Black Crowes, round one: Asheville
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Kelsey and I drove up to Asheville, North Carolina to attend the Black Crowes concert. We were going to take the motorcycle, but the weather was nasty on Saturday, so we decided to leave the bike at home instead. I booked a room at a Holiday Inn in Asheville through Hotwire, and we arrived there a couple of hours before the show. The hotel was being renovated, and I must the renovations were very nice. We rested a bit and the neaded to the auditorium.
The concert was being held at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, which is a small traditional civic center that seats about 3,000. It reminded me of the old civic centers we used to go to as kids to watch a play on a field trip. We were in the balcony, right of the stage with a decent line-of-sight.
The opening band was a trio of young guys known as Rose Hill Drive. I was pleasantly surprised - these guys can flat-out play. Their sound is tight, loud, intricate and awesome. They reminded me of a mix of early Allman Brothers, Mother Lovebone, and the Dixie Dregs. They were awesome, and I hope they release a CD soon because I'll be buying it.
The Crowes came out and played a fantastic 2 hour set (set list here for those interested). The stage was lined all over with candles, and the backdrop was like a middleastern church - the overall effect was bohemian warmth. Chris Robinson's voice is as powerful as ever, and Rich Robinson can still play amazing rhythm guitar, taking the occasional lead as the mood strikes. The brothers Robinson had two backup singers and a keyboardist as well as the lead guitarist and drummer, and they all played tight - as if they had been playing together for years. The concert brought back memories of great Crowes shows from the past, and I can't wait for the Atlanta show. BTW, Kelsey had a great time as well, and seemed to really appreciate the music.
We enjoyed it so much that we tried a new service being offered at the concert. A company known as Instant Live Concerts has a great product concept, and they are executing the concept well. Instant Live's recording engineers work with the band and their sound guy, and they record the concert straight from the sound board, along with strategically placed mics throughout the venue to get that "concert" feel without losing great sound quality. The they do something really great - you can pick up the concert, recorded to two CDs, in an attractive package, 10 minutes after the show has ended. All for $25. I was intruigued, so I bought a voucher to pick up the CDs after the show.
We waited in a pretty large line for about 25 minutes right after the show, and then picked up our new CDs (they began handing them out 10 minutes after the show, as advertised). Kelsey and I listened to the concert a little that night on the way to the hotel, and then all day today on the drive home. I have to say, I am very impressed. The recording quality is exceptional - you do get that "live" feel, but the music is well balanced, clear, and enjoyable. The CDs were well worth the price, as it is a quality product in a very attractive package (which is even customized with the date and venue of the show). I highly recommend it - in fact I think I am going to buy the Atlanta show as well, since I know the Crowes tend to change their set lists quite a bit every night. If you have the opportunity to purchase an Instant Live CD at the next concert you attend, I highly recommend it.
I can't wait for the Atlanta show, and if the Crowes come to your town, you should check them out.
Rock
**If we are what we eat, then I'm easy, fast, and cheap.
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Comments
Posted by Ben Poole At 04:26:32 AM On 05/02/2005 | - Website - |
Did you know the Crowes are touring with Tom Petty this summer?
Posted by Curt Stone At 11:06:08 AM On 05/02/2005 | - Website - |
I am drooling in anticipation!!!
Posted by Tom At 02:16:41 PM On 05/02/2005 | - Website - |