Black Crowes at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater
November 11th, 2008 by Wade Tatangelo in News
The Black Crowes performance at Ruth Eckerd Hall last night, in front of a packed house of roughly 2,000, showed the band operating in several modes. There was the Hot ‘Lanta hoodlums Southern rocking the joint in taut, greasy fashion on “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution” – the first cut/debut single off the band’s sizzling new record Warpaint. The song, the second of the evening, found all eight persons on stage cranking out a thick slice of purposeful rock ‘n’ roll gloriously punctuated by the slide (and standard) guitar heroics of secret weapon Luther Dickinson, the North Mississippi Allstar recruited for the Crowes’ latest album and tour.
Photo of Chris Robinson By Jayson Matteucci.
And then there was lead singer Chris Robinson, trading in his subdued Mick Jagger cock-strut for an acoustic guitar and a haunting rendition of the William Bell stone soul classic “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” which the band countrified much like The Byrds did on their pioneering 1968 country-rock masterpiece Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Those two modes of operation – the rocking and soul stirring Black Crowes — had the room on its feet and in a euphoric frenzy.
But then there was the Crowes’ third musical style – THE LONG JAM – which left me and many others flat. Luckily, Dickinson’s gorgeous guitar work goosed the snooze numbers. However, many were lost in the haze of copious incense and musical meandering emanating from the stage.
Come to think of it, most of the night’s highlights were covers. In addition to a stellar “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” the group had the house rocking with a jubilant rendition of Bob Dylan’s weird-folk feel-good number “Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn).” Unfortunately, every time a momentum was forged, a long jam largely smoked out the mojo in the place. Luckily, Ruth Eckerd Hall’s cozy confines and superior acoustics made it the ideal venue for some noodling — and for as many people who wanted to rock, there were those content to soak up the mellow, sonic excursions.
Complete setlist:
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2008 RUTH ECKERD HALL - CLEARWATER, FL MOVIN ON DOWN THE LINE GOODBYE DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION WISER TIME PAINT AN 8 BRING ON BRING ON WHOA MULE YOU DON'T MISS YOUR WATER LOCUST STREET MIGHTY QUINN WELCOME TO THE GOODTIMES (ONLY) HALFWAY TO EVERYWHERE SHARE THE RIDE HIGH HEAD BLUES JEALOUS AGAIN WOUNDED BIRD - encore - SHAPE I'M IN
November 11th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Worst venue ever for a rock show. . .they might as well of played at the library. this area needs a nice, 3k-5k amphitheater venue for these types of tweener rock shows. . .too big for jannus, too small for the sundome or forum (which suck anyway). . . how about we build one at the old al lang field on the waterfront in st. pete. . .anybody got a few mil i can borrow?
November 11th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
The worst concert I have ever been to, they need to pack it up and sell hot dogs somewhere (They suck)
I was absolutely disappointing in this show.
I’ve had tickets for months and am a die hard black crowes fan.
They have one of the best albums ever (shake your money maker)
I went there assuming they would play some songs on their new album and knowing they would intermix their older classic awesome tunes. I sat through 9 songs and they did not play a single tune from any of their older albums. The album that made them who they are today. They sucked, it was like a gospel music fest. There new album is slow and gospel like.
I recently saw AC /DC, they too have a new album, but they are not arrogant enough to just play new songs, they mixed it up and kept the crowd involved.
Three songs into the Black Crowes concert, 90 percent of the people sat down and were shaking their heads waiting for the same thing I was.
I watched crowds of people leave early, including myself.
I gave it the 10 song limit, then left as well.
Don’t waste your time and money.
No wonder Kate Hudson left him.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
“No wonder Kate Hudson left him.” – Oh, snap!
Ok, so I guess the show sucked. I wasn’t there – never a big fan.
But, what about the lights? The lights were bad ass right?
CK5′d!
November 11th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
dave,
some bands change over time. sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. and some bands don’t change at all. when a band evolves into something vastly different than their first album, they may alienate some fans, but they also pick up new ones. bands, for the most part, make music for themselves. they are not jukeboxes. they are artists. i’m not talking about some crap like poison doing a greatest hits tour a million years after they were a flash in the pan because they need money. a real band of artists will play what they want, when they want. they play music for the sake of the music and some happen to make a living doing so.
there are bands who can play a set of “hits” to please the audience while still enjoying what they do. if the crowes didn’t play anything from “shake your money maker” it’s because they probably don’t enjoy playing those songs anymore. would you have frowned on the beatles if they didn’t play “i want to hold your hand” on the last round of touring they did? no, you wouldn’t of. you may argue that the band is there to entertain you. wrong. the band is there is play music and they hope that you enjoy listening as much as they enjoy playing.
sorry that you didn’t like the show. i’ve gone to plenty of shows where i didn’t like what the band played that night, or i wished they’d have played some song that didn’t make the set that night. oh well. it happens. maybe in a few years the crowes will revisit the past and find joy in those early tunes again…
November 11th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
sorry to hear some people didn’t like the show or setlist, it was a great setlist to me. People have to remember when seeing the Crowes they normally don’t play their “hits” which I am glad. I love the element of surprise what the are going to play and JAM!!!
As far as the gospel sounds they have always had that and Chris has an amazing voice for the sound. The are the BEST Rock N Soul band.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
People can’t deal when bands don’t play their “hits” … and since the Black Crowes’ biggest hit was someone else’s song, I don’t blame them. Let them do their thang. The people who don’t like it obviously need to find another band.
