Hello again fellow Freak Flag Flyers. Hope today this finds you surrounded by smiles and with a full grateful heart. Just finishing this wonderful rock and roll conjuration from our cosmic choir and I can’t help but be all thee above and more. The CRB always sets me free of all those dragons and swords that’s sometimes greet us each day. This entry is from the Orange Peel in the beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. A usual haunt for our psychedelic spirits and they always deliver. No change here so let’s Take Care of Business shall we? They open with a blazing romp through that cover that would make BTO lay down arms and Freddie King smile. Next is what, for awhile at least, was my favorite Roan County Banjo. Adam is front and center of the mix and gives everyone else in the band notice that tonight is going to be a good one, and the band takes his cue and we seriously don’t look back from there. We are allowed to follow their cue to “relax your mind” as they flow through Oak Apple Day with precision. Next is what I’ll admit is a top 3, or possibly number 1, CRB song of all time for me. Clear Blue Sky and The Good Doctor. And this one plastered a big ole’ smile on my face that’s still here. I love how this thing completely changes into a different tempo and song even. Whatever Neal is doing when he leads them into the second half just sends chills up my spine and Chris always gives my soul refreshment with the ending aching “And as the sun comes up this morning”. This is an amazing example of a band instrumentally setting a tone for the verses to follow. And the reverb on the vocal here is the perfect mushroom cherry on top. The Good Doctor has gone insane for sure. Chris tears into that familiar rhythm and we blaze into Lizzie Mae. Shifting gears up and down as the rhythm section just keeps perfect time for Neal to bend some notes and strings all around this one. A Black Magic recipe we all enjoy showing up and they let this one get loose and loud. Adam just destroying the keys. He gives them at least a little break to cool down as we sway to Neal and Chris doing one of the most beautifully stunning Tumbleweeds on any Ravens Reel. Neal is circling the whole time but not “circling repetitively”, just painting every picture the lyrics suggest. A version to get lost in and we all need those types of songs. That’s why we come here so often. The party gets going again in a big way with the R&B classic by The Coasters – I’m a Hog For You. We all get to boogie in the mud for awhile before they ease the set to a close with what’s now become a rarity and the always special Beware, Oh Take Care. From that opening strum and Adams flourish, we are gone into near bliss. The guitars do some really cool things in the last passage of the song here. Then the guys start a full band harmony that would make CSN&Y take notice. This is another song that takes me to somewhere far away. A place to ache, a place to reflect, a place to love and eventually, move forward…..
“From hell to high water
Over that angel bridge
Out into the wilderness”
The second set keeps all the fury and passion of the first going from the “get-go”! Hello LA Bye Bye whatever bad feeling or vibes we may have had. I can get trapped in this snare down beat and find myself dancing like nobody is watching…nobody is watching right? Wheel Don’t Roll reminds us, “Its the same ole scene, it’s just the company you keep”. Then it’s time to pay attention gang. I found a pattern awhile back, whenever Train Robbers is slotted into the second set near halfway point. It seems it’s always a beautiful distraction for the storm to come. An as always emotional version of the song reaching nearly 9 minutes does just that. Love Neal’s high harmony on this song. The entire band releases colors all over this version and the reverb on the vocal, again, just adds the perfect touch. And then here comes the storm I teased above. They build up the outro of Train Robbers into a furious leap into 40 Days!!! How great is it when this comes up aces!! “You’ll have to leave what you can’t carry!!! Hope that you are ready!!!!!” Neal in full force here. Sliding and bending again. We are up and ready. Ain’t It Hard But Fair is up next and we stay on our feet, finding room to move and boogie among our brothers and sisters. And smile. “Whatcha call that on top of yo lip is it salvation??” Star Or Stone and Muddy’s anything but that bass line gives the guys room to take off and soar after the vocal harmony break. You get the feeling they are warming up for a last push to blow our saturated minds. Neal is again just pushing this song up a peak and the band finally tumbles down in pieces landing not scattered, but slowly into the familiar train signal of Adams. Shore Power set closers are always cause for rejoicing. But we aren’t done. Not even close. This show has what is sort of a rarity. No cover in the double encore slot! All good with me because what a one two punch this is!! Please direct your attention to Mr Adam MacDougall. It’s time for the Wizard to cast his spacious sonic spells. A minute long entrance passage from our comet on the keys and Beggars Moon struts and steps all over. “Drain that barrel fill that pipe!” We ain’t done by far. One of my favorite versions of what I’ll once again and always from here on refer to as our Hallucination Nations anthem, Sunday Sound!!! This is a BIG one at 14:24. “Like water on the ground we will find our way”. We all dance till dawn just as CR suggests. What a night. What a show.
This is a perfect listen for any dance party. This one is truly magic! We still have a little leap to get into this coming weekend, so get this show quick from the link and let our guys carry you through those morning and evening commutes.
Freak on brothers and sisters!
Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Asheville, NC
November 3, 2015
SET ONE:
Taking Care Of Business
Roan County Banjo
Oak Apple Day
Clear Blue Sky & The Good Doctor Little Lizzie Mae
Tumbleweed In Eden
I’m A Hog For You
Beware, Oh Take Care
SET TWO:
Hello L.A. Bye Bye Birmingham
If Your Wheel Don’t Roll
Train Robbers
40 Days
Ain’t It Hard But Fair
Star Or Stone
Shore Power
ENCORE:
Beggar’s Moon
Sunday Sound
