June 11, 1977 review: Crosby, Stills & Nash in Memorial Auditorium

 


This Crosby, Stills and Nash tour lit the fires in us old hippies. Plus they finally released a new album for the first time since their break-up in 1970.

June 11, 1977

Stills Still Energizes

Threesome From ‘60s

           It’s been a long time coming, this Crosby, Stills and Nash revival. Their best tunes, the ones that everybody knows, date back to those furtive years around Woodstock when the world closed in on the youth culture of the ‘60s.

          They begin by invoking that era Friday night in Memorial Auditorium. Hotels and midnight coaches. High harmonies and tinkling triple guitars. It all comes back with a vengeance.

          When one considers the personality clashes that mark the history of this happy threesome, it’s significant that the second tune belongs to Steve Stills. No football jersey this time. He wears faded denim and delivers one of his finest renditions of “Love the One You’re With.”

          Stills is critical to CS&N. His high harmony gives that transcendent edge to the Crosby-Nash sweetness and his stinging, sitar-like playing energizes the band. That is, when he’s having a good night. This appears to be a great night.

          David Crosby comes next with one of his solo-career tunes. A benevolent uncle with his fuzzy mustache and high forehead, his red shirt hangs out to cover his bulging waist.

          Nash is skinny and elegant as ever in a CS&N jersey. His choirboy tenor rings with regret in “Used to Be a King” and it’s clear that his is the most consistent talent here. That’s why his next tune, “Just a Song Before I Go,” is reintroducing CS&N to the pop sales charts.

          But there are flaws in this magic reunion. A string of numbers from their new album run unfamiliar to the 9,199 high school- and college-age fans because the new album is late getting into the stores. And, worse yet, the sound is screwy.

          Bad sound simply cripples them in the acoustic stretch after the intermission when they attempt to follow the triumph of a showstopping “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.”

          They’re applauded wildly for making it through. Crosby points to the monitor speakers. Stills just sits there, stunned. After that, his voice is gone.

          Nash brings the crowd to its feet for another sustained ovation on “Our House.” The singalong is so good the trio jumps about and flashes the thumbs-up sign.

          It’s the climax, but there’s more. Stills soloing on “Crossroads.” The three of them tossing gobs of that harmony on the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Craig Doerge’s organ solo in the new tune, “Cathedral.” The heart-tugging “Save the Whales” film.

          The sound is finally straightened out for a closing “Carry On,” but Stills’ voice fails. He sings it an octave low. They say a sincere good night, but sustained cheering brings them back for three encores.

* * * * *

IN THE PHOTO: From left, Stephen Stills, David Crosby and Graham Nash on stage in 1977.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTE: This was a high point in the Crosby, Stills & Nash revival of the late 1970s. That album, “CSN,” went quadruple platinum and is their best-seller of all time. Things started falling apart again a couple years later when Crosby descended into  freebasing cocaine, leaving Stills and Nash to carry on as a duo. Band on this date included the aforementioned Craig Doerge on keyboards, George “Chocolate” Perry on bass, Joe Vitale on drums and Joe Lala on percussion. Here’s the setlist from setlist.fm:

Pre-Road Downs

Love the One You’re With

The Lee Shore

I Used to Be a King

Just a Song Before I Go

Shadow Captain

Turn Back the Pages

Long Time Gone

(intermission)

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

You Don’t Have to Cry

Our House

Helplessly Hoping

Cathedral

Cross Road Blues/You Can’t Catch Me

Blackbird

Carry Me

(intermission)

To the Last Whale – A. Critical Mass; B. Wind on the Water

Déjà vu

Military Madness

I Give You Give Blind

Carry On

Wooden Ships

Find the Cost of Freedom

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