Clarkston,Michigan (July 29, 2021) – When the The Black Crowes released Shake Your Money Maker in 1990, rock and roll was at a crossroad. Metal was the sound of the 80’s and was gradually being overshadowed by something new and incendiary from the Pacific Northwest, grunge. This new band from Georgia with the album titled for an Elmore James blues song had a sound that wasn’t unique, but it caught the attention of a generation starving for that raw, unbridled energy often associated with the purest form of rock and roll. The sound was a mixture of the ‘Stones, early Aerosmith and Janis Joplin with a timeless yet soulful delivery from one of the most enigmatic frontman to pick up a microphone. Seemingly, The Black Crowes became overnight sensations, selling over 5 million copies of their classic album, Shake Your Money Maker, to an audience craving that enduring sound from a bygone era.
The beauty of that rock and roll soulful sound is that 30 years later it still holds up, as the band demonstrated Thursday night at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan. Actually, make that 31 years later. The 30th anniversary tour of the album and reunion of the band was supposed to be in 2020, but after late 2019 start those plans went awry for some odd unforeseen(COVID) reason.
The brothers Robinson — singer Chris and guitarist Rich — made it through the pandemic year still on speaking terms, thankfully, allowing this delayed tour to take flight once again. Upon the tours initial announcement, there was some grumbling that it wasn’t really a Black Crowes reunion because the Robinsons were the only original members returning. For some hardcore fans, it was a “dealbreaker” while others relished the thought of the brothers reuniting no matter who was in the lineup. Frontman Chris Robinson and guitarist Rich Robinson are joined in the latest Black Crowes lineup by longtime bassist Sven Pipien, guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, keyboardist Joel Robinow and drummer Brian Griffin. A pair of backing vocalists, Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant, augmented the group for select songs.
Before the Black Crowes shook their money makers Thursday on their only Michigan tour stop, a bartender poured them pre-show cocktails. Tucked in a back corner of the stage, plainly visible to the audience, band members sat at a portable speak easy and sipped drinks served up by the bowtie-wearing barkeep. As band finished , a long legged female wearing a Black Crowes World Tour 2021 satin jacket sauntered toward the jukebox and keyed up Elmore James’ “Shake your Money Maker,” to the raucous cheers from the near capacity crowd.
After a customary huddle at the end of the bar, the band took up their positions while Rich Robinson laid down the opening guitar licks of “Twice as Hard.” Chris Robinson arrived stage front a half-minute later, twirling a blue-and-white parasol and looking quite debonaire in his sequined black suit jacket, black felt hat and white shoes. The Black Crowes began the night by running through a complete live performance of Shake Your Money Maker in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their debut, multiplatinum album. Each of the 10 songs on the album was played in the order found on the LP. Other than the over the top performance of the “Moneymaker” songs themselves, the band did not do much to put the album in its proper context as most anniversary shows often do. A few words about the songs’ inspirations or anecdotes about the making of the album would have gone along way towards letting the fans into the subsequent success of the album itself.
Singer Chris Robinson did give a shoutout to the late Otis Redding, whose “Hard to Handle” is a centerpiece of the album and earned the Crowes their first No. 1 single. He referred to Redding as “The Big O” and said, “We’re lucky to have this song in our life!” The luminous roar from the crowd drew a wry smile from the illustrious frontman before the band ripped through the well known hit.
The rest of “Moneymaker” played out in rollicking, hard-rocking fashion much to crowds delight. Chris Robinson looked fresh and relaxed and hasn’t lost a figurative or literal step during the tour’s pandemic delay. To the contrary, he remained the show’s focus through “Jealous Again,” “Thick N’ Thin,” and “Stare it Cold,” dancing with his mic stand, rekindling memories of the bands performance decades earlier. Soulful standouts, “Seeing Things” and “She Talks to Angels,” sounded as beautiful as ever with Chris’ timeless voice mesmerizing the patrons with the impassioned pleas of a drug addict, in a way that only he could.
The momentum showed to signs of slowing during the second half which featured songs from various Crowes albums. “No Speak No Slave” came first with four others originating from 1992’s The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. “Thorn in My Pride” was a jam-heavy highlight, sporting solos from Mitchell, keyboardist Robinow and Chris Robinson on harmonica. “Sting Me,” served as a perfect elixir leading up to the supercharged but soulful take on the set ending classic “Remedy.” As well travelled bands do, the band paid homage to one of their early influences, The Rolling Stones, with an evening ending encore performance of “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (but I Like It).”
Seeing rockstars years after the first can be difficult and at times disappointing. People age, voices change and energy levels progressively fade. After Thursday nights the Shake Your Money Maker Tour in the Detroit suburb of Clarkston, I’m convinced The Black Crowes have found the rock ‘n’ roll fountain of youth. All said, this might be the most entertaining tour of 2021.
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Black Crowes:
