“Like smoke in the wind and away we go…..” As we begin this season of barefooted heads, I’m revisiting this hidden gem from earlier this spring. Tulsa is a spot where the band seems to always accurately and organically produce a familiar, magical concoction. No snake in this oil, only clean California grown for this journey back through 4/6/2017, Tulsa, OK.
The night opens with one of the tours most magical moments, a 12 minute acid-atomic New Cannonball in Tulsa time. Breathing and building into a psychedelic, dust storm like surf that would carry the rest of the show along its lofty crest. The telepathic cohesion of a confident band and this wave of excellent music we are lucky to be alive and experiencing together. It’s a staggering opening blow and is quickly followed by the seamless tumble into Tomorrow Blues. This song is always a treat early or to open and here it’s the middle of a 3 song offering that gives plenty of stylistic nods to not only the geographical and music history of the area but it’s overall vibe and feel as well. Ominous orbiting clouds cast shadows across this heavy version of Badlands. Shadows that scan the topography for every hint of the songs cinematic urgency. CR’s guitar really shines here as he melts into Jeff and Tony and becomes part of their rhythm freak nation for a quantum entanglement that is always cinematic and powerful. High Is Not The Top kicks the fun time party and swing up a few notches before CR’s sugar soul stroll through Try It Baby settles over the crowd and into all the free minds and hearts. The set closes with a 3 song half hour of erudition through some locally infused grooves. Starting with a version of the host city lament Tulsa Yesterday that rolls effortlessly along until, in the context of the set, it absorbs the Tumblweed that follows. Now enraptured without seam, they combine to create a fertile sonic playground for the Brotherhood to sweep and soar, ever led by Neal and his epic painting of passages. His guitar snaking through this stretch with a tethering tone, dodging beautiful bombs from Jeff and hammer snap snare from Tony. Elevated by the Wizards wave and CR’s call it all unites into a crowd cohesive Never Been To Spain with Neal laying some Duane-like slide with razor shake feel. Closing the set but opening a chamber door to lead them deep into the second phase of the dimension.
~setbreak~
Blue Star Woman hovers joyfully over the start of the second set. This song is really coming alive now nightly as it continues to stretch its lysergic legs and grow. It rumbles and roars through its second half and eventually lifts off like a jasmine vimana, pulling us all smiling and satisfied into its vapor wake. Roll Old Jeremiah has an extra dreamy swing to it with Adam having multiple moments of divine improvisational vision. They push the throttle straight into the debris field as the sound leaps over the edge of an ancient crater and we get a birds eye view of the decent into the groove. You can feel Jeff’s low end in your spine as California Hymn dances through the room, passing out the correct hymnals for the nights service. Suspects, Clean and In-between all are welcome inside! May your cup overflow again!! Cali Hymn orbits in it’s west coast red and gold robe for over 10 minutes of pure pacific coast cool. Creating another of those moments where you could feel something different coming. Soon, out of the songs closing shimmer bursts a mid-second-set surprise Try Rock & Roll! The crowd and band now all guests at the same psychedelic revolution party and groovin. About A Stranger refracts through the same west coast Viewfinder giving us full view of that ladder made of stars. On the horizon and approaching quickly we can clearly see the ancient aeronautic beacon atop Dylan’s Tough Mama with its theory of light and matter jam glowing not far in the distance. Once the event has arrived it’s a psych-trance of the most blissful of kind. All of our Wizards lab on auditory display in a Bladerunner crystal cavern traveling jam. Two guitars weaving while everyone gives and receives information through the same multi colored tapestry of sound. The closing three songs may have individual names but exist here together as 30 minute escape pod into the funk-mosphere! The star strut of Narcissus makes its appearance fashionably late in the set per usual and gives everyone a chance to stop and stare as it’s intro falls into a smooth little jam before CR’s soothing beckon warns the old guard of commune ashes and one million times and ways. All the same. Ain’t no shame. We approach the mothership along with the band, matching their cool and collected but funky clip. The sound of the Bay Area doors opening to allow us aboard could have sounded like nothing other than this Got Love If You Want It. Complete with warning sirens to start, before CR strums us wickedly into the blades of Neal’s slide once again. Tony and Jeff rumble like thunder across the dusty plaines until it all meets the swinging door salon with a disco ball joy of Adam and the captains preach, sway and shake. It’s a love lethal combo and once it explodes into madness there shown not a frown in the house. Not at the Union Hall or the old Sock-op. Only at a CRB show. I love when the band gives us these comedown encores that feel like a big group hugs goodbye. One last revolution of love in this roving cosmic commune. The old Claude Rich classic There Won’t Be Anymore filled that slot tonight as it often did this tour and was such a delight to add to the repertoire.
This is a special night from a tour full of them and a show I listen to often. The band showing respect for this historic venue in the heart of this freak nation. It’s the perfect show to hit the road with this tour. Everyone be safe out there! It’s going to be a season of hugs and boogie, old friends and new, embracing in our bubble of freedom and love. See you all out there soon! Freak On brothers and sisters!!
Chris Robinson Brotherhood
4/6/2017
Cains Ballroom
Tulsa, Oklahoma
SET: ONE
New Cannonball>
Tomorrow Blues
Badlands
High Is Not The Top
Try It Baby
Tulsa>
Tumbleweed
Never Been To Spain
SET: TWO
Blue Star Woman
Roll Old Jeremiah
California Hymn
Try Rock & Roll
About A Stranger
Tough Mama> Jam
Narcissus>
Got Love
ENCORE
There Won’t Be Anymore
Check out our galleries of this show here:
#crb #chrisrobinsonbrotherhood #sleepinpeacewilddarkriders#letthecrbsetyoufree #barefootinthehead #freakflag #blissmerchants#ravensreels #freaktransmissions #crbismagic #crbeings#spaceisonthephone ✌️️
👁
🔮
🌟
🌙
🍄
🚀
💫
🏹
🦉
