The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes return to Milan after a 9 year hiatus to celebrate, with tonight’s mixed age and gender bohemian art rock crowd, the sparkle and radiance of their debut album ‘Shake Your Money Maker’. Chris and Rich Robinson, the Atlanta born brothers, with a nod to The Faces and Rolling Stones, brought classic blues rock ‘n’ roll back into the mainstream in the early 90’s with the release of this album. It’s been a bumpy ride since with high’s (Amorica & Live at the Greek with Jimmy Page) and low’s (Lion’s) and with the brothers falling in and out of love. Not quite Liam and Noel but they probably don’t spend Xmas day together. Still, with a new band consisting of long-time collaborator, bassist Sven Pipien, Joel Robinow on keyboards, Brian Griffin drums, Isaiah Mitchell on lead guitar and backing vocalists Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant, the Black Crowes are back on the prowl and aiming to shake “your” moneymaker.

First up tonight however at the Alcatraz disco club in Milan are DeWolf, who perform a short but sweet set of late 60’s/early 70’s psychedelia rock with the classic ‘Door’s’ set up; hammond organ, electric guitar and drums. Complete with a “mock” drum solo, it’s a fun set with lots of enthusiasm, wah wah pedal and screeching organ. Closing with the track ‘Deceit & Woo’ they create a good vibe in the room.

The main attraction stroll on about 21.15 and indeed play the debut album in its proper sequence. As classic vinyl albums are wont to do, both the up-tempo as well as the more soulful ballad type songs, are strategically highlighted by the order of the songs on the LP. This album and so the live show opens with the classic double header common to rock albums, that hit hard and go for the jugular; in this case ‘Twice As Hard’ and ‘Jealous Again’. Slower tracks, as generally happened on side 1, the sublime ‘Sister Luck’ and ‘Seeing Things’ follow, until it’s time to turn over the vinyl and side 2 would always open with a belter. In this case it’s the marvellous Otis Redding penned song, ‘Hard To Handle’ which just kills live. The album and so the live show comes to a close with the cool and delightful ‘Stare It Cold’ and as if painting by numbers, the whole concept works perfectly.

The band are on the final stretch of this European tour and so are comfortable and engaged in the live show. Maybe some over indulgence with the guitar solo’s extending some songs needlessly and the sound initially a bit murky on the higher registers ( though this is not their fault but a repeated problem of the Alcatraz club) are the only drawbacks. Still the gorgeous sounding Gibson guitars that Rich uses create a wall of sound that pleases, and then there is Chris Robinson. Truly one of the best rock ‘n’ roll singers of the last 50 years; right up there with the likes of Robert Plant and Paul Rodgers. He girates, pouts and purs like a cat seemingly on top of his game and enjoying himself.

The second part of the show has some classic BC songs with a haunting, dark version of ‘Wiser Time’ and a rousing ‘Remedy’ that get’s the whole crowd pumped up, the best of the bunch.

Just before 23.00 the main lights are turned on in the big room, and a fine evening of classic blues rock leaves a smile on the crowds faces and the band contented. No backing tapes or sequencers tonight: It was all live and that’s the way it should be; like marriage, for better or for worse.

Setlist
$hake Your Money Maker
Twice as Hard
Jealous Again
Sister Luck
Could I've Been So Blind
Seeing Things
Hard to Handle (Otis Redding cover)
Thick n' Thin
She Talks to Angels
Struttin' Blues
Stare It Cold
Soul Singing
Oh! Sweet Nuthin' (The Velvet Underground cover)
Wiser Time
Thorn in My Pride
Remedy

Encore:
Good Morning Captain