And on a side note, a friend texted me asking if I was going to see the Crowes in Orlando. He saw them last night and said the show was so hot he had to see them again tonight.
Just goes to show you that we all live in different realities.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Dave,
If you want to listen to Shake Your Money Maker ad nauseam, you can always stay at home and listen to your IPod. You’ll save money, and the rest of us can enjoy the show without having to hear your whining. To be clear, Shake Your Money Maker came out almost twenty years ago. The Black Crowes are a different band than they were two decades ago. Real artists are constantly growing and evolving. “Fans” like you should really stick with bands like Aerosmith, who play the same fifteen songs at every show and lost any and all spontaneity eons ago.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
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November 11th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Dave, You must have seen a different show than I did. The show I saw was amazing. The sound was superior, and the guys were on. No band likes to play their old – worn out – overplayed songs from yesteryear
…especially when they have an awesome new album to promote. Live in the now! The Crowes ruled. As for your crack about Kate Hudson leaving him…what the heck does that have to do with anything? You’re a jerk.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:03 am
[...] Black Crowes at Ruth Eckerd Hall in ClearwaterLuckily, Ruth Eckerd Hall’s cozy confines and superior acoustics made it the ideal venue for some noodling — and for as many people who wanted to rock, there were those content to soak up the mellow, sonic excursions. Bookmark to: … [...]
November 12th, 2008 at 3:05 am
[...] Black Crowes at Ruth Eckerd Hall in ClearwaterLuckily, Ruth Eckerd Hall’s cozy confines and superior acoustics made it the ideal venue for some noodling — and for as many people who wanted to rock, there were those content to soak up the mellow, sonic excursions. Bookmark to: … [...]
November 12th, 2008 at 3:31 am
I guess there are some bitter people in Tampa – I saw the Crowes for 3 straight nights in DC and one night a large venue in the summer – they are by far the puriest Rock Band who still has vision – to compare them to AC/DC you must leave the 70’s and rejoice in this era with a band that could easily have played aside the Stones in the early 70’s – 3 nights only 2 repeats – I didn’t know 2/3 of the songs but the band has the ability to let you be a part of the experience – Jon – Dave – its time to stay home with your vinyl because I’ve waited 30 years for a band to pull off what they are doing – yes I saw the stones/the who/ you name in the 70’s and no concert left me yearning for more than these guys – and fyi I blew of the first CD as another MTV band. I was wrong but Warpaint is light years ahead – deep dark and alive – like this world we live in!
November 12th, 2008 at 10:27 am
The Black Crowes are famous for their older music, Chis cannot be that arrogant to think that they can just not do the old songs that made them who they are. I saw 100 people leave and many blank faces wondering what the hell they was doing.
The sound was great, the incense they were burning was fantastic, but in my opinion the new album blows and he is going to lose a large fan base. I am not living in the past, but I am not not naive enough to think that the “new” album, that a lot of people wouldn’t even know, can catapult them to the stardom that they had before.
Gman- I think I will just listen to them on the I-pod.
Angie- please, all bands play their old songs, they mix in the new with the old to keep the audience alive (jerk)
bulldog- you must be from a different planet, what a waste.
Keep in mind this is just my opinion, I went to see a great band, and they did not show.
would I go see them again, never
Dave
November 12th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Wow Dave,
Do you ever check their setlist they still play older jams. But you must keep up with times or find a new band. One of the things that makes them so great to see live is the always changing setlist, I have followed them for 17yrs. and thats what keep me and most people I know going. I love to jam out hear new songsor cover songs you should open your mind to music new, old and covers. Warpaint is by far their their best album or to some people their best since Amorica.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
i thought the REH show was the fucking heat. i wouldn’t have necessarily picked that setlist, but what was played was played extremely well.
there were 5 songs from the new album, which is a solid disc. the older stuff was well done with the slide of luther and the covers were sweet… water, quinn, shape i’m in…
only correction to the above setlist… share the ride should be Downtown Money Waster.
then again, i might be biased since i am a long time crowes fan (since the expo in 92) and recorded the show to share with those who do enjoy a great rock n roll band.
Would i have rathered a Ballad before the wiser, sure. Would i rather a champaign and reefer or Don’t Do It, sure. My morning song, of course, but to complain that they didnt rock, then you must not have seen the same show i did. i guess the confined seating area stifled the dancing and those that didnt get thier she talks to angels had to sit it out. roo bad.
the ck5 lights were also really nice in the venue.
went to the hob last night and while they still played as good, (with only 2 repeats) i left thinking REH was a much better show, imho.
November 12th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I thought it was just me:
http://www.musicemissions.com
Warpaint is not a failure, though; it will be a great gateway album into the realms of classic-rock for a younger audience, and it has easy-listening characteristics that will help some songs find their way onto the radio. Overall, though, the album is not consistent enough for anyone to spend their money on, but downloading a select few songs would not be discouraged.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
[...] all the arguing about the merits of the Black Crowes’ Nov. 11 performance at Ruth Eckerd Hall …, I think it’s time everyone re-listen, with sober ears, to the [...]
November 13th, 2008 at 9:45 am
“Unfortunately, every time a momentum was forged, a long jam largely smoked out the mojo in the place.”
That pretty much sums up my feelings about the show. In fact, my wife and I had the exact same discussion as we left REH.
I had a good time and the Crowes showed some versatility but they never seemed to capitalize on the momentum…