Photo By John Anderson
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Frank Erwin Center, April 10 Paraphrasing recent comments by Neil Young, after 30 years, CSNY finally got it right -- especially with Booker T. & the MG's (minus Steve Cropper) as the backing band. Opening with a 10-minute version of "Carry On/Questions," the band then moved into one of Graham Nash's best tunes, "Military Madness," but it was with the third song, "Goin' Home," off Young's brand-new
Are You Passionate?,
that the band really hit its stride. Twin guitars were blazing, and those amazing four-part harmonies were made doubly spine-chilling by catching the quartet on a night when all four were in perfect vocal form. Much as I love Crazy Horse,
this is Young's best band. Even the most tired classic rock radio standards like "Wooden Ships" sounded fresh, with a white-hot twin-lead guitar break that got the first of the evening's many standing ovations from the half-full basketball arena. The Austin audience also got four new ones off Young's
Passionate; Nash's emotionally charged "Half Your Angels," which Crosby introduced as being written for kids killed in the Oklahoma bombing, and revived after 9/11; Stills' hot rendition of Booker T. Jones' "Ole Man Trouble" (dedicated to Austin's Bobby Doyle); and presumably as a treat for us Texans, Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand," along with the standard contingent of hits. It was really manna from heaven to hear CSNY do justice to numbers like "Cinnamon Girl," "Rockin' in the Free World," and first encore "For What It's Worth," each of which blew away every live version of the songs I've ever heard. Crosby came close to stealing the show with a lovely "Guinnevere," and his emotionally charged vocals on "Almost Cut My Hair" and "Long Time Gone." Young transformed "Woodstock" into a snarling punk rock anthem, incredible as that description may sound. Above all, for perhaps the first time in their contentious, stormy career, where drug problems, busts, and ego fits were the norm, not the exception, they really appeared to be working as a genuine team (albeit one captained by Stills under the command of General Young). Joking, exchanging frequent hugs and glances, it was obvious that CSNY was having every bit as much fun as the enthusiastic audience. Bottom line? All four guys were in perfect form vocally, the fiery guitar work and sublime rhythm section of the MG's provided a perfect groundwork, and at three hours of music, not including the intermission, no one in the house left unsatisfied. Special thanks to Stills for finally achieving the humility, grace, and maturity to let Young "win," and thereby ensure Young's enthusiastic cooperation as a teammate. Was it worth the exorbitant ticket price ($150 for prime seats)? Yep. If CSNY never make another brilliant album, at least today, they just may be the best band in the world.
