The Crowes Fly Again at the Hammerstein Ballroom

By Dennis Jaybendy
Contributing Writer


Who: The Black Crowes
Where: Hammerstein Ballroom, New York NY
When: March 29th, 2005


Asking me to write a review of a stop on the Black Crowes “All Join Hands” reunion tour with Marc Ford is like asking a Deadhead to write his thoughts about seeing Jerry Garcia come out on the stage during one of The Dead’s current shows—but I will attempt it anyway, hoping the reader will forgive the obvious prejudice I have towards loving the band from Georgia.


In other words, what a concert!


After I arrived in NYC and watched the always-competent North Mississippi All-Stars open the gig, a familiar thing occurred. As the washboard went into a rhythm, I went back in time. Whenever I see the Crowes (or right before the experience in this case) my mind takes me back to the Horde Festival of ’95, when we just lost Jerry and the people I met outside had no idea what to do next except Phish. I thought, “Hey, Blues Traveler seems to be up-and-coming,” and couldn’t understand why the Black Crowes were headlining the festival.


That was the end of my life as I knew it. I couldn’t tell you what Blues Traveler played that night except to say that the harmonica was very loud. After the “She Gave Good Sunflower” jam with Johnny Colt and Marc Ford bouncing around the stage, I knew the Crowes were the diamonds in the ruff. The next day I purchased their newest CD, Amorica, and every other thing I could find right after that.


Tuesday night at the Hammerstein Ballroom on New York City’s West 34th Street did the “time machine” bit more than any show I’ve seen since then.


It started out innocently enough. It was the Black Crowes, so you were already anticipating a good time. This is their first run of shows since their hiatus began after their Halloween 2001 show, so it was good to see Chris Robinson on the microphone, clapping his hands and pumping out the gospel. The Bob Marley songstresses (The I-Threes] were singing back-up. The band ripped through “Don’t Do It” and “Sting Me”. You’d expect the latter as a show-opener but when it went into a seamless “Another Roadside Tragedy” I knew it was going to be special. During “Bad Luck Blue Eyes” I started saying to my friend, “That guitar player with the mustache is really hitting it. Just like Marc Ford in the old days. Listen to that soloing!”


But then I saw it was Marc Ford. And then I had to calm down. Ford hadn’t played with the Crowes since he was fired from the band in 1997 and I didn’t know he was going to be there.


They did a perfect “Share the Ride” from Marc’s last album with them (1996’s Three Snakes and One Charm) and then I was missing percussionist Steve Gorman and bassist Johnny Colt, two other members who hadn’t returned to the fold. Each had a great replacement, though. A fantastic performer (that night and always) was filling the bass slot, Sven Pipien. The new drummer, Bill Dobrow, was great too and really took control out of nowhere on many songs— he and rhythm-king Rich Robinson had a field day with the b-side favorite “Mellow Down Easy”.


“Sister Luck” was next. When they did this one, the crowd went crazy. What a classic from the first album, a jam-and-a-half filled with misery and a deeper Chris vocal than usual ripped my ears open. The jam turned even more soulful with “Thorn in My Pride,” whose beautiful tones were clouded only by a fight that was easily brought to order a couple of rows behind me. How do you fight during Eddie Hawyrsch’s flying piano solo during that song?


Chris was on point singing “Sometimes Salvation” and it was good to see Marc crying the lead guitar for that one again. By the time the band got to the fan favorites “High Head Blues” and “A Conspiracy”, the dancing was noticeable on the floor. Then the band broke out a later hit, “By Your Side,” which was given new life. I always knew the song had the potential to be a great live song, but not that great. The crowd was hopping around by this point and didn’t stop. You could tell the band sense the overly-good vibes too, as they got into a huddle to see what they could mess our minds up with next.


“Under A Mountain” was their choice, and it floored everyone. I had seen them do the song as an opener in Sea Bright, NJ years ago and never forgot it. “Time machine” plus. One of the best bridges to any song they do is within this gem.


The band closed the set with their 1992 hit “Remedy,” which was always a crowd-pleaser. Women were churning up their boyfriends and I was throwing my hands up like I was having an epiphany at church. The back-up singers [if I can call them that] are indescribable when you see them do this song live.


The encore (with the guitarist from opening act North Mississippi All-Stars) was “Shake Your Money Maker” and Chris let everyone know it was an Elmore James song. It was the most fun you’ll ever see them have and Marc and Rich had a blast back and forth with the guitars. Keeping with the momentum this first tune started, the boys broke out The Rolling Stones’ “Happy”. Everyone was dancing again as Marc Ford and Rich Robinson were singing it together, trading leads and having a great time.


Once the band was introduced, band leader Chris Robinson hugged Marc Ford after thanking him for coming out and the whole band looked like they were satisfied with how the crowd was losing its mind. The show was so good that I’m still upset I couldn’t get on the train to go see them for their last show in New York the next night.


Why? Were you expecting me to say something bad?




Dennis Jaybendy is a freelance writer. Contact him at: Dennis.Bendy@stadausa.com