The Black Crowes ~ North Miss. Allstars

:: Central Park Summer Stage ::
:: New York City :: August 9th, 2007 ::

Words By: Rich Lieberman
Photos by: Dino Perrucci

Central Park was the place to be if you wanted some good old fashioned Rock. "The Most Rock 'n' Roll Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World" would take the stage and the weather couldn't have been better. Compared to last nights hot hot hot Beastie Boys show at this same venue, the cool breeze and deep bluesy guitar drivin rock & roll was a nice way to mix it up on a very busy weekend filled with many great choices to see some of the best bands touring this summer.

The North Mississippi Allstars kicked off the festivities smokin right from the start. The NMAS are Luther Dickinson (Guitars), Cody Dickinson (Drums) and Chris Chew on Bass. A nice treat to see the keyboards rolled out and Kurt Clayton added to the trio for this show. As they always do the NMAS tore it up early with their brand of Mississippi Boogie Blues. Luther was playing it pretty on the slide and the rolled through a nice 75 minute opening set.

North Mississippi AllStars Setlist:

Write Me A Few Little Lines > Drop Down Mama > Sugartown, The Meeting, Some Kind Of Wonderful. Mean Ol' Wind Died Down, Run On > Goin Down South, Georgia Women > Po Black Maddie > Skinny Woman > Po Black Maddie, Stay All Night > Lord Have Mercy > Stay All Night, Love And Happiness, Hear My Train A Comin, Ship

The Black Crowes took the stage with a reckless abandon. The first power chord coming from Rich Robinson's guitar signals the start of what is still one of the best live shows. Chris Robinson is the perfect front man when he's playing with the Crowes he is in his element. Look up Rock Star in the dictionary and you will find a picture of Chris Robinson along side the best. The original lead guitarist Marc Ford is missed from the mix, but we got a nice treat when Luther Dickinson came out and just tore it up on slide for " Downtown Money Waster" into a tight jam which segued into "Thorn In My Pride" where all three guitar slingers traded tasty licks to a crescendo complete with call and answer and Chris Robinson threaded perfect vocal leads through the swirling axe work.

Other major highlights included a very nicely played "Soul Singing" and one of my all time favorites "Wiser Time" and the set closer "Remedy."


The encore was "Oh Well" a cover of an old
Fleetwood Mac song
penned by Peter Green in 1969.

I can't help about the shape I'm in
I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to

Oh well

Black Crowes Set List:

No Speak No Slave, Gone, Sting Me, My Morning Song > Good Morning Little School Girl > My Morning Song, Sister Luck, Jealous Again, Hotel Illness, Downtown Money Waster (w/Luther) > Jam (w/Luther) > Thorn In My Pride (w/Luther), Soul Singing, Sometimes Salvation, Wiser Time, Remedy, E: Oh Well

The Black Crowes are the latest group to confirm their Halloween plans. The band will appear at New York’s United Palace Theatre on October 30 and 31 at the tail end of a national tour scheduled to begin September 28 at Bend, OR’s Les Schwab Amphitheater. Traditionally, the Crowes have dressed up as artists ranging from Elvis Presley to AC/DC and opened for themselves on Halloween.

:: Central Park SummerStage::