The ripples of David Crosby’s generosity and expertise had been definitely rocking and rolling via the Lobero Theatre on Sunday evening. The Stand and Be Counted live performance — initially deliberate by Crosby himself as a profit for the Lobero’s a hundred and fiftieth Anniversary Ovation Celebration in February earlier than his premature loss of life in January — got here collectively as a ravishing tribute to his musical legacy.
Modern people artist Shawn Colvin (who was in a well-documented mutual admiration society with Crosby and sang with him on a stunning cowl of “Baker Avenue” on her glorious 2015 album Uncovered, amongst their different connections) opened the present. Alone onstage along with her guitar, her Crosby-curated set included the Robbie Robertson–penned “Twilight,” with the slightly haunting lyrics from the nice rocker, who died on August 9: “Simply don’t put me within the body upon the mantel / the place reminiscences flip dusty, outdated, and grey / Don’t go away me alone within the twilight / Twilight is the loneliest time of day.“
She additionally sang three of her personal best-known songs “Sunny Got here Dwelling,” “Cry Like an Angel,” and “That Don’t Fear Me Now,” about which she stated, “I all the time consider Croz once I play it.”
After some remarks and video clips by David Bender, the author who labored with Crosby on the e book and subsequent documentary Stand and Be Counted: A Revealing Historical past of Our Occasions By way of the Eyes of the Artists Who Helped Change Our World, it was time for the large band to hit the stage, with a powerful group of Crosby-selected performers, together with Stevie Distanislao on drums/vocals; Andrew Ford on bass; Lara Johnston on vocals; Dean Parks on guitar; Steve Postell, whom we noticed on the Lobero final fall with the Speedy Household, on guitar/vocals; Crosby’s son James Raymond, on keyboard/vocals; Chris Stills, son of Stephen Stills, on guitar/vocals; and vocalist Ken Stacey.
Postell, who picked up the ball with Raymond and arranged the live performance as a tribute after Crosby handed away, began out the set on lead vocals with a heartfelt rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” adopted by Stills (who bears some resemblance to a younger Viggo Mortensen, in addition to his father) crushing it on the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Younger golden oldie “Woodstock.” Visitor vocalist Nathan McEuen and Colvin had been quickly again on stage, and the fabulous music simply saved on coming.
It didn’t take a lot coaxing from visitor vocalist Colin Hay (Males at Work) to get the viewers members up out of their seats and singing alongside to “Educate Your Kids.” Visitor vocalist Richard Web page (Mr. Mister) and his extremely emotive voice completely nailed “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.” Different longtime favourite CSN and CSNY songs performed in varied configurations (all stellar) included “Wood Ships,” “Delta,” and the exceptionally stunning harmonies of “Helplessly Hoping,” with every of the principle vocalists chiming in on what Postell described as “one of the vital enjoyable songs ever written when you like singing concord.” It was an nearly indescribably fairly music.
Colvin and Grace Raymond (James Raymond’s daughter and Crosby’s granddaughter) sang a ravishing duet of “Guinnevere,” earlier than welcoming all the firm again on stage for a rousing efficiency of “Love the One You’re With.” That was adopted by the ballad “I Received’t Keep for Lengthy,” a reflective music written by James Raymond for David Crosby’s eighth and last album, For Free.
“That’s one stunning music,” stated Hay, earlier than he lifted the temper again up excessive by bopping his almost bald head round, pretending to nonetheless have his once-long, flowing purple locks earlier than launching into one other Crosby, Stills, Nash & Younger oldie, “Virtually Minimize My Hair.” One other beaut, “Carry On,” was adopted by “Something at All,” “Ohio,” and at last, Stills took the lead on a robust rendition of “Discover the Price of Freedom.”
That music’s becoming, nearly eulogistic final traces — ”Discover the price of freedom / buried within the floor / Mom Earth will swallow you / Lay your physique down” — punctuated a robust, lasting, and rippling impression of a tremendous musical legacy, not not like David Crosby himself.
