blast ’66 in Yankee Stadium one of the first arena rock events. I had a press pass on the field when the Byrds strolled by on their way to the stage in center field. Crosby seemed so small. They all wore ponchos which was wicked cool. They performed somewhere in the middle of the program.
The concert was most memorable for security guards picking up a honking and hollering Little Stevie Wonder and dragging him kicking and screaming off stage. They had to set up for the headliner who closed the show, another blind guy, Ray Charles.
In that mix of things the Byrds were just another act. But I loved the music. Still do. It was a thrill this past winter to hear Roger McGuinn at the Colonial on a bill with Tom Rush. I never got to hear Buffalo Springfield, a great band, that included Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Another spinoff was Poco. They were great. Nash hailed from Britain’s The Hollies.
One of the first gigs for Crosby, Stills and Nash was the Woodstock Festival in 1969. It wasn’t a great set and they re-recorded their part for the “live” album in the studio. A lot of hard rock fans found them too precious and wimpy. Then Young joined, off and on, providing some gravitas and heft.
Crosby commented that “When we go on tour each year we discuss, not argue or debate, which Neil Young song to perform. Each time it’s different.” Last night we heard “Long May You Run.”
Last night was another one of those relic tours. Three old farts playing a bunch of tunes for an audience of mostly old fogies. Like me. Hey, I loved it.
Quite a different experience than attending a Wilco concert, a couple of weeks ago, at Mass MoCA. Like CS&N they also appeal to a mature audience but parents, not grandparents.
The good news last night was a well behaved and enthusiastic audience. I didn’t smell any reefer. Drats. But there may have been some bones being torched out on the lawn. More likely a fine Sauvignon Blanc. Between numbers Nash was hitting on what looked like a vintage Burgundy. Rock stars guzzle Dom Perignon like ginger ale. It’s in their contracts.
When Wilco played the Shed they blew the roof off and scared the beeejeeesus out of the old guard and keepers of the flame. The best point about CS&N is that you can have an evening of rock at Tanglewood, other than James Taylor, and not go bonkers. Hey there are a ton of dinosaur acts out there that are just right for Lenox. How about Bob Dylan?
Actually CS&N sang a Dylan song “Girl of the North Country.” Crosby quipped that for a “weird guy” Bob writes some nice tunes. They sprinkled the set with cover versions. It was delicious to hear what they did with “Norwegian Wood” by the Beatles, “Ruby Tuesday” from the Stones, “Midnight Rider” by the Allman Brothers, “Behind Blue Eyes” by The Who.
The evening started with Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” with its iconic refrain “By the time we got to Woodstock we were a half a million strong.” Yeah, I remember that. If you saw the film that’s me a dot somewhere. Maybe not. I was back stage drinking Dom Perignon. But Woodstock is where it started for CS&N and a lot of us. Nowadays a half mill seems like chump change.
My friend Vin sent me the set list this morning: “Woodstock” “Military Madness” “Long Time Gone” “Bluebird” (Buffalo Springfield) “Just a Song Before I Go” “Southern Cross” “In Your Name” (a new song by Nash) “Long May You Run” (Neil Young) “Déjà Vu” “Wooden Ships.” There was a fifteen minute break and then the second set: “Helplessly Hoping” “Norwegian Wood” (Beatles) “Midnight Rider” (Allman Brothers) “Ruby Tuesday” (Stones) “ Peace is Not a Lot to Ask” “Guinevere” “Delta” “Our House” “Behind Blue Eyes” (The Who) “Almost Cut My Hair” “Love the One You’re With” “For What It's Worth” (Buffalo Springfield). Thanks Vin.
Crosby, who made occasional profane outbursts exclaimed “If we played every song we ever recorded we’d be here for a fucking year.”
Which explains why they only played for a couple of hours. The evening started at 7:30 PM. Which is an hour earlier than a BSO concert. Something about disturbing the peace in Lenox. We were headed home by 10 but with a smile on our faces. Hey, it was a school night.
What I mostly liked about the evening was its variety. Some tunes were full tilt blasters. With all three hacking at their axes joined by bass, two keyboards and a drummer. It was a torrent of sound. Too much so to distinguish lyrics or individual instruments. But who gives an F. It was rock man. Far out. Way to go guys. Yahoo.
But there were passages where we heard those three paradigmatic rock voices harmonizing like fallen angels. I just loved the intent and insight of Nash’s new song “In Your Name” dedicated to the millions upon millions who have died in holy wars in the name of the Lord. Kill for Christ. Bonzai. God is Great. Indeed. Right on brother.
You just had to love Crosby the crusty old dude and his hippie anthem “Almost Cut My Hair.” Or the power of “Southern Cross” and “Wooden Ships.” Crosby invited us to sing along with “Our House.” The chorus blasted through the Shed and reverberated out on the lawn.
The no show in this was Stills. Most of the night he was off mike or backing on guitar now and then in the trios. He wore eyeglasses with thick black rims. With balding hair and a sensible outfit, compared to the cool black shirts of Nash and Crosby, he looked more like an insurance salesman than a rock star. If you looked closely you might see the pocket protector and ballpoint pens ready to sign contracts.
Until Stills ripped through a solo on his Fender. Soul man. He got soul. He cut it big time. It earned him a standing O and a moment in the spotlight.
Again, a flash back to 1970. He was touring in support of his first solo LP and the hit “Love the One You’re With.” That was a line from Billy Preston which he used with permission. It was an early rock concert at the old Boston Garden. Arena rock was still a relatively new idea. The Garden officials and Boston’s Finest were over zealous in keeping things in order.
There were cops on the stage. Old Irish dudes from Southie in blue protecting the stage from swarming, dope crazed hippies. Stills was actually more stoned than most of the kids in the audience. He picked a fight with the cops. Telling them to back off. I thought there was going to be a riot. By then I had been through a few.
I thought about that last night when he sang “Love the One You’re With.”
Long ago and far away. As the song says “Long Time Gone.” Woodstock.